CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta regulates stem cell activity and specifies luminal cell fate in the mammary gland.

ABSTRACT: The bZIP transcription factor C/EBP beta is important for mammary gland development and its expression is deregulated in human breast cancer. To determine whether C/EBP beta regulates mammary stem cells (MaSCs), we employed two different knockout strategies. Using both a germline and a conditional knockout strategy, we demonstrate that mammosphere formation was significantly decreased in C/EBP beta-deficient mammary epithelial cells (MECs). Functional limiting dilution transplantation assays indicated that the repopulating ability of C/EBP beta-deleted MECs was severely impaired. Serial transplantation experiments demonstrated that C/EBP beta deletion resulted in decreased outgrowth potential and premature MaSC senescence. In accord, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis demonstrate

SUBMITTER: LaMarca HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3006225 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature