title: Runx Genes in Breast Cancer and the Mammary Lineage.
abstract: A full understanding of RUNX gene function in different epithelial lineages has been thwarted by the lethal phenotypes observed when constitutively knocking out these mammalian genes. However temporal expression of the Runx genes throughout the different phases of mammary gland development is indicative of a functional role in this tissue. A few studies have emerged describing how these genes impact on the fate of mammary epithelial cells by regulating lineage differentiation and stem/progenitor cell potential, with implications for the transformed state. The importance of the RUNX/CBFβ core factor binding complex in breast cancer has very recently been highlighted with both RUNX1 and CBFβ appearing in a comprehensive gene list of predicted breast cancer driver mutations. Nonetheless, the evidence to date shows that the RUNX genes can have dualistic outputs with respect to promoting or constraining breast cancer phenotypes, and that this may be aligned to individual subtypes of the clinical disease. We take this opportunity to review the current literature on RUNX and CBFβ in the normal and neoplastic mammary lineage while appreciating that this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg in our knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.affiliation: Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
authors.forename: Alessandra I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Riggio
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Villanueva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shore
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Ewan R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK. K.Blyth@beatson.gla.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blyth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits
keywords: Breast cancer; CBFβ; Mammary epithelium; Mammary gland; RUNX