Wnt1 is epistatic to Id2 in inducing mammary hyperplasia, ductal side-branching, and tumors in the mouse

• Main Authors: Yokota Yoshifumi, Romelfanger Claire, Marino Susan, Nusse Roel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2004-12-01
• Series: BMC Cancer
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/4/91

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During pregnancy, the mammary glands from <it>Id2 </it>mutant animals are deficient in lobulo-alveolar development. This failure of development is believed to be due to a proliferation defect.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We have asked whether functional <it>Id2 </it>expression is necessary for Wnt induced mammary hyperplasia, side branching, and cancer, by generating mice expressing a Wnt1 transgene in an <it>Id2 </it>mutant background.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show in this work that forced expression of Wnt1 in the mammary gland is capable of overcoming the block to proliferation caused by the absence of <it>Id2</it>. We also show that Wnt1 expression is able to cause mammary tumors in an <it>Id2 </it>mutant background.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that functional <it>Id2 </it>expression is not required for Wnt1 to induce mammary hyperplasia and mammary tumors.</p>