We have examined the effects of a replication-defective adenovirus encoding p53 (RPR/INGN 201 [Ad5CMV-p53]; Adp53), alone or in combination with the breast cancer therapeutic doxorubicin (Adriamycin), to suppress growth and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells in vitro.
We identified a gene termed hEXT1L/EXTR1/EXTL3 (hEXT1L hereinafter) that was mapped to chromosome bands 8p12-p21 where frequent LOHs of this region was reported in breast cancer.
In view of its putative tumor suppressor function, the EXTL3 gene can be considered a candidate gene for the breast cancer locus on chromosome 8p12-p22.