MMTV-cre;Ccn6 knockout mice develop tumors recapitulating human metaplastic breast carcinomas.

ABSTRACT: Metaplastic breast carcinoma is an aggressive form of invasive breast cancer with histological evidence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the defining molecular events are unknown. Here we show that CCN6 (WISP3), a secreted matricellular protein of the CCN (CYR61/CTGF/NOV) family, is significantly downregulated in clinical samples of human spindle cell metaplastic breast carcinoma. We generated a mouse model of mammary epithelial-specific Ccn6 deletion by developing a floxed Ccn6 mouse which was bred with an MMTV-Cre mouse. Ccn6^fl/fl;MMTV-Cre mice displayed severe defects in ductal branching and abnormal age-related involution compared to littermate controls. Ccn6^fl/fl;MMTV-Cre mice developed invasive high grade mammary carcinomas with bona fide

SUBMITTER: Martin EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5398917 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature