The Role of Myoepithelium in Mammary Development and Tumorigenesis
Abstract
The goal of the proposed work is to test the hypothesis that myoepithelial cells play an important role in the regulartion of mammary development and differentiation, and are, therefore, a determinant of susceptibility to carcinoginesis. The preliminary data indicated that Kr E2F-1 transgenic mice had disrupted mammary development, and it was proposed to further characterize the mammary phenotype, with the goal of developing a new and beneficial model for mammary cancer research. It was proposed that the unique model would be useful in understanding the effects of myoepithelial cells on mammary development because the K5 promoter directs transgene expression in mammary glands exclusively to these basal cells. The overall focus of this work in this model has been: 1) to develop a stable animal model, on an established background, in which to conduct tumorigenesis research, 2) to characterize the stable phenotype(s) and, 3) to conduct the proposed carcinogenesis experiments. Over the past yer considerable progress has been made in specific aims 1 & 2; understanding the impact of disruption of the myoepithelial cells produced by directed transgenic overexpression of the cell cycle regulator E2F-1. It is concluded at this time that disruption of the mammary myoepithelial cells by E2F-1 transgene over expression impairs the mammary ductal arborization in virgin animals, and also inhibits the development of the lactational phenotype in pregnant mice. Progress has particularly been made in evaluating the genesis/function of myoepithelial cells in the glands from neonates. These data indicate that the phenotypic changes found in the transgenics result from alterations in an extablished population of K5-positive basal cells present from the time to birth.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADB285797
Entities
People
- Robin S. Fuchs-young
Organizations
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center