Cervicovaginal abnormalities in BALB/c mice treated neonatally with sex hormones

Newborn female BALB/cCrgl mice received hormone treatments (daily for 5 days): 10(-1) micrograms diethylstilbestrol (DES), 2 X 10(-1) micrograms DES, 2 micrograms DES, 100 micrograms progesterone (P), 137 micrograms 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate, 10(-1) micrograms DES + 100 micrograms P, 2 micrograms DES + 100 micrograms P, 5 micrograms testosterone (T), 20 micrograms T, 20 micrograms 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or sesame oil and were examined at 25 days, 35 days, or from 10 to 30 days of age. Three major cervicovaginal abnormalities were noted: adenosis (heterotopic columnar epithelium) in the fornices; altered common cervical canal (aberrantly simplified cervical lumen), and twin fornix (lateral branching of either or both fornices). Only DES, administered alone or in conjunction with P, resulted in adenosis and altered common cervical canal. At 25 days, all mice given 2 X 10(-1) micrograms DES showed adenosis. At 35 days, 75% of mice given 10(-1) micrograms or 2 micrograms DES showed adenosis. Adenosis incidence following 10(-1) micrograms DES was decreased by concomitant P. Altered common cervical canal was present in more than 90% of mice treated with DES alone at both 25 and 35 days; concomitant P lowered the incidence in mice receiving 10(-1) micrograms DES. Neonatal exposure to endogenous prolactin from a pituitary transplant did not modify the response. Twin fornix was not evident 10 days after neonatal androgen treatment. The frequency increased significantly by day 15 of treatment, reaching 100% by day 20; incidence then declined to 86% and 63% on days 25 and 30 after treatment, respectively. Thus, neonatal sex hormone administration results in various cervicovaginal changes, some transient, decreasing with age in young mice.