Absence of PTEN/MMAC1 gene mutations in lung adenocarcinomas induced by N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine in rats

Mutations of the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten/mutated in multiple advanced cancers 1 (PTEN/MMAC1) gene were investigated in lung adenocarcinomas induced by N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHP) in rats. Male Wistar rats (6 weeks old) were given 2000 ppm BHP in their drinking water for 12 weeks and maintained without further treatment until they were killed at week 25. Total RNA was extracted from 15 adenocarcinomas and mutations of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene were investigated by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction–restriction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. No mutations were detected, and loss or decrease of expression of PTEN/MMAC1 mRNA was also not found in any of the cases. These results suggest that alterations of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene may not be involved in the development of adenocarcinomas induced by BHP in rats.