| First Author | Mahon KA | Year | 1987 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 235 |
| Issue | 4796 | Pages | 1622-8 |
| PubMed ID | 3029873 | Mgi Jnum | J:127709 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3764712 | Doi | 10.1126/science.3029873 |
| Citation | Mahon KA, et al. (1987) Oncogenesis of the lens in transgenic mice. Science 235(4796):1622-8 |
| abstractText | Neoplastic tumors of the ocular lens of vertebrates do not naturally occur. Transgenic mice carrying a hybrid gene comprising the murine alpha A-crystallin promoter (-366 to +46) fused to the coding sequence of the SV40 T antigens developed lens tumors, which obliterated the eye cavity and even invaded neighboring tissue, thus establishing that the lens is not refractive to oncogenesis. Large-T antigen was detected early in lens development; it elicited morphological changes and specifically interfered with differentiation of lens fiber cells. Both alpha- and beta-crystallins persisted in many of the lens tumor cells, while gamma-crystallin was selectively reduced. Accessibility, characteristic morphology, and defined protein markers make this transparent epithelial eye tissue a potentially useful system for testing tumorigenicity of oncogenes and for studying malignant transformation from its inception until death of the animal. |
