Neoplastic transformation and aberrant cell-cell interactions in genetic mosaics of lethal(2)giant larvae (lgl), a tumor suppressor gene of Drosophila

Homozygosity for lethal(2)giant larvae (lgl), a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene of Drosophila, induces neoplasia of the imaginal discs. To explore the developmental capacities of lgl mutant cells, we have investigated their growth and differentiation in genetic mosaics. Adult wings mosaic for lg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental biology 1995-11, Vol.172 (1), p.218-229
Main Authors: Agrawal, N, Kango, M, Mishra, A, Sinha, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
carcinogenesis
Cell Communication - genetics
Cell Differentiation
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
cells
clones
Drosophila
Drosophila - embryology
Drosophila - genetics
Drosophila - growth & development
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila Proteins
Female
genes
Genes, Insect
Genes, Tumor Suppressor
Genotype
Insect Hormones - biosynthesis
Insect Hormones - genetics
interactions
Larva
larvae
Male
Mitosis
Mosaicism
Mutation
neoplasms
Recombination, Genetic
Tumor Suppressor Proteins
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Summary:Homozygosity for lethal(2)giant larvae (lgl), a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene of Drosophila, induces neoplasia of the imaginal discs. To explore the developmental capacities of lgl mutant cells, we have investigated their growth and differentiation in genetic mosaics. Adult wings mosaic for lgl displayed abnormal growth and differentiation of the lgl mutant and neighboring wild-type cells, suggesting aberrant cell-cell interactions during development. lgl mutant clones also straddled the anteroposterior boundary of the wing imaginal disc, apparently due to failure of the cells of the anterior and the posterior compartment to segregate at the boundary. To further test if anteroposterior compartmentalization takes place in the neoplastic imaginal discs of lgl mutant larvae, we studied the expression of an engrailed (en)-specific lacZ reporter gene during progressive stages of their tumorous growth. Our results show that en is activated in the posterior compartments of the neoplastic imaginal discs. However, during later stages of tumorous overgrowth, the en-expressing and nonexpressing cells appear to show extensive intermixing. These observations suggest that neoplastic transformation of imaginal discs involves loss of their normal cell-cell interactions and signaling.
ISSN:0012-1606
1095-564X
DOI:10.1006/dbio.1995.0017