World Pancreatic Cancer Day

 

1979–1980: v-ras genes identified

Scientists discovered that Ki-MSV and Ha-MSV carried oncogenes:

• v-Ha-ras (from Harvey virus)

• v-Ki-ras (from Kirsten virus)

These viral oncogenes were found to have homologous sequences in the human genome, which suggested humans had their own proto-oncogenes related to viral ras.

 

                                                                         Werner Kirsten 

                                                                Kirsten Virus  = Ki - ras

 

• 1982: Human RAS genes discovered

In a landmark series of papers (Robert Weinberg, Mariano Barbacid, Michael Wigler, Geoffrey Cooper):

• The human homologues of viral ras were cloned.

• The genes were named:

  • HRAS = the human homolog of Harvey ras

  • KRAS = the human homolog of Kirsten ras

  • NRAS = a related gene discovered soon after

                                   KRAS = Human homolog of Kirsten ras

 

                                            Pancreatic Cancer - KRAS mutations 

 Over 70–90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas were found to harbor KRAS mutations, especially at codon 12 (G12D, G12V, G12R).

 

 

 

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