title: The role of CSF-1 in normal physiology of mammary gland and breast cancer: an update.
abstract: Colony stimulating factor (CSF-1) and its receptor (CSF-1R, product of c-fms proto-oncogene) were initially implicated as essential for normal monocyte development as well as for trophoblastic implantation. However, studies have demonstrated that CSF-1 and CSF-1R have additional roles in mammary gland development during pregnancy and lactation. This apparent role for CSF-1/CSF-1R in normal mammary gland development is very intriguing because this receptor/ligand pair has also been found to be important in the biology of breast cancer in which abnormal expression of CSF-1 and its receptor correlates with tumor cell invasiveness and adverse clinical prognosis. Recent findings also implicate tumor-produced CSF-1 in promotion of bone metastasis in breast cancer, and a certain membrane-associated form of CSF-1 appears to induce immunity against tumors. This review aims to summarize recent findings on the role of CSF-1 and its receptor in normal and neoplastic mammary development that may elucidate potential relationships of growth factor-induced biological changes in the breast during pregnancy and tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8040, USA. eva.sapi@yale.edu
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sapi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016236:Genes, fms / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor