Acute Sensitivity of the Oral Mucosa to Oncogenic K-ras

The study demonstrated that oncogenic K-ras activation in mice led to rapid and significant hyperproliferative and neoplastic changes specifically in the oral mucosa, including squamous hyperplasia, papillomas with dysplasia, and early invasive squamous cell carcinoma within 14 days. Using a tamoxifen-inducible mouse model, researchers observed that all K-ras+/G12D mice (n=10) exhibited these changes, while tamoxifen-dosed wild-type littermates (n=4) did not. The basal layers of the squamous epithelium showed significant proliferation and activation of the Ras/AKT and K-Ras/ERK pathways. The study concluded that the oral mucosa was particularly sensitive to oncogenic K-ras, highlighting its potential as a target for early detection and therapeutic intervention.