Cell Growth & Division | Pediatric Oncology | Neuro-Endocrinology & Pituitary
New insights into the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of human craniopharyngioma: do pituitary stem cells underlie the origin of these tumours?
Cynthia Andoniadou*, Carles Gaston-Massuet, Rukmini Reddy, Paul Le Tissier, Juan Pedro Martinez-Barbera
*Corresponding author: Cynthia Andoniadou
Neural Development Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
F1000Posters 2012, 3: 717 (poster) [English]
Poster [3.28 MB] | Recommended by F1000Prime | Resulting articles
Presented at
Joint 15th International Congress of Endocrinology and 14th European Congress of Endocrinology (ICE/ECE) 2012,
5 - 9 May 2012, P773
We previously generated a mouse model for Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma (ACP), a paediatric pituitary tumour where activating mutations in Ctnnb1 result in the accumulation of the resulting protein in distinct cell clusters. We were able to genetically label and isolate these cells from mouse ACP in order to determine if they play a role in tumorigenesis.
Cells accumulating beta-catenin were found to have characteristics of quiescent stem cells. Global gene expression profiling revealed that in both mouse and human ACP they express a host of paracrine signals, likely to be influencing tumour progression.
The identification of novel biomarkers and disrupted signaling pathways can allow for development of targeted pharmacological treatments, as none are currently used for ACP. The mouse ACP model is an invaluable tool to determine the efficacy of such treatments.
No relevant competing interests disclosed.
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