Loss of anti-mitotic effects of Bcl-2 with retention of anti-apoptotic activity during tumor progression in a mouse model

Oncogene. 1999 Nov 11;18(47):6589-96. doi: 10.1038/sj.onc.1203073.

Abstract

Bcl-2 is an anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative protein over-expressed in several different human cancers including breast. Gain of Bcl-2 function in mammary epithelial cells was superimposed on the WAP-TAg transgenic mouse model of breast cancer progression to determine its effect on epithelial cell survival and proliferation at three key stages in oncogenesis: the initial proliferative process, hyperplasia, and cancer. During the initial proliferative process, Bcl-2 strongly inhibited both apoptosis and mitotic activity. However as tumorigenesis progressed to hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma, the inhibitory effects on mitotic activity were lost. In contrast, anti-apoptotic activity persisted in both hyperplasias and adenocarcinomas. These results demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of Bcl-2 on epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis can separate during cancer progression. In this model, retention of anti-apoptotic activity with loss of anti-proliferative action resulted in earlier tumor presentation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mitosis / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / physiology*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2