Expression of the neu protooncogene in the mammary epithelium of transgenic mice induces metastatic disease

摘要: Overexpression and amplification of the neu (c-erbB2, ERBB2) protooncogene have been implicated in development aggressive human breast cancer. To directly assess effect mammary gland-specific expression protooncogene, transgenic mice carrying unactivated under transcriptional control mouse tumor virus promoter/enhancer were established. By contrast to rapid progression observed several strains activated transgene, epithelium resulted focal tumors after long latency. The majority analyzed expressed elevated levels neu-encoded mRNA protein. was also associated with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity de novo phosphorylation cellular proteins. Interestingly, many tumor-bearing developed secondary metastatic lung. These observations suggest that overexpression protein can induce disease