Comparative Breast Cancer Angiogenesis: Mouse Models.
Abstract
The purpose of this Innovative Idea Grant was to determine whether differences in the microcirculation were critical determinants in the development of metastatic disease in breast cancer. The research was based on a model of mammary cancer in transgenic mice bearing the Polyoma Virus Middle T gene (PyV-MT) promoted by the MuMTV LTR. We previously observed that mice with the wild type gene developed mammary tumors with pulmonary metastases within six weeks of birth (9). However, mice with a PyV-MT construct mutated at positions 315 and 322 (Db-7) developed tumors at a slower rate and rarely developed metastases (8). Transplantable tumor lines were developed by serial transplantation in nude mice (7,8). All transplanted tumors from the wild type PyV-MT (Met-1) developed tumors after 50 or more days (8). Only 10% of the transplanted Db-7 tumors developed metastases (8) . The pathologic grade, growth rates, and microcirculation of the metastatic and non-metastatic tumors were compared. The microcirculation, studied using computer assisted imaging and reverse epi-fluorescence, proved to be the only variable that correlated with the metastatic potential of the tumors (8). The microvascular density and the degree of vascular tortuosity (Tortuosity Index) were the only significant variables.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA332863
Entities
People
- Robert Cardiff
Organizations
- University of California