Also provided is the mouse homolog of the human gene. The invention could lead to improved diagnosis and the design of therapies for the disease and improved means of detection of carriers of the gene. In addition, this invention may contribute to the understanding and development of treatments for atherosclerosis, a more common disorder associated with cholesterol buildup that involves the accumulation of fatty tissue inside arteries that blocks blood flow, leading to heart disease and stroke. The invention may also lead to additional discoveries concerning how cholesterol is processed in the body. Breast cancer is the number one cancer in U.S. women, with over 185,000 cases in 1996 and an estimated 44,560 deaths in the past year.
Breast cancer arises from estrogen-responsive breast epithelial cells.
Estrogen activity is thought to promote the development of breast cancer, and many breast cancers are initially dependent on estrogen at the time of diagnosis. Anti-estrogen compositions have therefore been used to treat breast cancer. In many cancers, especially breast cancer, tumor cells have amplified copies of genes that can give the cancer a growth advantage. AIB-1, located on the long arm of chromosome 20, is one such amplified gene. AIB-1 has also been found to be expressed in prostate epithelial cells.