Chia-Yang Liu, Yujin Zhang, Mindy Call and Winston W.-Y. Kao
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Series: Protein Biochemistry, Synthesis, Structure and Cellular Functions
BISAC: SCI007000

This book investigates the role of ß-catenin in mediating FGF-7 induced corneal tumorigenesis. Pannus surgically removed from OSSN patients all had nuclear ß-catenin and exhibited excess FGF-7. In vitro, FGF-7 induces stabilization and nuclear translocation of ß-catenin in human corneal epithelial cells. In vivo, conditional knock-out of ß-catenin gene (Ctnnb1) did not have significant effects on corneal morphogenesis or homeostasis, but abolished OSSN formation in Dox-treated Krt12rtTA/rtTA/tetO-FGF-7/tetO-Cre/Ctnnb1lox(E2-6)/lox(E2-6) mice. These results suggest that ß-catenin plays a pivotal role in mediating the formation of OSSN. Thus, the administration of inhibitor(s) that prevents activation of ß-catenin may be beneficial for treating OSSN. (Imprint: Nova)