| First Author | Muller WJ | Year | 1990 |
| Journal | EMBO J | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 907-13 |
| PubMed ID | 1690126 | Mgi Jnum | J:71557 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2150316 | Doi | 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08188.x |
| Citation | Muller WJ, et al. (1990) The int-2 gene product acts as an epithelial growth factor in transgenic mice. EMBO J 9(3):907-13 |
| abstractText | The induction of mammary tumors by mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is thought to occur through proviral activation of one or more cellular genes. One of these, int-2, encodes a 27 kd protein which exhibits striking homology to the basic fibroblast growth factor family. To assess directly the role of the int-2 protein in cell proliferation, we have established transgenic mice which carry the int-2 gene driven by the MMTV promoter/enhancer. Expression of the int-2 gene in female transgenic mice results in pronounced mammary gland hyperplasia. Interestingly, expression of the MMTV-int-2 transgene in the prostate gland of male carriers results in a benign, but dramatic, epithelial hyperplasia similar to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), a common but poorly understood disorder in human populations. Together, these results indicate that the int-2 product can act as a potent growth factor in these epithelial tissues. |
