BIRCWH IV Program
- Mentors
- Scholars
BIRCWH II Program
- Mentors
- Scholars
Poster Day
- 2006 Poster Day
- 2007 Poster Day
Faculty
Grant Program
- Application Form
- Application Guidelines
- Grant Recipients
Symposia
Related Links
- University of Maryland Center for Research on Aging
- Research Center for Neuroendocrine Influences on Pain
- Maryland Women's Center
- University of Maryland Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Program
- NIH BIRCWH Program
Mammary Gland Estrogen Signaling After TCDD Exposure in Utero
Priscilla Furth, M.D.
School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore
The overall goal of this research program is to understand the most critical molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways which lead to the development of breast cancer. Estrogen exposure is linked to the development of breast cancer and estrogen antagonists are reported to inhibit the development of breast cancer. At the present time, approximately one in eight American women will develop breast cancer sometime during their lifetime. This increased incidence of breast cancer in the American population is not well explained. Dioxin (TCDD) is a toxic compound found in the environment. In utero TCDD exposure has been linked to reproductive abnormalities in rodents. These abnormalities are consistent with increased activation of the estrogen signaling pathway. To date, there has been little investigation of whether or not in utero TCDD exposure could lead to increased activity of the estrogen signaling pathways in the breast.
My laboratory initiated a study of estrogen signaling in the rat mammary gland following in utero TCDD exposure in collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Jodi Flaws. Mammary gland whole mount studies demonstrate that in utero TCDD exposed female rats do show abnormally increased growth of mammary gland ducts in response to estrogen. However, additional analyses of the collected tissues are required to understand the mechanism of this abnormal response to estrogen.
