Whole Genome Sequencing of JNK-deficient murine mammary tumors

Breast cancer is frequently diagnosed in women. While many sequencing studies have revealed frequently mutated genes in this disease, the relevance of some of these mutations are unclear. Because MAP3K1 and MAP2K4 are frequently mutated in human breast cancer, we sought to determine if JNK pathway inactivation promoted mammary carcinogenesis. Using mouse models with JNK ablation targeted to the mammary epithelium we found that JNK loss was sufficient for tumor formation and genomic instability. Furthermore, in the context of a model of breast cancer, JNK loss accelerated tumor formation. Thus, the JNK pathway is a likely driver of human breast cancer.