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CrkII transgene induces atypical mammary gland development and tumorigenesis

ABSTRACT: The v-Crk protein was originally isolated as the oncogene fusion product of the CT10 chicken retrovirus. Cellular homologues of v-Crk include Crk, which encodes two alternatively spliced proteins (CrkI and CrkII), and CrkL. Though CrkI/II proteins are elevated in several types of cancer, including breast, the question of whether these Crk adaptor proteins can promote breast cancer has not been addressed. We created a transgenic mouse model that allows the expression of CrkII through the hormonally responsive mouse mammary tumor virus promoter. During puberty, transgenic mice were found to have delayed ductal outgrowth, characterized by increased collagen surrounding the terminal end buds. In post-pubertal mice, precocious ductal branching was observed and associated with increased proliferation. Focal mammary tumors appeared in a subset of animals, with a latency of approximately 15 months. Mouse mammary tumor virus/CrkII tumors showed high levels of Crk protein as well as various cytokeratin markers characteristic of their respective tumor pathologies. This study demonstrates that the precise expression of CrkII is critical for integrating signals for ductal outgrowth and branching morphogenesis during mammary gland development. Furthermore, this study provides evidence for a potential role of CrkII in integrating signals for breast cancer progression in vivo, which has important implications for elevated CrkII observed in human cancer. Two T47D-CrkII samples vs two T47D samples.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Fathers KE

PROVIDER: S-ECPF-GEOD-30731 | biostudies-other | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundAdvanced glycation end products (AGEs) are reactive metabolites intrinsically linked with modern dietary patterns. Processed foods, and those high in sugar, protein and fat, often contain high levels of AGEs. Increased AGE levels are associated with increased breast cancer risk, however their significance has been largely overlooked due to a lack of direct cause-and-effect relationship.MethodsTo address this knowledge gap, FVB/n mice were fed regular, low AGE, and high AGE diets from 3 weeks of age and mammary glands harvested during puberty (7 weeks) or adulthood (12 weeks and 7 months) to determine the effects upon mammary gland development. At endpoint mammary glands were harvested and assessed histologically (n ≥ 4). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to assess cellular proliferation and stromal fibroblast and macrophage recruitment. The Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare continuous outcomes among groups. Mammary epithelial cell migration and invasion in response to AGE-mediated fibroblast activation was determined in two-compartment co-culture models. In vitro experiments were performed in triplicate. The nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare differences between groups.ResultsHistological analysis revealed the high AGE diet delayed ductal elongation, increased primary branching, as well as increased terminal end bud number and size. The high AGE diet also led to increased recruitment and proliferation of stromal cells to abnormal structures that persisted into adulthood. Atypical hyperplasia was observed in the high AGE fed mice. Ex vivo fibroblasts from mice fed dietary-AGEs retain an activated phenotype and promoted epithelial migration and invasion of non-transformed immortalized and tumor-derived mammary epithelial cells. Mechanistically, we found that the receptor for AGE (RAGE) is required for AGE-mediated increases in epithelial cell migration and invasion.ConclusionsWe observed a disruption in mammary gland development when mice were fed a diet high in AGEs. Further, both epithelial and stromal cell populations were impacted by the high AGE diet in the mammary gland. Educational, interventional, and pharmacological strategies to reduce AGEs associated with diet may be viewed as novel disease preventive and/or therapeutic initiatives during puberty.

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CrkII transgene induces atypical mammary gland development and tumorigenesis

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