Description
Signaling through the Wnt/b-catenin pathway is a crucial determinant of hepatic zonal gene expression, liver development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis. The gene encoding b-catenin is called Ctnnb1. We have previously shown, that liver tumour promotion mediated by the model tumour promoter phenobarbital (PB) is completely lost in mice, where Ctnnb1 has been conditionally knocked out in hepatocytes (CTNNB1KO mice; Rignall et al., Carcinogenesis 32, 52-57, 2010). In the present study, the effect of a 12 weeks PB exposure on the liver miRNA expression pattern was investigated, in order to potentially get information on the nature of the loss of promotional activity in the CTNNB1KO mice.