K-ras-driven engineered mouse models for pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most fatal cancers largely due to the lack of early diagnosis and effective therapies. Therefore, further understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of PC development and progression is pivotal to the development of more effective targeted therapies. Emerging evidence has suggested that using mouse models, especially genetically engineered mouse models, is ideal to explore the mechanisms of pancreatic tumorigenesis. To this end, it has been known that a K-ras mutation on codon 12 (K-ras G12D) plays a critical role in the PC development. Thus, most mouse models of PC have been developed by targeting a conditionally mutated K-ras (G12D) together with concomitant deletion or mutation of other key genes to recapitulate the PC progression in human patients. Here, we summarize a number of K-ras-driven engineered mouse models to provide molecular insights into PC disease development and progression. We hope that these mouse models will help design a novel therapeutic strategy and to further improve the treatment of PC patients.