Work

RCAS-TVA in the Mammary Gland: An in vivo Oncogene Screen and a High Fidelity Model for Breast Transformation?

Year: 2007

Type: article

Abstract: Mouse models of breast cancer are traditionally made by introducing genetic alterations to the entire mammary epithelium using transgenic or knockout approaches. In contrast, we have adapted the RCAS-TVA method to introduce genes into a small subset of somatic mammary cells in developmentally normal mammary glands. This new method allows the testing of the carcinogenic potential of candidate oncogenes In Vivo without the need to create individual transgenic lines. Moreover, since models created by this approach closely recapitulate evolution of human breast cancer, they may help understand human breast cancer initiation and progression, and may be useful for preclinical testing of therapeutic compounds. Finally, this approach may provide an opportunity to target oncogenes into mammary cells at different differentiation stages, providing a tool to study the relationship between cell origin and cancer phenotype.

Source: Cell Cycle

DOI: 10.4161/cc.6.7.4074

Authors: Zhijun Du, Yi Li

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Virus-based gene therapy research

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute