LACK OF MUTATIONS IN K-RAS CODON-12 AND CODON-13 IN HUMAN ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESIONS

In the framework of a project investigating the possible involvement o f cancer biomarkers in human atherogenesis, we evaluated the occurrenc e of K-ras mutations in the DNA extracted from smooth muscle cells of abdominal aorta atherosclerotic lesions. The molecular analysis of the DNA from 32 surgical specimens, using PCR-based denaturing gradient g el electrophoresis (DGGE), did not reveal any variant in K-ras codons 12 and 13, which are the most frequently involved codons among the ras genes mutated in various types of human tumors. Analysis of the DNA e xtracted from four cell lines carrying known K-ras mutational alleles showed typically positive DGGE patterns. Thus, on the whole, the concl usions of this study and of previous studies using the same biological material are consistent with the occurrence of DNA adducts in human a therosclerotic lesions but in the absence of p53 involvement or of K-r as mutations in codons 12 and 13. The search for candidate genes which may possibly be involved in the atherogenetic process warrants furthe r studies.