Identification of Key miRNAs Associated with Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV) Infection of Normal Mammary Epithelial Cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that target the host and are used by viruses and host cells to regulate gene expression. The mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) can also cause mammary tumors that look like human breast cancer. This has led to the widespread adoption of the MMTV/mouse model for the study of human breast cancer. Previously, we have demonstrated that the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) does not encode miRNAs; rather, it dysregulates host miRNAs in MMTV-induced tumors*. The aim of this study was to identify expression of miRNAs dysregulated by MMTV in normal mammary epithelial cells.