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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Changes in Mammary Gland Morphology and Breast Cancer Risk in Rats
Published on: October 16, 2010
Similarity of GATA-3 Expression between Rat and Human Mammary Glands
Yuichi Kinoshita1, Katsuhiko Yoshizawa2, Yuko Emoto2
1Department of Pathology II, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan ; Division of Pathology, Kansai Medical University Takii Hospital, 10-15 Fumizono, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8507, Japan.
Abstract:
The GATA family members are zinc finger transcription factors involved in cell differentiation and proliferation. In particular, GATA-3 is necessary for mammary gland maturation and is a useful marker in the characterization of mammary carcinoma in humans. The expression of GATA-3 protein in normal mammary glands, fibroadenomas and carcinomas was immunohistochemically compared in female rats and humans. In normal mammary glands of rats and humans, scattered luminal cells in the acini and whole ductal epithelial cells were positive for GATA-3 in the nuclei. No positive cells were detected in rat or human fibroadenomas. In rat and human mammary carcinomas, the nuclei of proliferating luminal-derived cancer cells expressed GATA-3. Therefore, GATA-3 protein is a candidate marker for mammary carcinoma in rats as well as humans.
