Abstract A76: A novel in vivo model for pancreatic restructuring and suppression of transformation

Our studies are focused on the identification and prevention of the initial transformation events associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) development, an extremely lethal malignancy with poor prognosis and ineffective treatments. PDA initiates through activating mutations in the KRAS proto-oncogene (KrasG12D) and recent studies from our laboratory have determined that targeted expression of an endogenous KrasG12D allele in pancreatic acinar cells is sufficient to produce PDA precursor lesions (PanINs). These results suggest that PDA arises via acinar cells undergoing a process of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) which is characterized by a loss of acinar cell properties with the acquisition of duct-like characteristics. Several studies indicate that the process of ADM requires inactivation of the acinar-specific transcription factor Mist1, since Mist1 null (Mist1KO) mice display accelerated ADM and PanIN formation upon KrasG12D expression. Additionally, acinar cell polarity is disrupted in Mist1KO mice with diffuse zymogen granule organization and mis-localization of nuclei. These results suggest that Mist1 has a key role in suppressing PDA formation by maintaining the acinar cell differentiation program. To identify the downstream genes affected by the absence of Mist1, we have generated an inducible Mist1 transgenic mouse line (LSL-Mist1myc) in which constitutive Mist1 expression is activated through Cre-mediated recombination. When LSL-Mist1myc mice are crossed to Mist1Cre-ER mice, Mist1myc expression can be induced in acinar cells upon Tamoxifen (TM) addition. Analysis of Mist1Cre-ER/Cre-ER; LSL-Mist1myc mice confirmed that exogenous Mist1myc expression is detected as early as 6 hours post-TM. Time course studies in a Mist1KO background revealed that nuclear and zymogen granule organization can be restored within 24 hours of Cre activation. We conclude that Mist1 actively controls pancreatic acinar cell organization and that induction of Mist1 in Mist1KO mice leads to complete reorganization of pancreatic tissues. Our current efforts are focused on establishing how Mist1 negatively regulates ADM and PanIN formation and to identify Mist1 targets that negatively regulate Kras-induced pancreas metaplasia and transformation. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):A76.