Scribble is required for pregnancy-induced alveologenesis in the adult mammary gland

Abstract

The cell polarity protein scribble (SCRIB) is a crucial regulator of polarization, cell migration and tumorigenesis. Whereas SCRIB is known to regulate early stages of mouse mammary gland development, its function in the adult gland is not known. Using an inducible RNA interference (RNAi) mouse model for downregulating SCRIB expression, we report an unexpected role for SCRIB as a positive regulator of cell proliferation during pregnancy-associated mammary alveologenesis. SCRIB was required in the epithelial cell compartment of the mammary gland. Lack of SCRIB attenuated prolactin-induced activation of the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway. In addition, loss of SCRIB resulted in the downregulation of prolactin receptor (PRLR) at cell surface and its accumulation in intracellular structures that express markers of the Golgi complex and the recycling endosome. Unlike its role in virgin gland as a negative regulator cell proliferation, SCRIB is a positive regulator of mammary epithelial cell proliferation during pregnancy.