The importance of habitat in the tumor-associated Pten, Mtor, and Akt gene expressions and chromosomal aberrations for wild rats

Abstract

The value of PTEN in tumors has long been appreciated including colorectal cancer (CRC). It is a negative regulator of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway that is known to be actuated in human cancers. However, PTEN-regulated modulation of the main pathway components in different rat ecosystems is unknown. The results demonstrated the negative transcriptional correlation between Pten and Mtor and Akt genes in rats living in an urban or rural habitat. The downregulation of Pten in colon epithelium led to the upregulation of Mtor and Akt genes, possessing risk in terms of CRC for urban rats. However, for rural rats this condition was vice versa, emphasizing that rural habitat can be protective in terms of CRC. The study is valuable for the identification of the link between cancer susceptibility and urban/rural environments. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects of urbanization in rat populations were determined by detecting chromosomal aberrations. Due to the expansion of industrial and agricultural activities of the growing human population, the rapid vanishing of natural habitats is inevitable. Being also messengers of environmental pollution, the disclosure of health-affecting cellular processes in different habitats of rats living in close proximities to humans will contribute to environmental policies and human wellness.