Gene expression analysis of pancreatic cancer tissues in mice

To examine effects of environmental risk factors on pancreatic cancer development, we fed control Pdx1-Cre (WT) and Pdx1-Cre; Kras-flox (Kras) mice with a Western alcohol diet containing high-cholesterol and high-saturated fat diet and 3.5% alcohol for 5 months. To enhance alcohol-induced pancreatic injury, we added a low dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/ml) to the diet. Mice were also given 7 hourly injections of cerulein (50 μg/kg) 4 times from the 1st to 4th month. To mimic tobacco smoking, we injected tobacco-derived carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, 100 mg/kg) 4 times from the 1st to 4th month. Pancreas tissues were collected from Pdx1-Cre (n=3, normal) and Pdx1-Cre; Kras-flox (n=6, all) mice. Kras-flox (Kras) mice were also fed a regular chow (n=3, control) or 3.5% alcohol diet (N=3, alcohol) for 5 months. RNA-seq analysis revealed induction of cancer-associated genes by these risk factors in the pancreatic cancer tissues. Examination of RNA expression in 2 different pancreas tissues.