biostudies-literatureJin JYNIAMS NIH HHS1149-58https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3108157biostudies-literatureUnknown131(5)Deregulation of the activator protein 1 (AP1) family gene regulators has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including cancer. In this study we report that c-Jun was activated in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and coexpression of c-Jun with oncogenic Ras was sufficient to transform primary human epidermal cells into malignancy in a regenerated human skin grafting model. In contrast, JunB was not induced in a majority of human SCC cells. Moreover, exogenous expression of JunB inhibited tumorigenesis driven by Ras or spontaneous human SCC cells. Conversely, the dominant-negative JunB mutant (DNJunB) promoted tumorigenesis, which is in contrast to the tumor-suppressor function of the corresponding c-Jun mutant. At the cellular level, JunB induced epidermal cell senescence and slThe Journal of investigative dermatologyc-Jun promotes whereas JunB inhibits epidermal neoplasia.PMC3108157K01 AR051470-05R01 AR057746-01A1K01 AR051470-04R01 AR057746R01AR57746K01 AR051470K01AR051470Jin JYKe HZhang JYHall RPfalsec-Jun promotes whereas JunB inhibits epidermal neoplasia.Deregulation of the activator protein 1 (AP1) family gene regulators has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including cancer. In this study we report that c-Jun was activated in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and coexpression of c-Jun with oncogenic Ras was sufficient to transform primary human epidermal cells into malignancy in a regenerated human skin grafting model. In contrast, JunB was not induced in a majority of human SCC cells. Moreover, exogenous expression of JunB inhibited tumorigenesis driven by Ras or spontaneous human SCC cells. Conversely, the dominant-negative JunB mutant (DNJunB) promoted tumorigenesis, which is in contrast to the tumor-suppressor function of the corresponding c-Jun mutant. At the cellular level, JunB induced epidermal cell senescence and sl2011-01-01T00:00:00Z2011 May2025-04-04T07:38:13.351Z2019-03-27T00:42:17ZS-EPMC31081572128964310.1038/jid.2011.1