title: Uterine leiomyoma in the Eker rat: a unique model for important diseases of women.
abstract: Eker rats carry a defect in the Tsc-2 tumor suppressor gene and female Eker rats develop uterine leiomyoma with a high frequency. The presentation, response to hormones and molecular alterations in these mesenchymal smooth muscle tumors, closely resembles their cognate human disease. Female rats and tumor-derived cell lines from Eker rat leiomyomas (ELT lines) have been developed as an in vivo/in vitro model system for preclinical studies to identify novel therapeutic agents for this disease and for studying disease pathogenesis. In addition to serving as a model for uterine leiomyoma, Eker rats have proven valuable for studying lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a related proliferative smooth muscle disease of women.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park-Research Division, Smithville, Texas 78957, USA. cwalker@odin.mdacc.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl Lyn
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Jeffery I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Everitt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D018192:Lymphangioleiomyomatosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*