The uteroglobin promoter targets expression of the SV40 T antigen to a variety of secretory epithelial cells in transgenic mice.

Adenocarcinomas derived from the lining epithelia of various organs are the most common malignant tumors in human pathology and about 50% are hormone dependent. The tissue-specific and hormally regulated expression of the rabbit uteroglobin gene is secretory epithelial cells could provide a means of establishing in vivo models for a variety of human tumors originating from such tissues. We have generated trangenic mice inheriting a hybrid gene containing 4.7 kb of the rabbit uteroglobin 5'-flanking sequences fused to the SV40 T antigen encoding region. All transgenic founders examined exhibited bronchio-alveolar adenocarcinomas, probably due to expression of the transgene in Clara cells. Most founders also developed tumors of the submandibular salivary gland, and adenocarcinomas of the stomach. Adenocarcinomas and dysplasias in epithelial cells of the male and female genital tract were found in single founders. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that T antigen expression interfered with stable maintenance of the differentiated phenotype as documented by expression of the endogenous uteroglobin gene. One founder gave rise to a mouse line, UT7.1. Transgenic descendants of UT7.1 developed lung adenocarcinomas and, depending on the genetic background, exhibited tumors of the stomach, the salivary gland and the pancreas. Sporadically male descendants developed prostatic adenocarcinoma whereas females developed dysplasias and adenocarcinomas of the uterus and the oviduct. Thus, the UT7.1 mouse line could be a useful model for several epithelial neoplasias.