"By regulating the cellular levels of ER-alpha, Runx3 appears to control the cell's response to circulating estrogen, thus playing an important role in the onset of breast cancer," Chen said.

Chen sees three potential benefits that spring from this study. First, the researchers have discovered a mouse model of spontaneously occurring mammary tumors that corresponds to an age of increased risk of breast cancer in humans.

Second, Chen hopes to develop a simple test to measure Runx3 levels in mammary tissue.

"We know from other people's studies that Runx3 is inactivated in the early stages of breast cancer," he said. "So we might be able to use Runx3 as a biomarker of early stage breast cancer."

And third, since the Runx3 gene appears to be intact but inactivated in breast cancer, future studies will focus on reversing its inactivation, Chen said.

"If you can reactivate Runx3, then you can suppress tumor growth," he said.

Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign