β-catenin target genes in colorectal carcinoma cell lines with deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling

To validate the suitability of two commonly used colorectal cancer cell lines, DLD1 and SW480, as model systems to study colorectal carcinogenesis, we treated these cell lines with β-catenin siRNA and identified β-catenin target genes using DNA microarrays. The list of identified target genes was compared to previously published β-catenin target genes found in the PubMed and the GEO databases. Based on the large number of β-catenin target genes found to be similarly regulated in DLD1, SW480 and LS174T as well as the large overlap with confirmed β-catenin target genes, we conclude that DLD1 and SW480 colon carcinoma cell lines are suitable model systems to study β-catenin regulated genes and signaling pathways 12 arrays (2 cell lines, 2 treatments, 3 biological replicates)