Mammary DNA Research Articles

Characteristics of Mammary Mitochondria in Lines of Mice Genetically Divergent for Milk Production

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of mitochondrial proliferation and ATP production to milk production in two lines of mice that were genetically divergent for milk production. Milk production differed between high production and low production lines by .8 phenotypic standard deviations as determined by cross-fostered litter weight gain from 1 to 12 d postpartum. Mammary weight, mammary total DNA, and RNA: DNA ratio were greater in glands of high line mice. Mammary DNA and protein, expressed per gram mammary tissue, were similar between lines. Mammary mitochondrial mass per gland differed after six generations of divergent selection. Rates of succinate-supported ATP production and ADP:O of isolated mitochondria differed, but the rate of pyruvate-supported ATP production did not differ between lines. Differences between selection lines in mitochondrial mass and in the efficiency of succinate use for support of ATP production were probable consequences of selection for divergent milk production.

Determination of Diphenhydramine in Rat Milk and Plasma and Its Effects on Milk Composition and Mammary Gland Nucleic Acids

To study the excretion of diphenhydramine into rat milk, milk and plasma concentrations of diphenhydramine were determined in lactating rats after single or multiple oral doses. Four hours after a single dose of 40 or 100 mg/kg of diphenhydramine, milk concentrations of the drug averaged 0.30 and 2.2 micrograms/mL, respectively, in two experiments, and the milk:plasma ratios ranged from 4.4 to 7.5. Multiple doses did not significantly affect the plasma or milk concentrations or the milk:plasma ratios, which were similar to the theoretical milk:plasma ratio based on pH partitioning for this compound (i.e., 4.0). Although the concentration of diphenhydramine was higher in milk than in plasma, the estimated dose received by the pups (0.057 mg/kg/d) based on the milk concentrations was much lower than that given to the mother. Oral diphenhydramine treatment at doses which significantly reduced maternal food consumption had no effect on milk solid, lipid, protein, or lactose concentrations, nor on mammary gland RNA or DNA content, indicating that diphenhydramine did not adversely affect lactation.

A putative int domain for mouse mammary tumor virus on mouse chromosome 7 is a 5' extension of int-2

We extended the physical map of the mouse int-2 locus by demonstrating that the site of insertion for mouse mammary tumor virus DNA in plaque-type mammary tumors of GR mice is directly linked to int-2. An additional example of proviral integration is described in which a provirus in a presumed enhancer-insertion mode 15 kilobases upstream of the int-2 promoters is capable of activating expression of the gene at levels typical of other virally induced mammary tumors.

Effect of feeding excess leucine diet on nursing performance and mammary gland development in rats

Female rats were given excess leucine diet during gestation and lactation and the changes in body weight, milk yield and mammary gland protein, RNA and DNA contents were studied. On excess leucine diet female rats showed loss of body weight, increase in milk yield and higher weights of their pups. Weight of the mammary gland and its protein, RNA and DNA contents were also significantly higher than the controls. The data suggests improved nursing performance and hyperplasia of mammary gland on giving excess leucine diet.

Association of prolactin and insulin receptors with mammogenesis and lobulo-alveolar formation in pregnant ewes

1. 1. Pregnant, multiparous ewes were sacrificed at d50 ( n = 3), 80 ( n = 4), 115 ( n = 3), or 140 ( n = 4) for biochemical, histological and autoradiographical quantitation of mammary growth. 2. 2. Significant increases in concentration of mammary parenchyma DNA (0.25–24 mg/g tissue), total udder DNA (57–1304 mg), and total udder RNA (36–1504 mg) were observed by d 115. 3. 3. Mammary tissue at d 115 contained the maximal percent of tissue volume occupied by epithelium (41.2%), number of cells per alveolar cross section (36.6) and percent of [methyl- 3 H]-thymidine labeled epithelial cell nuclei (3.5%). 4. 4. Concentration prolactin binding sites were significantly increased at d 115 of gestation, but serum prolactin and growth hormone concentrations remained low until d 140. 5. 5. Mammary insulin binding sites (per unit membrane protein) progressively decreased during gestation. 6. 6. Results suggest that serum growth hormone concentration and quantity of insulin receptors do not limit mammogenesis but greater concentrations of prolactin binding sites coincident with lobulo-alveolar formation, suggest a primary association with mammogenesis in the ewe.

The regulation of expression of mouse mammary tumor virus DNA by steroid hormones and growth factors

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) expression is associated with hyperplastic alveolar growth and subsequent development of mammary cancers in the mouse. The expression of this virus is also controlled by factors involved in the normal proliferation and differentiation of the mammary epithelium. During pregnancy when the mammary gland undergoes massive proliferation, MMTV expression is increased. Steroid hormones and growth factors that play an important role in the proliferation of mammary gland cells are responsible for the increased MMTV expression. In sarcomatous transformation of mouse mammary epithelial cells, MMTV expression is repressed. This repression is due to negative control of MMTV expression by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta). This growth factor is produced in high amounts when mammary epithelial cells progress into the transformed state. The expression of MMTV is therefore under multiple control by steroid hormones and growth factors.

A transcriptionally defective long terminal repeat within an endogenous copy of mouse mammary tumor virus proviral DNA.

Mouse mammary tumor virus proviral DNA is endogenous to most inbred strains of mice but in many strains is not transcriptionally active. This inactivity may be due to defects in the proviruses themselves or to position effects mediated by DNA sequences flanking the proviral units. The transcriptional competence of long terminal repeats (LTRs) derived from endogenous proviral DNA at genetic loci Mtv-8, Mtv-9, and Mtv-17 of the C57BL/6 mouse strain was examined with a transient transfection assay in which gene expression was monitored by expression of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. LTRs from Mtv-8 and Mtv-9 were able to direct glucocorticoid-induced chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in this assay, while the LTR from Mtv-17 was only about 5% as effective. Analysis of chimeric LTRs indicated that the glucocorticoid-inducible transcriptional enhancer element within the Mtv-17 LTR is active when linked to a functional promoter from Mtv-8, whereas the promoter from Mtv-17 is defective in directing hormone-induced gene expression, even when linked to the Mtv-8 glucocorticoid-responsive enhancer. The DNA sequence of transcriptional control regions of the LTRs of all three endogenous proviral units was determined; this analysis revealed that the source of the defect in Mtv-17 is a single G-to-A transition at position-75 with respect to the site of transcription initiation that resides within the previously defined binding site for the transcription factor nuclear factor 1. Competition experiments with a gel electrophoresis mobility shift assay indicated that the affinity of nuclear factor 1 for DNA derived from Mtv-17 is significantly less than for comparable sequences derived from Mtv-8.

Mineralocorticoid regulation of transcription of transfected mouse mammary tumor virus DNA in cultured kidney cells.

Renal cells contain two corticosteroid-binding entities defined on the basis of hormone-binding selectivity as type I (mineralocorticoid) and type II (glucocorticoid). The mineralocorticoid, aldosterone can bind to both type I and type II receptors. This poses problems in defining the characteristics of a true mineralocorticoid regulated expression of specific genes. We have used chimaeric constructs bearing the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter to study aldosterone action in the feline renal cell line CRFK. We have shown that in these cells aldosterone induces MMTV transcription through its own receptor (type I). This induction of MMTV transcription by aldosterone is a primary response to the hormone. We have shown that the DNA sequences that mediate the aldosterone response overlap the hormone response element (HRE) required for the glucocorticoid, progestin, and androgen induction of transcription at the MMTV long terminal repeat region. Thus the aldosterone regulation of MMTV long terminal repeat transcription is identical to the mode of action of the other steroid hormones at this promoter.

Effect of chronic suppression of growth hormone secretion by SMS 201–995 on lactation in mice

The effect of chronic suppression of growth hormone (GH) secretion by SMS 201–995 on lactation was studied in primiparous C3H/He mice. Mammary gland DNA content on day 12 of lactation was significantly lower in SMS 201–995 treated mice than in the control. There were little differences between groups in mammary gland RNA content and litter growth on day 12 of lactation. That was associated with a slightly higher RNA/DNA ratio and a significant increase in food intake during lactation. These results indicate that inhibited mammary gland growth by GH suppression has little effect on lactation. The smaller mammary gland can compensate by increasing its secretory activity.

32P-postlabeling analysis of DNA adducts in human and rat mammary epithelial cells.

