Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Mouse Mammary Tumorigenesis

Abstract

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition tumorigenesis in the mouse has been described for over 100 years using various terms and with little comprehension of the underlying mechanisms. Recently, epithelial–mesenchymal transition tumors have been recognized in mammary glands of genetically engineered mice. This review provides a historical perspective and the current observations in the context of some of the key molecular biology. The biology of mouse mammary epithelial–mesenchymal transition tumorigenesis is discussed with comparisons to human breast cancer.

Keywords:

• E-cadherin
• epithelial–mesenchymal transition
• genetically engineered mice
• heterogeneity
• invasion
• metastasis
• mouse mammary tumors
• pathology
• snail
• spindle cell phenotype

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was sponsored by grants from the Congressionally Directed Medical Program, Cancer Research Program Breast Cancer Center of Excellence grant #BC043200, the National Cancer Institute’s Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium grant #U01 CA105490-01 and the NIH NCRR Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Center grant #U42 RR14905. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the technical support provided by Jose J Galvez, Robert J Munn, Lisa Dillard-Telm and Katie Bell.

Additional information

Funding

This research was sponsored by grants from the Congressionally Directed Medical Program, Cancer Research Program Breast Cancer Center of Excellence grant #BC043200, the National Cancer Institute’s Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium grant #U01 CA105490-01 and the NIH NCRR Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Center grant #U42 RR14905. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.