Abstract
cDNA microarray-derived expression profiles of MMTV-Wnt-1 and MMTV-Neu transgenic mice reveal several hundred genes to be differentially expressed at each stage of breast tumor development.
Highlights
In human breast cancer normal mammary cells typically develop into hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive cancer, and metastasis
In order to determine whether tumors from mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-Wnt-1 transgenic mice have a distinctive expression profile, we determined
Consistent with earlier reports that tumors may arise from mammary progenitor cells in MMTV-Wnt-1 transgenic mice [8,15], we found that RNA encoding the candidate progenitor cell markers keratin 6 (13-fold), tenascin (3.1-fold), osteoblast specific factor 2 (2.0-fold), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (2.0-fold), and nidogen 1 (1.8-fold) [8,32] were more abundant (P < 0.001) in tumors from MMTV-Wnt-1 transgenic mice
Summary
In human breast cancer normal mammary cells typically develop into hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive cancer, and metastasis. Mice transgenic for mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-Wnt-1 exhibit discrete steps of mammary tumorigenesis, including hyperplasia, invasive ductal carcinoma, and distant metastasis These mice might be useful models for discovering changes in gene expression during cancer development. Gene expression arrays are being widely used to improve the classification of human cancers and to improve our understanding of the molecular changes associated with carcinogenesis [1,2] Their use in defining expression patterns in tumor evolution and in correlating genotypes with phenotypes has been limited because of the poor availability of tissues at different stages in cancer development and because of the great diversity of genetic backgrounds among individuals [3,4,5]. Using proteins as markers of cell phenotypes, we showed that initiating oncogenes determine the developmental status of mammary tumor cells [8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