The etiology of human breast cancer is currently undefined. However, it has been hypothesized that exposure to chemical carcinogens may be an important factor. Extrapolation from rodent models for chemically-induced mammary cancer suggests the possibility that human mammary epithelial cells in situ might contain DNA adducts due to exposure to environmental chemicals. We have therefore screened breast epithelial cells from 10 donors for the existence of DNA adducts using the 32P-postlabeling assay. In order to validate this analysis technique, we also examined the DNA adducts formed in human mammary cells exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in vitro, and adducts formed in rat mammary epithelial cells exposed to B[a]P in vitro and in vivo. Confirming previous results using HPLC analysis of [3H]B[a]P-DNA adducts, the major B[a]P-DNA adduct formed by human mammary epithelial cells in vitro was (+)-anti-B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE):deoxyguanosine. This adduct did not appear to be formed by rat mammary cells exposed to B[a]P in vitro. However, 32P-postlabeling analysis of mammary epithelial cell DNA from rats exposed to B[a]P in vivo indicated that (+)-anti-BPDE-deoxyguanosine was a major B[a]P-DNA adduct under these exposure conditions. When the mammary epithelial cells from 10 human donors were screened for DNA adducts formed in situ, cells from three donors exhibited distinct adduct patterns. None of these adducts appeared to be (+)-anti-BPDE-deoxyguanosine. The existence of DNA adducts in human mammary epithelial cells in situ, coupled with the data indicating that rat mammary cells form different B[a]P adducts in vitro and in situ, suggests the need for further study of human breast cell adducts.

Transforming activity of the human mammary line HBL100 DNA is associated with SV40 large T antigen genetic information integrated in its genome

The HBL100 cell line, established in vitro from milk of an apparently healthy woman, expresses SV40 large T antigen defective in some of its functions. Here we demonstrate that the HBL100 genomic DNA possesses transforming activity in NIH3T3 cells and that this activity is associated with the viral information.

Assessment of preferential cleavage of an actively transcribed retroviral hybrid gene in murine cells by deoxyribonuclease I, bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, or ionizing radiation

Preferential cleavage induced by bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, or ionizing radiation in a transcribed cellular gene was evaluated through comparisons with deoxyribonuclease I. The glucocorticoid-inducible LTL gene (a hybrid viral gene derived from mouse mammary tumor virus DNA) previously described [Zaret, K. S., & Yamamoto, K. R. (1984) Cell (Cambridge, Mass.) 38, 29-38] served as the specific DNA target. A Southern blot analysis was used to specifically assess cleavage of the LTL gene in nuclei isolated from cells either treated or untreated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Hypersensitivity of the gene to bleomycin or neocarzinostatin, which paralleled deoxyribonuclease I hypersensitivity, was evident only in nuclei isolated from dexamethasone-treated cells. Like deoxyribonuclease I, sites of dexamethasone-inducible drug hypersensitivity were coincident with the binding region for the glucocorticoid receptor found within the regulatory sequences of the LTL gene. In contrast, no hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation was evident. Although bleomycin and neocarzinostatin showed qualitatively similar preferences for the transcribed LTL gene, quantitative evaluations of damage to total cellular DNA by filter elution showed that the relative specificity of bleomycin for the hypersensitive region was much less than that of either deoxyribonuclease I or neocarzinostatin.

Effect of prolactin, progesterone, pregnancy and lactation on DNA synthesis and DNA polymerase activities in rabbit mammary gland.

DNA synthesis and DNA polymerase-alpha, -beta and -gamma activities in the rabbit mammary gland were studied during hormone-directed cellular growth. It was found that during pregnancy, early lactation and after injection of prolactin, changes in the activity of DNA polymerase-alpha paralleled the rate of mammary gland DNA synthesis. It was also found that the amount of polymerase-alpha activity bound to isolated chromatin depended on the physiological state of the animal. During pregnancy and early lactation changes in the activity of chromatin-bound enzyme correlated directly with the rate of DNA synthesis (r = 0.83). Moreover, in virgin rabbits treated with prolactin the activity of chromatin-bound DNA polymerase-alpha increased markedly at the same time as the DNA-synthetic rate increased. No correlation of the DNA-synthetic rate was found with the activity of soluble (cytosolic) DNA polymerase-alpha or with the activity of soluble or chromatin-bound DNA polymerases-beta and -gamma. On the basis of these results it is suggested that in the developing mammary gland both the activity and cellular distribution of DNA polymerase-alpha might be subject to hormonal regulation.

