To better understand the molecular basis for trafficking defects that trap caveolin-1 intracellularly, we compared the properties of a GFP-tagged version of caveolin-1 P132L, a mutant form of caveolin-1 previously linked to breast cancer, with wild-type caveolin-1.
None of the reported CAV1 gene mutations, including CAV1 (P132L), were identified in either clinical samples (95% CI: 0-1.5%) or human breast cancer cell lines analysed.
Caveolin-1 mutations (P132L and null) and the pathogenesis of breast cancer: caveolin-1 (P132L) behaves in a dominant-negative manner and caveolin-1 (-/-) null mice show mammary epithelial cell hyperplasia.
These results raise doubt about the presence of the caveolin-1 P132L mutation in breast cancer and other cancer types, and thus further studies are warranted.
Caveolin-1 (P132L), a common breast cancer mutation, confers mammary cell invasiveness and defines a novel stem cell/metastasis-associated gene signature.
Genetic evidence from the study of Cav-1(-/-) null mice and human breast cancer mutations [CAV-1 (P132L)] supports the idea that caveolin-1 normally functions as a negative regulator of cell transformation and mammary tumorigenesis.