Oncogenic KRAS Occurs after Prolonged In Vitro Arsenite Exposure of Human Prostate Epithelial Cells

Inorganic arsenic is an environmental human carcinogen of the urinary tract that includes the prostate gland. The CAsE-PE have been malignantly transformed after prolonged (29 weeks), continuous, in vitro exposure of the normal human immortalized RWPE-1 prostate epithelial cells to 5uM arsenite (As). We performed whole genome DNA-seq to gain insight into in vitro As transformation. CAsE-PE cells contain oncogenic KRAS mutations at codons 12 and 59. Parallel cultures of RWPE-1 cells remain wt KRAS genotype. Increased expression and mutation of KRAS may explain As-induced transformation in this in vitro model system.