Genetic ablation of Tnfalpha demonstrates no detectable suppressive effect on inflammation-related mouse colon tumorigenesis

Chem Biol Interact. 2010 Mar 30;184(3):423-30. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2010.01.014. Epub 2010 Jan 14.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most serious complications of inflammatory bowel disease. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnfalpha) is a major mediator of inflammation and there is increasing evidence that Tnfalpha/Tnf-receptor-1 (Tnfr1) signaling may act as an endogenous tumor promoter for colon carcinogenesis. In fact, a previous study revealed that mice lacking Tnfr1 develop significantly fewer colonic tumors in the inflammation-related CRC model. In addition, antibodies against Tnfalpha have been shown to inhibit the development of inflammation-related CRC. In the present study, Apc Min/+; Tnfalpha -/- mice were treated with 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and the tumor development was compared with Apc Min/+; Tnfalpha +/+ control mice in order to investigate the role of Tnfalpha by itself in the inflammation-related CRC. Surprisingly, there were no detectable differences in either the severity of colonic inflammation or the expression of DSS-induced chemokines and cytokines (Ccl2, Cxcl1, Tnfbeta, Il1beta, Il6, and Cox-2) that relate to the colonic inflammation and tumorigenesis between these two groups. Furthermore, the genetic ablation of Tnfalpha did not suppress the colon tumorigenesis in comparison to the wild-type mice. Our observations suggest that intricate inflammatory responses promote the inflammation-related mouse colon tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemokine CCL2 / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL1 / metabolism
  • Colitis / complications*
  • Colitis / immunology
  • Colitis / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
  • Dextran Sulfate / toxicity
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / deficiency
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics*

Substances

  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Chemokine CXCL1
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Dextran Sulfate
  • Cyclooxygenase 2