C(3)1-TAg in C57BL/6 J background as a model to study mammary tumor development.

ABSTRACT

Diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer is based on disease staging identified through histopathological and molecular biology techniques. Animal models are used to gain mechanistic insights into the development of breast cancer. C(3)1-TAg is a genetically engineered mouse model that develops mammary cancer. However, carcinogenesis caused by this transgene was characterized in the Friend Virus B (FVB) background. As most genetic studies are done in mice with C57BL/6 J background, we aimed to define the histological alterations in C3(1)-TAg C57BL/6 J animals. Our results showed that C3(1)-TAg animals with C57BL/6 J background develop solid-basaloid adenoid cystic carcinomas with increased fibrosis, decreased area of adipocytes, and a high proliferative index, which are triple-negative for progesterone, estrogen, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors. Our results also revealed that tumor development is slower in the C57BL/6 J background when compared with the FVB strain, providing a better model to study the different stages in breast cancer progression.