Peritoneal macrophages from 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-treated NMRI mice secrete transformation-specific low molecular...

Analysis of protein secretion was performed for a macrophage-like cell line, which was established from the peritoneal cells of NMRI mice treated with 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol. The protein secretion pattern was investigated by computerized analysis of high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) and compared to that of control macrophages, intraperitoneally activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The transformed cells encode a number of low molecular weight proteins (10-20 kDa), which were not observed in control cells under identical experimental conditions. In conclusion the transformation of peritoneal macrophages by 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol leads to an upregulation of polypeptides, in particular of low molecular weight proteins. A high similarity between the induced low molecular weight protein secretion by macrophages of 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-treated and that of 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin-treated mice was found.