A transgenic mouse model for the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the mammary gland

The ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the mammary gland represents an early, pre-invasive stage in the development of invasive breast carcinoma and is increasingly diagnosed since the introduction of high-quality mammography screening. Uncertainties in the prognosis for patients with DCIS have caused a controversial discussion about adequate treatment, and it is suspected that most patients undergoing mastectomy may be overtreated. In order to improve treatment and treatment decision, it therefore is highly desirable to identify prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for DCIS. We here introduce a set of transgenic mice (WAP-T and WAP-T-NP lines) presenting with various morphological forms of DCIS-like lesions. In these mice the SV40 large tumor antigen is specifically induced in epithelial cells of the terminal duct lobular units (TDLU). As a consequence of continuous expression of the oncogene, the animals develop multifocal DCIS and consequently invasive carcinoma within strain specific periods of latency. DCIS lesions in transgenic mice exhibit distinct architectural and cytological features which closely resemble those commonly present in humans. We therefore propose these transgenic lines as an experimental model to study the underlying molecular events leading to DCIS and its progression to invasive disease.