The Role of CRELD1 Isoform 9B in the Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer

Abstract : The goal is to develop a mouse model that expresses isoform 9b in mammary tissues, and to determine if CRELD1-9b causes or predisposes the mice to develop breast tumors, or participates in cancer progression. Scope: This study will determine if expression of CRELD1-9b contributes to the cause and/or progression of breast cancer. Information from this study will be used to better understand the relationship of CRELD1-9b to breast cancer tumor biology, and to develop it as a new marker for early detection of breast cancer or breast cancer progression. Since utilization of exon 9b appears to be unique to cancer cells it is thought to participate in the malignant process and hence would be a potentially viable target for therapeutic intervention. Major findings: We have tested two different mammalian expression vectors for expression of the CRELD1-9b under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter. The promoter is inducible, giving us control over mammary tissue-specific expression. One of the vectors exhibited superior performance in expressing CRELD1-9b, with verified protein expression.