Research Topics
Our work focuses on the analysis of two major elements of the Wnt/-catenin signalling pathway:
- 1. Beta-catenin, the protein that relays the Wnt signal to the nucleus, and also interacts with cadherins in adhesion and
- 2. the APC tumour suppressor gene, a negative regulator of the Wnt signal. Germ-line mutations in the APC gene are responsible for a familial form of colon cancer called Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). Most sporadic colon cancers are also caused by loss-of-function of this gene.
We have developed two relevant mouse models of cancer: a FAP model of human colorectal tumorigenesis ( Colnot et al, Lab Invest, 2004) and a model of sporadic hepatocellular carcinoma ( Colnot et al, PNAS, 2004).
1. Study of Wnt signalling in homeostasis and colon cancer formation (B. Romagnolo, CR1 INSERM)
2. Study of Wnt/beta-catenin signalling in homeostasis and oncogenesis in the hepatic parenchyma
2.1. Studies of Wnt signalling in
homeostasis and oncogenesis in the hepatic parenchyma based on mouse
models (C. Perret, DR2 INSERM, S. Colnot, CR1
INSERM
2.2. Genetic and molecular analysis
of human hepatic tumours (C. Cavard, CR1 CNRS,
and B. Terris, PU-PH in Anatomical
Pathology)
