Abstract

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) is a pro-angiogenic molecule that has numerous other activities on the growth and differentiation of non-vascular cell types that can be both stimulatory and inhibitory, depending on the context. We investigated whether FGF2 was pro- or anti-tumorigenic in a spontaneous mammary tumor mouse model (MMTV-PyVT) that closely models the progression to malignancy in human breast carcinoma. In mice lacking FGF2, we found that there was a delayed onset of PyVT-induced tumors. Further, these tumors were roughly a quarter of the size of those seen in wild-type mice.