MSU researcher develops new model to better understand breast cancer

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A Michigan State University researcher has developed a new model that may help scientists better understand how and where breast cancer spreads.

Eran Andrecheck, a professor at MSU's Department of Physiology researches the little-known E2F5 gene.

His study finds that a loss in the E2F5 gene results in the alteration of a protein linked to metastatic breast tumors.

The study also shows that removal of that gene from mammary glands leads to tumors.

As a result, Andrecheck received a two-year $300,000 American Cancer Society grant to continue his work.

Andrecheck's new model is a "mouse model" which uses mice to study how cancer spreads.

"One of the reasons that we're really excited about this model is that it does something that most genetically engineered mouse models have not done in the past," Andrechek said in a statement. "It's metastasizing and, when it spreads, it's going to places that human breast cancer goes to. Most models of breast cancer go straight to the lungs, but that's not where most human breast cancer goes. And so, we're really excited about this model because it's going to other places and making it more relevant to look at human cancer."

Andrecheck's next goal? To pinpoint what genes cause breast cancer and drive the spread.

"We don't think it's E2F5 that is directly causing these effects, we think it's some of the genes that it regulates that cause these effects. We're seeing hundreds of genes. So, the part that gets tricky is to dissect out exactly which ones are causing the effects," he said.

"We are nowhere close with this model to developing a targeted therapy," Andrechek said. "That is years down the road. But if we can start to understand the genetics behind this and find a similar subtype in humans, then we can start tailoring therapy. Because what we don't want to do is just rely on traditional chemotherapy. The side effects that people suffer from are terrible. Understanding the genetics behind how a breast cancer is developing holds a lot of promise for developing therapies that are less toxic."