Characterization and sequence-specific binding to mouse mammary tumor virus DNA of purified activated human glucocorticoid receptor.

Activated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) from the human cell line HeLa S3 was purified by differential chromatography on DNA-cellulose followed by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography to 50-60% homogeneity according to sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and densitometric scanning of silver-stained gels. These gels routinely demonstrated a main band of Mr 94,000 (94K band) and two minor bands of Mr 79,000 (79K band) and 39,000 (39K band), respectively. Photoaffinity labeling indicated that the hormone was bound to the 94K and 79K components. In some preparations, a 72K band was observed. Further characterization of the purified receptor by gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-200 revealed a receptor complex with a Stokes radius of 5.8 nm. The sedimentation coefficient of the purified receptor was 4.4 Sw. In analogy to the rat hepatic GR, limited proteolysis of the purified GR with trypsin or alpha-chymotrypsin led to degradation of the 94K and 79K components and appearance of 28K and 39K fragments, respectively. In addition, no difference in the protease digestion pattern using Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease was observed. Immunoblotting using a monoclonal antibody raised against the 94K GR from rat liver demonstrated cross-reactivity with the human 94K and 79K proteins from HeLa S3 cells, indicating similar antigenic characteristics between rat and human GR. In our study, five out of nine tested monoclonal antibodies against the rat liver GR cross-reacted with human GR. DNase I and exonuclease III protection experiments demonstrated binding of the purified human GR to specific GR binding regions in mouse mammary tumor virus DNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of Prior Dietary Protein Intake on Metabolism, DNA Binding and Adduct Formation of 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in Isolated Rat Mammary Epithelial Cells

These studies were designed to examine the influence of prior dietary protein intakes in rats on the ability of their isolated mammary cells to metabolize 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Total metabolism of DMBA increased as dietary protein increased. After 6 h of incubation, water-soluble metabolites made only a minor (less than 12%) contribution to total DMBA metabolism. The binding of DMBA to isolated mammary cell DNA after 6 h of incubation from rats fed 15% dietary protein was 20% higher than binding from cells of rats fed 7.5% dietary protein. The increased binding in mammary epithelial cells from rats fed 15% protein was associated with an increase in the syn-dihydrodiol-epoxide adduct. The syn-dihydrodiol-epoxide:deoxyadenosine adduct was the major contributor to binding. The present studies are consistent with a decrease in carcinogen activation in tissues obtained from animals fed diets limiting in protein.

The hormone response element of the mouse mammary tumour virus DNA mediates the progestin and androgen induction of transcription in the proviral long terminal repeat region.

Mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV) gene expression has been shown to be regulated by glucocorticoids. A hormone response element (HRE) located between -202 and -59 upstream of the start of transcription in the long terminal repeat (LTR) region of the proviral DNA is required for this induction. We have investigated the role played by the HRE in the induction of MMTV LTR transcription by other classes of steroid hormones. Chimaeric constructs containing the HRE and the authentic LTR promoter linked to an indicator gene or the HRE linked to an otherwise hormone insensitive promoter directing the transcription of an indicator gene, were transfected into the human mammary tumour cell line T47D. Transcription at the MMTV LTR promoter or at the previously hormone-insensitive promoter was induced by progestins and androgens but not by oestradiol in transfected cells that contained functional receptors for these hormones. These results identify the HRE as the cis-acting element that mediates the progestin and androgen induction of MMTV LTR transcription. The HRE is therefore a DNA element that is required not just for glucocorticoid but also for progesterone and androgen induction of MMTV LTR transcription.

Mammary preneoplasia and tumorigenesis in the BALB/c mouse: structure and modification of mouse mammary tumor virus DNA sequences

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) DNA sequences were examined in mammary tissues from BALB/c mice, including both preneoplastic hyperplastic alveolar nodule (HAN) outgrowth lines, tumors derived from those preneoplastic tissues, and DMBA-induced mammary tumors. Over 60 different HAN and tumors samples were analyzed. The D2 HAN line contained one additional provirus, whereas Cv-2 and Cv-4 HAN lines that are infected with exogenous virus exhibited multiple virus integration events. D2 tumors showed the same provirus pattern as D2 HANs, whereas Cv-2 and Cv-4 tumors exhibited a subset of the acquired proviruses found in the parental HAN populations. Differential methylation patterns of virus-specific sequences were observed that resembled those described for other tissues in which viral DNA replication and integration has occurred, i.e., acquired proviruses were hypomethylated and endogenous proviruses were methylated. In tumors that arose from HAN lines and exhibited only endogenous proviruses, demethylation of the subgenomic Mtv-6 locus was observed. Demethylation of Mtv-6 was not detected in any of the preneoplastic tissues. Altered methylation of Mtv-8 and −9 was observed in both Cv-2 and Cv-4 tumors. Finally, mammary tumors induced by DMBA carried no acquired proviruses and demethylation of endogenous MMTV proviruses was demonstrated.

A new common integration region (int-3) for mouse mammary tumor virus on mouse chromosome 17.

Mus musculus subsp. musculus (Czech II) mammary tumor DNA frequently contains an integrated proviral genome of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) within a specific 0.5-kilobase-pair region of the cellular genome (designated int-3). Viral integration at this site results in activation of expression of an adjacent cellular gene. We mapped int-3 to mouse chromosome 17 by analysis of PstI-restricted cellular DNAs from mouse-hamster somatic cell hybrids. Restriction analysis of cellular DNA from (C3H/OuJ X Czech II) X Czech II backcross mice established the gene order T-H-2-int-3. These results demonstrated that the int-3 locus is distinct from two other common integration regions for mouse mammary tumor virus (designated int-1 and int-2) in mammary tumor DNA and suggest that several cellular genes may be at risk for virally induced activation during mammary tumor development.

Hormonal regulation of mouse mammary tumor growth

In view of reports that human breast cancer cells secrete growth factors that can replace estradiol in sustaining tumor growth [1], we have investigated whether hormone independent (HI) GR mouse mammary tumors can sustain growth of estrogen-depleted hormone dependent (HD) tumors. HD GR mammary tumor TS1 106 was grafted subcutaneously in the right flank of estrone plus progesterone treated castrated (020 × GR)F 1 mice. After 2 weeks the estrone treatment was stopped and the mice received 50,100 or 150 mg HI GR mammary tumor TS1 104 in the left flank. However, the regression of the HD tumor due to estrone depletion was not prevented or retarded by the HI grafts. In other experiments we investigated integrations of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) proviral DNA in the DNA of GR mammary tumors. We could demonstrate the presence of two cell populations in tumor TS196, both HD but differing in MMTV DNA integration events. Our data indicate that exogenous integrations of MMTV proviruses can take place in mouse mammary tumor DNA without loss of hormone dependency of the tumors. Like in GR/Mtv-2 + mice, mammary tumor transplants differing in MMTV proviral integrations are also observed in 020/Mtv-2 + mice.

Steroid-free glucocorticoid receptor binds specifically to mouse mammary tumour virus DNA.

Steroid hormones are thought to modulate gene expression through their interaction with receptor proteins. The intracellular localization of unoccupied receptor proteins has been a subject of controversy: free glucocorticoid receptor appears to reside in the cytoplasm and moves to the cell nucleus only after binding the steroid. The purified hormone-bound glucocorticoid receptor has been shown to bind selectively to hormone regulatory elements (HRE) in the vicinity of hormonally-inducible promoters and, in particular, in the long terminal repeat (LTR) region of mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV). We have tackled the question of whether the hormone itself is required for the interaction of the receptor protein with the HRE. Using monoclonal antibodies to the receptor we find that upon heat-activation the steroid-free glucocorticoid receptor present in rat liver cytosol binds specifically in vitro to the HRE of MMTV. No qualitative differences in the DNaseI-footprints were detected when hormone-free receptor was compared to the hormone-receptor complex or even receptor complexed with the hormone antagonist RU486. We conclude that the steroid ligand is not an absolute requirement for generating the conformation of the glucocorticoid receptor that allows its interaction with the HRE in vitro. An alternative function of the hormone in vivo could be to modulate nuclear partitioning of the receptor.