Contrasting epistatic interactions between rat quantitative trait loci controlling mammary cancer development.

We previously defined quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control susceptibility to 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene-induced mammary carcinoma in SPRD-Cu3 (susceptible) and WKY (resistant) rats. Two of these QTLs, assigned to chromosomes (Chr) 10 and 18, control tumor growth rate and invasiveness. In this study we characterized a congenic strain in which a large segment of WKY Chr 10 was introduced in the SPRD-Cu3 genetic background and demonstrated that this chromosome segment controls this tumor trait.

A role for Rhesus factor Rhcg in renal ammonium excretion and male fertility.

The kidney has an important role in the regulation of acid-base homeostasis. Renal ammonium production and excretion are essential for net acid excretion under basal conditions and during metabolic acidosis. Ammonium is secreted into the urine by the collecting duct, a distal nephron segment where ammonium transport is believed to occur by non-ionic NH(3) diffusion coupled to H(+) secretion.

The development of several organs and appendages is impaired in mice lacking Sp6.

SP6 belongs to the SP/KLF family of transcription factors, characterized by a DNA-binding domain composed of three zinc fingers of the C(2)H(2) type. The Sp6 gene generates two different transcripts, termed Sp6 and epiprofin, which differ in the first exon and encode the same SP6 protein. These transcripts are mainly expressed in the skin, the teeth, and the limb buds of embryos and also in the adult lungs.

Mammary cancer susceptibility: human genes and rodent models.

Breast cancer is a complex disease, showing a strong genetic component. Several human susceptibility genes have been identified, especially in the last few months. Most of these genes are low-penetrance genes and it is clear that numerous other susceptibility genes remain to be identified.

The Sp6 locus uses several promoters and generates sense and antisense transcripts.

The SP/KLF transcription factor family contains over 25 members sharing a DNA-binding domain composed of three zinc fingers of the C(2)H(2) type. We previously identified the sixth member of the SP subfamily (Sp6). The 5' end of the Sp6 transcript was not cloned and was predicted bioinformatically.