C68
Tumour-suppressive function of Fgfr2b in the skin
Maria Monterrubio-Acebes, Richard Grose
Cancer Research UK, London, UK
Fgfr2b is involved in post-natal skin development and in adult skin homeostasis. Mice lacking epidermal Fgfr2b survive into adulthood but present several abnormalities in hair and sebaceous gland development, can develop spontaneous papillomas with age, and show great sensitivity to chemical carcinogenic insult. In addition, mutant mice have an increased inflammatory cell presence in the skin, with augmented numbers of macrophages and γδT cells with abnormal morphology. γδT cells are key sources of ligands for Fgfr2b in the epidermis and mice lacking γδT cells in the skin show a similar sensitivity to carcinogenesis. We therefore are studying whether the aberrant morphology and number of γδT cells seen in mutant mice is reflects a different behaviour of these cells in mutant mice, which would promote an enhancement in the development and progression of skin tumours. We also are investigating molecular changes in mutant skin, including cytokines such as IL-8, that are upregulated in mutant skin. Alongside this we are investigating the expression of genes implicated in tumour suppression and epithelial development, such as p63, Notch1 and Beta-Catenin, to determine their possible involvement in tumour generation and progression in these mice.
