Mammary tumor growth and metastasis are reduced in c-Kit mutant Sash mice

Besides its well-known function in allergic response, mast cell, one of the key immune cells present in tumor microenvironment, plays important roles in cancer progression. However, the functional role of mast cells in breast cancer development and metastasis is not well understood. To test the involvement of mast cells in breast cancer, we examined the effects of loss of mast cells on mammary tumor development by crossing the well-known mast cell deficient mouse strain sash (Kit(W-sh/W-sh) ) with the mammary tumor transgenic mouse strain MMTV-Polyoma Middle T antigen (PyMT). Although mammary tumor onset was not affected in the absence of mast cells, mammary growth and metastasis were reduced in PyMT/Kit(W-sh/W-sh) mice compared with PyMT/wild-type mice (WT). Histological and immunofluorescent analyses showed that tumors from PyMT/Kit(W-sh/W-sh) mice showed largely differentiated morphology with reduced angiogenesis compared with MMTV-PyMT/WT mice. Our results suggest that mast cells may promote breast cancer growth and metastasis. Agents that can block mast cells growth are potential new therapies to treat metastatic breast cancer.