RGD Reference Report - Long-term hormonal promotion overcomes genetic resistance to mammary cancer. - Rat Genome Database

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Long-term hormonal promotion overcomes genetic resistance to mammary cancer.

Authors: Rajkumar, L  Arumugam, A  Elsayed, A  Schecter, S  Kotkowski, E  Castillo, R  De la Torre, A  Hernandez, C 
Citation: Rajkumar L, etal., Steroids. 2011 Jan;76(1-2):31-7. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2010.08.004. Epub 2010 Aug 21.
RGD ID: 10053708
Pubmed: PMID:20732338   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.steroids.2010.08.004   (Journal Full-text)

It is well known that ovarian steroids estradiol and progesterone play a vital role in the development of mammary cancer. Here, using the genetically highly resistant Copenhagen rats we demonstrate that sustained exogenous treatment with estradiol and progesterone overcomes genetic resistance to mammary cancer. It has been demonstrated that Copenhagen rats develop preneoplastic lesions upon exposure to carcinogens. However, these preneoplastic lesions fail to progress to ductal carcinomas in situ or overt mammary carcinomas. The preneoplastic lesions eventually decrease in number and are absent by 60 days post-carcinogen treatment. In the present study, we exposed 7-week-old female Copenhagen rats to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU; 50mg/kg BW). Immediately after MNU treatment the rats were divided into the following groups: (1) control; (2) 30 mg estradiol 17beta; (3) 30 mg progesterone; and (4) 30 mg estradiol 17beta plus 30 mg progesterone. All hormone treatments were administered via individual silastic pellets for a period of 9 months post-carcinogen treatment. The control animals displayed a low incidence of mammary cancer (10%). Hormone treatments produced significantly higher incidences of mammary cancer, with estradiol at 50%, progesterone at 65% and estradiol plus progesterone at 90%. Hormone treatment sustained the growth of the lesions induced by MNU by increasing expression of Areg, Bcl-2, Ccnd-1 and Vegf genes, while decreasing expression of Bad, Bax, Casp 3, 8, 9 and p53 genes. Furthermore, hormone treatment increased CCND-1 and PARP proteins levels. The data clearly demonstrates that hormonal environment supports mammary cancer progression by increasing cell proliferation, and angiogenesis while inhibiting apoptosis.

RGD Manual Disease Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Bad  (BCL2-associated agonist of cell death)
Bax  (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator)
Casp3  (caspase 3)
Casp8  (caspase 8)
Casp9  (caspase 9)

Genes (Mus musculus)
Bad  (BCL2-associated agonist of cell death)
Bax  (BCL2-associated X protein)
Casp3  (caspase 3)
Casp8  (caspase 8)
Casp9  (caspase 9)

Genes (Homo sapiens)
BAD  (BCL2 associated agonist of cell death)
BAX  (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator)
CASP3  (caspase 3)
CASP8  (caspase 8)
CASP9  (caspase 9)


Additional Information