Key signaling nodes in mammary gland development and cancer: β-catenin.
β-Catenin plays important roles in mammary development and tumorigenesis through its functions in cell adhesion, signal transduction and regulation of cell-context-specific gene expression. Studies in mice have highlighted the critical role of β-catenin signaling for stem cell biology at multiple stages of mammary development. Deregulated β-catenin signaling disturbs stem and progenitor cell dynamics and induces mammary tumors in mice. Recent data showing deregulated β-catenin signaling in metaplastic and basal-type tumors suggest a similar link to reactivated developmental pathways and human breast cancer. The present review will discuss β-catenin as a central transducer of numerous signaling pathways and its role in mammary development and breast cancer.
Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. angelinainc@yahoo.com
Angela
A
Incassati
Anupama
A
Chandramouli
Rachel
R
Eelkema
Pamela
P
Cowin
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin