Notch signaling is required for cholangiocarcinoma progression and is enhanced by inactivation of p53 in vivo

Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a cancer disease which is increasing worldwide. The Notch signalling pathway is involved in the development and progression of several malignancies. However, the role of this Notch signaling in the carcinogenesis of CC is still not fully explored. In our study, we investigated the effects of Notch inhibition by gamma -secretase inhibitor IX (GSI IX) in cultured human CC cell lines and we established a transgenic mouse model with liver specific expression of the intracellular domain of Notch (Notch-ICD) and inactivation of tumor suppressor p53. Methods: We analyzed the eff…