Mouse Models of Endometriosis and Ovarian Cancer

描述(申请人提供)：上皮性卵巢癌是女性生殖道中最致命的癌症。目前，既没有可靠的早期发现手段，也没有非常有效的治疗方案。在散发性和家族性卵巢癌发生中具有主要病因学作用的遗传损伤包括激活K-Ras突变(K-RasG12D)和功能丧失的P53、PTEN和BRCA1突变。这项建议的主要目的是描述我最近开发的子宫内膜异位症和子宫内膜样卵巢癌的小鼠模型的特征。这些研究将使我能够评估子宫内膜异位症和子宫内膜样卵巢癌之间的致病联系。此外，对这些模型的分析将使识别新的治疗靶点成为可能。最后，它们将允许在相关的体内背景下筛选未来的治疗和化学预防药物。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Epithelial ovarian cancer is the deadliest cancer of the female reproductive tract. Currently, there is neither a reliable means for early detection nor very efficient treatment options. Genetic lesions that have a major etiological role in sporadic and familial ovarian carcinogenesis include activating K-RAS mutations (K-RASG12D) and loss-of-function p53, PTEN, and BRCA1 mutations. The main goal of this proposal is to characterize the mouse models of endometriosis and endometrioid ovarian cancer that I recently developed. These studies will allow me to evaluate the pathogenetic links between endometriosis and endometrioid ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the analysis of these models will make possible the identification of new therapeutic targets. Finally, they will allow the screening of future therapeutic and chemopreventive agents in a relevant in vivo context.