tumour suppressor genes and colorectal carcinoma
Last reviewed 06/2022
Several tumour suppressor genes have been identified as being involved in tumour initiation and progression:
- inactivation of the DCC gene:
- DCC stands for Deleted in Colon Cancer
- on chromosome 18q
- DCC is a membrane-bound protein that shares sequence homology with neural adhesion molecules (N-CAM)
- DCC is xpressed in the axons of peripheral and central neurons and in differentiated cells of the intestine
- DCC mutations have only been found in sporadic colorectal cancers
- APC:
- the Adenomatous Polyposis Colon gene
- mutations of the APC tumour suppressor gene are unique to colorectal carcinomas
- mutHLS homology genes:
- these proteins are involved in mismatch repair of DNA
- dysfunction results in the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer