Keri Laboratory
Hormonal Regulation of Tumorigenesis
The breast is a target of the reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin. All three hormones are required for proper development of the breast as well as being implicated in its malignant transformation. Although it is well established that these hormones participate in tumor formation of the breast, the specific mechanisms remain vague. We have developed a mouse model of hormone-mediated breast cancer that should reveal novel in vivo mechanisms of hormone-induced tumorigenesis. We have recently determined that chronic hormonal stimulation to the mammary gland causes accelerated formation of HER2/Neu-induced tumors, indicating that trophic support is a key factor in HER2/Neu-induced tumorigenesis. We have also found that chronically elevated hormonal input to the mammary gland causes centrosome abnormalities and genomic instability in the absence of genetic changes in the p53 locus.
Members:
Kristen LozadaResearch Assistant |
Darcie SeachristResearch Assistant |
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Ira Whitten (Keri Lab Alumnus) Melissa Landis (Keri Lab Alumnus) Erin Milliken (Keri Lab Alumnus) |
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