Comparable molecular alterations in 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced oral and esophageal cancer in mice and in human esophageal cancer, associated with poor prognosis of patients.

Abstract

4-NQO-induced cancer in oral cavity and esophagus of mice not only pathologically and morphologically mimicked human oral and esophageal cancer, but also shared some molecular alterations (e.g. aberrant expression of Rarb2, p-ERK1/2, and Cox2). This study further demonstrated that targeting of the altered RARβ₂-led gene pathway could effectively suppress the development of this deadly type of cancer.