Cytokeratins in hamster cheek pouch epithelium during DMBA-induced carcinogenesis.
The pattern of keratin expression in hamster cheek pouch epithelium during 15-wk of DMBA-induced carcinogenesis was studied. The sequential changes in cytokeratins of premalignant and malignant tissues and comparative investigation of normal epithelial tissues were examined during a weekly sequential DMBA-induced chemical carcinogenesis. Keratin polypeptides of normal pouch epithelium appear in a molecular weight range of 43-67 kd and 5-6 proteins can be identified. The disappearance of high molecular weight keratin (61-67 kd) was observed from the 6-wk DMBA-treated premalignant group to the 15-wk DMBA-treated malignant group. An additional keratin polypeptide was noted initially on the 11th-wk-DMBA-treated group and remained to the 15th-wk-DMBA treated group.