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Mammary Gland Involution as a Multi-step Process

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Abstract

Mammary gland involution is a highly complex multi-step process in which the lactating gland returns to a morphologically near pre-pregnant state. This developmental stage is characterized by a high degree of epithelial cell death, redevelopment of the mammary adipose tissue and tissue remodelling. Many factors involved have been described and these have been reviewed intensively in this journal (Furth, P. A., J. Mammary Gland Biol. Neoplasia, 4:123–127, 1999) and elsewhere. Microarray analysis technology has now not only allowed us to identify genes not previously associated with involution (Stein, T., Morris, J.S., Davis, C.R.,Weber-Hall, S.J., Duffy, M.A., Heath, V.J., et al., Breast Cancer Res., 6: R75–R91, 2004; Clarkson, R.W., Wayland, M.T., Lee, J., Freeman, T., Watson, C.J., Breast Cancer Res., 6: R92–R109, 2004; Clarkson, R.W., Watson, C.J., J. Mammary Gland Biol. Neoplasia, 8: 309–319, 2003), it has also enabled us to define multiple phases of the controlled regulatory response to forced weaning on the basis of their transcriptional profiles. This review provides a synthesis of published data, integrating the time course of transcriptional activity in the mouse mammary gland with a gene ontology approach to identify the pathways involved.

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Abbreviations

AP-1:

activator protein 1

APRF:

acute phase response factor

C/EBP:

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein

IGFBP:

insulin-like growth factor binding protein

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

MMP:

matrix metalloproteinase

PI3-K:

phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SCID:

severe combined immune deficiency

SMAD:

sma- and mad-related protein

STAT:

signal transducer and activator of transcription

TGF:

transforming growth factor

TNF:

tumor necrosis factor

TRAIL:

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand

TWEAK:

TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis

ZIP:

leucine zipper

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Acknowledgements

A large part of the work described was funded by a programme grant from Breakthrough Breast Cancer to B.A. Gusterson.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology, Section of Gene Regulation and Mechanisms of Disease, Western Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G11 6NT, UK

    Torsten Stein & Barry A. Gusterson

  2. Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA

    Nathan Salomonis

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  1. Torsten Stein
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Correspondence to Barry A. Gusterson.

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Stein, T., Salomonis, N. & Gusterson, B.A. Mammary Gland Involution as a Multi-step Process. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 12, 25–35 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-007-9035-7

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