# MARKERS OF MAMMARY CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND NEOPLASIA

> **NIH NIH R01** · ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE · 1988 · $112,812

## Abstract

Mouse mammary tumorigenesis is a multistep process involving at
least two major events:  the transformation of normal cells to
preneoplastic cells and the transformation of preneoplastic cells
to tumor cells.  Markers capable of detecting cells in different
stages of the preneoplastic state would be valuable tools for
dissecting and defining the underlying sequential events in
neoplastic progression in mammary epithelium.  The most
thoroughly studied preneoplastic lesion is the hyperplastic
alveolar nodule (HAN).  We have recently prepared antibodies
against 3 cytoskeletal components that may represent such
markers in mouse mammary epithelial cells:  a 46kd keratin,
recognized by a monospecific antiserum, that is found in some
HAN and all mouse mammary carcinomas in vivo; a perinuclear
structure (PNS), visualized by a rat monoclonal antibody
designated PNS-Ab, that is present in cells of all mammary
tumors and at least one type of HAN; and an apparent keratin
epitope, detected by a rat monoclonal antibody designated MKE-
Ab, that is found in all normal and some HAN cells but not in
tumor cells.

The purpose of the proposed research is to analyze the
relationship of expression of these 3 components to mammary
tumorigenesis more thoroughly and to determine if the presence
of any of these components can be used in identifying cells in
different steps of the progression of HAN to malignancy.  The
antibodies will be used in immunocytochemistry in three types of
experiments involving mouse mammary tissues:  1) to follow the
emergence of cells expressing the 46kd keratin and the PNS while
losing the MKE-Ab determinant during the development of
primary HAN and tumors in mammary tumorigenesis of
BALB/cfC3H mice; 2) to examine cells of HAN with high and low
tumor potentials for expression of the 3 components at different
times during the latency period of tumor development and
determine if the appearance of any of them correlates with tumor
incidence; and 3) to investigate  the effect of increasing the
tumor potential of an HAN on expression of the 3 components.
Additional experiments will determine if treatment of normal
mouse mammary epithelial cells in culture with a carcinogen, e.g.
DMBA, results in the appearance of cells expressing the PNS and
if similar treatment of HAN cells induces a loss of the MKE-Ab
determinant.  If such cells are found, they will be tested for
altered growth and histogenic potential in vivo by transplantation
experiments.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3170809
- **Project number:** 5R01CA032937-05
- **Recipient organization:** ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** BONNIE B. ASCH
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $112,812
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1982-07-01 → 1989-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3170809

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3170809, MARKERS OF MAMMARY CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND NEOPLASIA (5R01CA032937-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3170809. Licensed CC0.

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