Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026
Changes in Mammary Gland Morphology and Breast Cancer Risk in Rats
Published on: October 16, 2010
Breast cancer is associated with an increase in the activity and expression of cholinephosphotransferase in rats
Somdutta Sinha Roy1, Sutapa Mukhopadhyay, Shyamali Mukherjee
1Department of Cancer Biology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, United States.
Aim:
The present study aims to establish that cholinephosphotransferase (CPT), the terminal enzyme for the de novo biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC), can be used as a biomarker for breast cancer in an animal model.
Main Methods:
Breast cancer was induced by intragastric administration of dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) in rats. The activity and expression of CPT were compared between normal breast tissues and breast tumors. To establish possible mechanistic model, we looked into other enzymes of PC biosynthesis as well as c-fos protein expression and DNA binding.
Key Findings:
CPT enzyme activity and its expression were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues relative to normal breast tissues. Corresponding to the increase in the CPT activity and its expression, c-fos activity and its expression were also increased in breast tumors.
Significance:
The present study suggests that increased CPT activity and expression is associated with DMBA-induced breast cancer development.
