In Vivo Gene Delivery into Mouse Mammary Epithelial Cells Through Mammary Intraductal Injection

Authors

Wen Bu
Yi Li

Publication Date

2-10-2023

Journal

JoVE: Peer Reviewed Scientific Video Journal Article Protocols

DOI

10.3791/64718

PMID

36847377

PMCID

PMC10874126

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

2-17-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

Mice, Animals, Mammary Glands, Animal, Epithelial Cells, Gene Transfer Techniques, Oncogenes, Retroviridae, Adenoviridae, Neoplasms, Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental, Mice, Transgenic

Abstract

Mouse mammary glands comprise ductal trees, which are lined by epithelial cells and have one opening at the tip of each nipple. The epithelial cells play a major role in mammary gland function and are the origin of most mammary tumors. Introducing genes of interest into mouse mammary epithelial cells is a critical step in evaluating gene function in epithelial cells and generating mouse mammary tumor models. This goal can be accomplished through the intraductal injection of a viral vector carrying the genes of interest into the mouse mammary ductal tree. The injected virus subsequently infects mammary epithelial cells, bringing in the genes of interest. The viral vector can be lentiviral, retroviral, adenoviral, or adenovirus-associated viral (AAV). This study demonstrates how a gene of interest is delivered into mammary epithelial cells through mouse mammary intraductal injection of a viral vector. A lentivirus carrying GFP is used to show stable expression of a delivered gene, and a retrovirus carrying Erbb2 (HER2/Neu) is used to demonstrate oncogene-induced atypical hyperplastic lesions and mammary tumors.