Cytogenetic localization of cancer-related genes in the rat and comparative mapping studies in human and mouse.

The rat is an important model organism in biomedical research, and several well-characterized rat cancer model systems exist. To facilitate detailed analysis of these models, it is useful to know the regional location of known cancer-related genes. In this report, 14 cancer-related genes have been sublocalized by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The mapped genes include three oncogenes (Fyn, Mas1, and Vav1), a tyrosine kinase gene (Syk), a tumor-associated antigen gene (Cd24), a growth factor receptor gene (Igf2r), the gene for an activator of c-fos/c-jun transcription factors (Apex), a transcription factor gene (Egr3), and several genes involved in steroid hormone metabolism and signaling (Esr2, Pgr, Cbg, Cyp17, and Cyp19). The remaining gene (Map1a) is involved in microtubule assembly.