Caveolin-1 haploinsufficiency leads to partial transformation of human breast epithelial cells.
BACKGROUND
Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a principal component of caveolae membranes, may function as a tumor suppressor in several types of human cancer.


METHODS
In this report, we employed a retrovirus-mediated poly-A gene trapping approach to inactivate expression of genes that may be involved in transformation of mammary cells and screened for cell growth in soft agar.


RESULTS
We found two anchorage-independent clones (ST1 and ST3) that expressed reduced levels (approximately 50%) of Cav-1 mRNA and protein, suggesting the inactivation of one allele of Cav gene. However, haploinsufficiency of Cav-1 expression did not induce significant tumor formation when tested in nude mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Cav-1 haploinsufficiency in human breast epithelial cells can lead to partial transformation.
Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, 200 W. Lake St., Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1673, USA.
Wei
W
Zou
Logan
L
McDaneld
Leia M
LM
Smith
D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D051242:Caveolin 1; D022461:Caveolins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
C495540:CAV1 protein, human; C495541:Cav1 protein, mouse; D051242:Caveolin 1; D022461:Caveolins; D012333:RNA, Messenger