Aberrant Proliferation of Differentiating Alveolar Cells Induces Hyperplasia in Resting Mammary Glands of SV40-TAg Transgenic Mice.

ABSTRACT: WAP-T1 transgenic mice express SV40-TAg under control of the whey acidic protein (WAP) promoter, which directs activity of this strong viral oncogene to luminal cells of the mammary gland. Resting uniparous WAP-T1 glands develop hyperplasia composed of TAg positive cells prior to appearance of advanced tumor stages. We show that cells in hyperplasia display markers of alveolar differentiation, suggesting that TAg targets differentiating cells of the alveolar compartment. The glands show significant expression of Elf5 and milk genes (Lalba, Csn2, and Wap). TAg expressing cells largely co-stain with antibodies to Elf5, lack the epithelial marker Sca1, and are hormone receptor negative. High expression levels of Elf5 but not of milk genes are also seen in resting glands of normal BALB/c mice.

SUBMITTER: Quante T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4071642 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature