Kleer lab develops model of human metaplastic breast carcinomas

By Robin Kunkel | December 5 2016

The laboratory of Dr. Celina Kleer, Harold A. Oberman Collegiate Professor, discovered that mammary-specific knock down of the gene CCN6 unleashes the development of mammary carcinomas recapitulating human spindle cell metaplastic carcinomas. This new model will serve to examine how metaplastic carcinomas develop and potentially lead to discovery of new targets for diagnosis and treatment. The article entitled "MMTV-cre;Ccn6 knockout mice develop tumors recapitulating human metaplastic breast carcinomas" appeared in Oncogene, on the November 7th 2016 issue, and can be found at www.nature.com.