[Estradiol reception and enzyme induction in mouse mammary gland neoplasms]

Under study was the dependence of mammary gland tumors growth on ovarian hormones level in C3H and DD mice. Tumors arising spontaneously were transplanted to 30--40 mice of the same strain, and tumors of the first passage were studied. The experiments were undertaken on ovariectomized and hormone-treated animals; the latter were given estradiol-benzoate and progesterone injections weekly during a month in the dosage of 5 mcg and 400 mcg per animal, respectively. Out of 6 tumors in C3H mice no one responded to ovariectomy or hormone administration by changes in the growth rate. Of 25 tumors in DD mice the transplants of one were found to respond to the ovarian hormones administration by a substantial increase of the growth rate. Only in these tumors a high level of estradiol receptors was noted. It was established that these tumors responded to the estradiol treatment by induction of the hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase activities. It is supposed that the changes in the enzymes activity under estradiol treatment in mammary gland tumors are indicative of their hormone-dependence.