title: Hormonal induction of functional differentiation and mammary-derived growth inhibitor expression in cultured mouse mammary gland explants.
abstract: A method for the cultivation of organ explants from abdominal mammary glands of virgin mice has been established. In a serum-free medium containing aldosterone, prolactin, insulin, and cortisol (APIH medium) mammary gland development was documented by lobuloalveolar morphogenesis. The hormonal requirements for in vitro expression of beta-casein and of the mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI) were tested. To this end, a full length cDNA coding for mouse MDGI was prepared displaying strong homologies to a mouse heart fatty acid binding protein, which is also expressed in the mammary gland. MDGI and beta-casein transcripts were found to be absent in the mammary tissue from primed virgin mice, and were induced upon culture of mammary explants in the APIH medium. An immunohistochemical analysis with specific antibodies against MDGI and casein revealed a different pattern of expression for the two proteins. In the APIH medium, MDGI was expressed mainly in differentiating alveolar cells of the lobuloalveolar structures, whereas beta-casein was present in both ductules and alveoli. The relationship between functional differentiation and MDGI expression was further studied in explants from glands of late-pregnant mice. At this stage of development, MDGI is found both in ducts and in alveoli. If explants were cultured with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin, the lobuloalveolar structure was still present, whereas MDGI disappeared. Reinduction of MDGI expression was achieved by subsequent PIH treatment. Independent on developmental stage, EGF strongly inhibits MDGI mRNA expression. It is concluded that MDGI-expression is associated with functional differentiation in the normal gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Binas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zschiesche
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niemann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Blenau
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grosse
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010452:Peptide Biosynthesis; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; C493409:Fabp3 protein, mouse; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D000450:Aldosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone