A role for CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta-liver-enriched inhibitory protein in mammary epithelial cell proliferation

Cancer Res. 2001 Jan 1;61(1):261-9.

Abstract

The transcription factor, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta), regulates the expression of genes involved in proliferation and terminal differentiation. Dimerization of the dominant-negative C/EBPbeta-liver-enriched inhibitory protein (LIP) isoform with the C/EBPbeta-liver-enriched activating protein (LAP) isoform inhibits the transcriptional activation of genes involved in differentiation. Consequently, an increase in LIP levels may inhibit terminal differentiation and lead to proliferation. C/EBPbeta-LIP and LAP are crucial for mammary gland development (G. W. Robinson et al., Genes Dev., 12: 1907-1916, 1998; T. N. Seagroves et al., Genes Dev., 12: 1917-1928, 1998) and are also overexpressed in breast cancer (B. Raught et al., Cancer Res., 56: 4382-4386. 1996; C. A. Zahnow et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 89: 1887-1891, 1997); however, little is known about how these isoforms differentially regulate cell cycle progression. To address this question, C/EBPbeta-LIP was overexpressed in both the mammary glands of transgenic mice and in cultured TM3 mammary epithelial cells. Here we report that the involuted mammary glands from transgenic mice overexpressing C/EBPbeta-LIP contain both focal and diffuse alveolar hyperplasia and, less frequently, contain mammary intraepithelial neoplasias (high grade) and invasive and noninvasive carcinomas. Likewise, cultured TM3 cells, stably expressing C/EBPbeta-LIP, showed an increase in proliferation and foci formation attributable to a reentry into S-phase during cellular confluence. These results demonstrate that C/EBPbeta-LIP can induce epithelial proliferation and the formation of mammary hyperplasias and suggest that a C/EBPbeta-LIP-initiated growth cascade may be susceptible to additional oncogenic hits, which could result in the initiation and progression of neoplasia.

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

  • Animals
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / biosynthesis
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / genetics
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / physiology*
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Cell Transplantation
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Hyperplasia / metabolism
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / cytology*
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / metabolism
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Rats
  • Transfection

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta