Induction of Mammary Cancer by Activated Akt
Abstract
Akt is a serine/threonine protein kinase that suppresses apoptosis in response to a wide variety of stimuli (4-6;8;10-12) . Overexpression of Akt has been identified in certain types of cancers (1-3:13:17). Prolactin induces activation of Akt; results described in this summary demonstrate that prolactin may induce activation of Akt through a src-like kinase->Cb1-> PI3K-> Akt pathway. Akt is activated in response to a number of growth factors involved in mammary gland development(l98,15,139,473,263,196,197) we hypothesized that overexpression of Akt in the mammary gland may result in the suppression of apoptosis, possibly leading to tumorigenesis. We generated mice that express a constitutively active from of Akt in the mammary gland. Upon examination of the mammary gland during development in these transgenic mice, we have shown that Akt can suppress apoptosis during mammary gland involution. Our data also suggest that Akt may be involved in lipid synthesis during pregnancy and lactation. Finally, although the presence of myr-Akt in the mammary gland does not result in high levels of spontaneous tumors, it is possible that Akt overexpression may result in the induction of a preneoplastic state and in the presence of other mutations, may result in tumorigenesis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA408212
Entities
People
- Kathryn L Schwertfeger
- Steven P. Anderson
- Tracy R. Lyons
Organizations
- University of Colorado Health