Amphiregulin: role in mammary gland development and breast cancer.

Abstract	Extensive epithelial cell proliferation underlies the ductal morphogenesis of puberty that generates the mammary tree that will eventually fill the fat pad. This estrogen-dependent process is believed to be essentially dependent on locally produced growth factors that act in a paracrine fashion. EGF-like growth factor ligands, acting through EGF receptors are some of the principal promoters of pubertal ductal morphogenesis. Amphiregulin is the most abundant EGF-like growth factor in the pubertal mammary gland. Its gene is transcriptionally regulated by ERalpha, and recent evidence identifies it as a key mediator of the estrogen-driven epithelial cell proliferation of puberty: The pubertal deficiency in mammary gland ductal morphogenesis in ERalpha, amphiregulin, and EGFR knockout mice phenocopy each other. As a prognostic indicator in human breast cancer, amphiregulin indicates an outcome identical to that predicted by ERalpha presence. Despite this, a range of studies both on preneoplastic human breast tissue and on cell culture based models of breast cancer, suggest a possibly significant role for amphiregulin in driving human breast cancer progression. Here we summarise our current understanding of amphiregulin's contribution to mammary gland development and breast cancer progression.
Authors	Jean McBryan, Jillian Howlin, Silvia Napoletano, Finian Martin
Journal	Journal of mammary gland biology and neoplasia (J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia) Vol. 13 Issue 2 Pg. 159-69 (Jun 2008) ISSN: 1083-3021 [Print] United States
PMID	18398673 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
Chemical References	AREG protein, human Amphiregulin Areg protein, mouse Biomarkers, Tumor EGF Family of Proteins Estrogens Glycoproteins Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
Topics	Amphiregulin Animals Biomarkers, Tumor (genetics, metabolism) Breast Neoplasms (diagnosis, metabolism) Disease Models, Animal EGF Family of Proteins Estrogens (metabolism) Female Gene Expression Regulation Glycoproteins (genetics, metabolism) Humans Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (genetics, metabolism) Mammary Glands, Animal (growth & development, metabolism) Mammary Glands, Human (growth & development, metabolism) Mice Mice, Transgenic Morphogenesis Puberty

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