Role of SOCS3 in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis

我们正在研究乳腺组织中抑制性分子（SOCS）家族的作用;这些蛋白质已被确定在免疫系统和调节整个动物的生长中具有关键作用。我们已经证明，该家族的一个成员可以阻断催乳激素的作用，最近获得的证据表明，该家族的另一个成员SOCS 3影响乳腺细胞的存活。此外，这种蛋白质在乳腺细胞中过表达时会导致生长增加。我们建议定义该基因在小鼠乳腺组织中的正常作用，并研究在小鼠乳腺中高水平表达该基因的后果。这种基因的不适当表达可能使人类易患乳腺癌。SOCS 3表达将在具有相关临床结果数据的原发性浸润性乳腺癌队列中直接研究，以确定其是否具有作为潜在预后标志物的作用。

We are studying the role of a family of inhibitory molecules (SOCS) in breast tissue; these proteins have been established to have critical roles in the immune system and in regulating growth of the entire animal. We have demonstrated that one member of this family can block the action of the prolactin hormone and have recently obtained evidence that another member of this family, SOCS3, affects survival of breast cells. Furthermore, this protein leads to increased growth when overexpressed in breast cells. We propose to define the normal role of this gene in mouse mammary tissue and to examine the consequences of expressing the gene at high levels in the mammary glands of mice. Inappropriate expression of this gene may predispose humans to breast cancer. SOCS3 expression will be directly studied in a cohort of primary invasive breast cancers with associated clinical outcome data, to determine whether it has a role as a potential prognostic marker.