2-Methoxyestradiol blocks estrogen-induced rat pituitary tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis: possible role of vascular endothelial growth factor

Natural and synthetic estrogens have been associated with several types of human and animal cancers including prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors in Fischer 344 rats. These prolactin-secreting tumors are highly angiogenic and their growth is angiogenic dependent. In the present study we have utilized this model to evaluate the effect of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME), an endogenous estrogen metabolite that is a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation in vitro, on estrogen-induced pituitary tumor growth and angiogenesis. Adult female rats were implanted (subcutaneously) with a silastic capsule containing estradiol-17beta (E2). After seven days of constant E2 exposure animals were injected (sc) daily with 25 mg/kg of 2-ME and killed either three or 8 days later. Changes in pituitary weight and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index indicated growth while degree of angiogenesis was determined immunohistochemically using factor VIII related antigen. The results indicate that 2-ME inhibited estrogen-induced lactotroph growth by 32% and tumor angiogenesis by 89%. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis, was down-regulated concomitant with tumor angiogenic suppression. These studies suggest that 2-ME may have therapeutic potential for hormone-induced cancer and that its angiostatic activity may be modulated through down-regulation of VEGF expression.     

Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor164 and its co-receptor neuropilin-1 in estrogen-induced rat pituitary tumors and GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells

We have shown previously that the VEGF system plays a crucial role in regulation of tumor angiogenesis during the development of estrogen-induced prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors in Fisher 344 rats. Studies also suggested that both endothelial and non-endothelial cells expressed VEGF. However, several questions concerning the VEGF signals in regulation of estrogen-induced angiogenesis in rat pituitary remained unanswered. VEGF exists in a number of isoforms in human and rodent tissue (i.e., VEGF206h/205r, VEGF189h/188r, VEGF165h/164r, VEGF145h/144r and VEGF121) that differ in their molecular masses and biological activities. The VEGF isoforms bind with two tyrosine-kinase receptors, KDR/flk-1 and flt-1. In addition, VEGF165 binds with a newly identified co-receptor, neuropilin-1, which is expressed in human endothelial cells and several types of non-endothelial cells including tumor cells. The present study was undertaken to elucidate which isoforms of VEGF are predominantly expressed in normal Fisher 344 rat pituitaries, estrogen-induced prolactin secreting rat pituitary tumors and in prolactin secreting rat pituitary tumor cell line (GH3 cell line). To identify the isoform, RT-PCR with primer pairs derived from exon 1 and exon 8 of the VEGF gene, cloning, sequencing and Western blot analysis were performed. The status of neuropilin-1 in the rat pituitaries (normal and transformed) and GH3 pituitary tumor cell line has also been investigated using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. These studies demonstrate that normal rat pituitaries, estrogen-induced rat pituitary tumors and GH3 pituitary tumor cells expressed VEGF164 and co-receptor, neuropilin-1. The VEGF164 was the predominant form in all of these cells. The VEGF164 and neuropilin-1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in the estrogen-induced pituitary tumors and GH3 tumor cell line, as compared to normal pituitary. The data suggest that both VEGF164 and neuropilin-1 may actively participate in modulation of tumor angiogenesis and the development of pituitary tumors in Fisher 344 rats.     

Estrogen-induced pituitary tumor development in the ACI rat not inhibited by dietary energy restriction

We have demonstrated that a 40% restriction of dietary energy consumption virtually abolishes the development of prolactin (PRL)-producing pituitary tumors in Fischer 344 (F344) rats treated chronically with estrogen, apparently by inhibiting the ability of estrogen to enhance survival within a rapidly proliferating lactotroph population. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine whether energy restriction exerts a similar antitumorigenic action in another rat strain, August x Copenhagen-Irish (ACI), in which PRL-producing pituitary tumors develop in response to estrogen treatment. Ovariectomized female ACI rats were either allowed to consume a control diet ad libitum or were fed a modified diet that restricted energy consumption by 40% relative to the amount of energy consumed by animals fed the control diet. We also examined the ability of 17beta-estradiol (E2) administered for 20 wk via subcutaneous Silastic implants to induce development of PRL-producing pituitary tumors. Treatment with E2 increased pituitary weight as well as the pituitary weight-to-body weight ratio and induced gross hyperprolactinemia to the same extent in ACI rats fed either the control or the energy-restricted diet. Moreover, dietary energy restriction did not affect the ability of E2 to induce pituitary cell proliferation or inhibit apoptosis, as evidenced by quantification of two surrogate markers. These data provide compelling evidence that a 40% restriction of energy consumption does not inhibit the ability of E2 to induce pituitary tumor development in the ACI rat. In conjunction with our published studies of the F344 rat strain, the data presented herein indicate that the inhibitory effects of dietary energy restriction on estrogen-induced pituitary tumor development are rat-strain specific and suggest that sensitivity to specific antitumorigenic actions of energy restriction is strongly affected by genetic background.     

Effects of pentosan polysulfate sodium on the estrogen-induced pituitary prolactinoma in Fischer 344 rats

The development of estrogen-induced pituitary prolactinoma in Fischer 344 (F344) rats is associated with enhanced neovascularization. This type of tumor is a rich source of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which possesses strong mitogenic and angiogenic properties. Pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) has been shown to exert antitumor activity by antagonizing the binding of bFGF to cell surface receptors. We have examined the effects of pentosan on tumor growth, hyperprolactinemia and angiogenesis in diethylstilbestrol-induced anterior pituitary adenoma in F344 rats. Chronic treatment with PPS did not cause any changes in the pituitary weight and serum prolactin concentration in comparison with untreated animals. The density of microvessels identified by CD-31 was also not affected by the tested drug. On the other hand, pentosan has been found to decrease cell proliferation evaluated by a number of PCNA-positive stained cell nuclei. Moreover, the TUNEL method has revealed an increased number of apoptotic bodies within the anterior pituitary after treatment with PPS. Despite the antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity of pentosan, the drug failed to inhibit tumor growth. This fact might be due to the lack of antiangiogenic activity of PPS in this experimental design.     

Glandular kallikrein in estrogen-induced pituitary tumors: time course of induction and correlation with prolactin

Glandular kallikrein (a trypsin-like serine protease) is an estrogen-induced and dopamine-repressed protein in the rat anterior pituitary which appears to be associated with lactotrophs. This study examined glandular kallikrein levels in diethylstilbestrol (DES)-induced pituitary tumors in F344 rats and compared it to plasma and pituitary prolactin, and pituitary wet weight. Ovariectomized F344 rats were implanted with Silastic tubes containing 0 or 5 mg DES for 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 weeks. Glandular kallikrein was measured by microenzymatic assay using D-valylleucylarginyl-p-nitroanilide following trypsin treatment of extracts to activate latent forms of glandular kallikrein. Prolactin was measured by radioimmunoassay. DES induced steady time-dependent increases in pituitary wet weight with 7- and 16-fold increases observed by 5 and 9 weeks, respectively. Growth rates averaged 11.4 mg/week during the first 5 weeks of DES exposure, and then increased to 23.2 mg/week between weeks 5 and 9. Glandular kallikrein total activity (nmol/min/pituitary) increased 130- and 240-fold after 3 and 5 weeks of DES exposure, respectively, and then abruptly plateaued. The specific activity (nmol/min/mg protein) of glandular kallikrein peaked at 3-5 weeks (36-fold increase compared to controls) and then declined as pituitary protein but not glandular kallikrein continued to increase. Total pituitary prolactin constantly rose during DES exposure with 12- and 26-fold increases after 5 and 9 weeks, respectively. Plasma prolactin levels also continuously rose during exposure to DES with 130- and 290-fold increases after 5 and 9 weeks, respectively. No major strain differences were found with regard to sensitivity to the acute effects of estrogen or dopaminergic stimulation on glandular kallikrein induction. DES-induced pituitary tumors in F344 rats are well known to arise via lactotroph proliferation, and the striking elevation in glandular kallikrein and prolactin during the early phases of tumor growth provide further support for a localization of glandular kallikrein in lactotrophs. However, the abrupt stabilization in glandular kallikrein levels by week 5 was unexpected and may signal a biochemical transformation of the tissue during tumor progression.     

Genetic bases of estrogen-induced tumorigenesis in the rat: mapping of loci controlling susceptibility to mammary cancer in a Brown Norway x ACI intercross

Exposure to estrogens is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Our laboratory has shown that the ACI rat is uniquely susceptible to 17beta-estradiol (E2)-induced mammary cancer. We previously mapped two loci, Emca1 and Emca2 (estrogen-induced mammary cancer), that act independently to determine susceptibility to E2-induced mammary cancer in crosses between the susceptible ACI rat strain and the genetically related, but resistant, Copenhagen (COP) rat strain. In this study, we evaluate susceptibility to E2-induced mammary cancer in a cross between the ACI strain and the unrelated Brown Norway (BN) rat strain. Whereas nearly 100% of the ACI rats developed mammary cancer when treated continuously with E2, BN rats did not develop palpable mammary cancer during the 196-day course of E2 treatment. Susceptibility to E2-induced mammary cancer segregated as a dominant or incompletely dominant trait in a cross between BN females and ACI males. In a population of 251 female (BN x ACI)F(2) rats, we observed evidence for a total of five genetic determinants of susceptibility. Two loci, Emca4 and Emca5, were identified when mammary cancer status at sacrifice was evaluated as the phenotype, and three additional loci, Emca6, Emca7, and Emca8, were identified when mammary cancer number was evaluated as the phenotype. A total of three genetic interactions were identified. These data indicate that susceptibility to E2-induced mammary cancer in the BN x ACI cross behaves as a complex trait controlled by at least five loci and multiple gene-gene interactions.     

Estrogen induction of prolactin-producing pituitary tumors in the Fischer 344 rat: Modulation by dietary-energy but not protein consumption

Our laboratory is examining the hypothesis that diet may modulate the ability of estrogens to regulate cell proliferation and survival, either of which could affect development of neoplasms in estrogen-responsive tissues. In this study, we examined whether the amount of energy and protein consumed in the diet modulates the ability of the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) to induce development of prolactin-producing pituitary tumors in two strains of rat, Fischer 344 (F344) and Holtzman, that differ in their propensity to develop pituitary tumors when treated with estrogens. Male F344 rats treated with DES for 8 wk developed pituitary tumors (defined as grossly enlarged pituitary masses that displayed diffuse lactotroph hyperplasia but lacked adenomatous foci). In contrast, male Holtzman rats displayed only a modest increase in pituitary weight in response to DES. Energy consumption but not protein consumption modulated DES-induced pituitary tumorigenesis in the male F344 rat. Relative to that observed in untreated animals, pituitary weights in F344 rats treated with DES increased 11.2- and 9.2-fold in animals fed either the control diet or an equicaloric high-protein diet, respectively, but only 3.5-fold in animals fed an energy-restricted diet. In contrast, neither the amount of energy nor protein consumed in the diet affected the modest pituitary growth response of male Holtzman rats to administered DES. Energy restriction had no apparent effect on pituitary cell proliferation, either basal or DES stimulated, in these rat strains. We concluded that dietary energy restriction inhibits the ability of administered DES to induce pituitary tumor development in the F344 rat by acting at a step after induction of pituitary cell proliferation. Mol. Carcinog. 23:96–105, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Over expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor during the development of estrogen-induced rat pituitary tumors may mediate estrogen-initiated tumor angiogenesis

Estrogens, which have been associated with several types of human and animal cancers, can induce tumor angiogenesis in the pituitary of Fischer 344 rats. The mechanistic details of tumor angiogenesis induction, during estrogen carcinogenesis, are still unknown. To elucidate the role of estrogen in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis in the pituitary of female rats, the density of blood vessels was analysed using factor VIII related antigen (FVIIIRAg) immunohistochemistry and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF) was examined by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. The expression of VEGF receptor (VEGFR-2/Flk-1/KDR) was also examined by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that 17beta-estradiol (E2) induces neovascularization, as well as the growth and enlargement of blood vessels after 7 days of exposure. The high tumor angiogenic potential was associated with an elevated VEGF/VPF protein expression in the E2 exposed pituitary of ovariectomized (OVEX) rats. VEGF/VPF and FVIIIRAg immunohistochemistry and endothelial specific lectin (UEA1) binding studies, indicate that the elevation of VEGF protein expression initially occurred in both blood vessels and non-endothelial cells. After 15 days of E2 exposure, VEGF/VPF protein expression, in the non- endothelial cell population, sharply declined and was restricted to the blood vessels. The function of non-endothelial-derived VEGF is not clear. Furthermore, immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that VEGFR- 2 (flk-1/KDR), expression was elevated significantly in the endothelial cells of microblood vessels after 7 days of E2 exposure. These findings suggest that over expression of VEGF and its receptor (VEGFR-2) may play an important role in the initial step of the regulation of estrogen induced tumor angiogenesis in the rat pituitary.      

SHORT COMMUNICATION: The BN rat strain carries dominant hepatocarcinogen resistance loci

The phylogenetically distant F344 and BN rat strains and their(BNxF344) F1 hybrids were compared for susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesisusing the ‘resistant hepatocyte’ model. Quantitativestereological analysis of frequency (number/liver) and size(mean volume and volume fraction) of placental form glutathioneS-transferase (GST-P)-positive lesions was carried out at 8,15 and 32 weeks after diethylnitrosamine initiation. The number/liverof GST-P-positive lesions at any time point was slightly higherin BN and (BNxF344)F1 rats than in F344 rats, but not statisticallydifferent. However, mean volume and volume fraction of GST-P-positivelesions were much higher in F344 than in both BN and (BNxF344)F1 rats at any time point, with a difference of up to >10-fold.GST-P-positive lesions exhibited a significantly higher labelingindex and much lower remodeling in male F344 than in BN and(BNxF344) F1 rats. HCCs were present at 54–57 weeks afterinitiation in 77% of male F344 and in no (BNxF344) F1 rats andat 70 weeks HCCs were observed in 100% of male F344 and in 23%of (BNxF344) F1 rats. These results suggest that the BN ratstrain is resistant to hepatocarcinogenesis and that its resistanceis genetically transmitted as a dominant character to F1 hybridsof the BN strain with the F344 susceptible strain.     

Strain difference in regulation of pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG) in estrogen-induced pituitary tumorigenesis in rats.

Recently a novel oncogene, PTTG (pituitary tumor transforming gene) was isolated from a rat pituitary tumor cell line whose expression is apparently correlated with pituitary tumorigenesis. In the rat, estradiol (E(2)) is known to induce anterior pituitary hyperplasia. The effects of E(2), however, vary greatly among rat strains. Therefore we examined the expression of PTTG and its regulation by E(2) in F344, Wistar, Brown-Norway and Donryu rats. Four-week-old females were ovariectomized and a pellet containing 10 mg of E(2) was given s.c. Total RNA was isolated from the pituitary gland and PTTG mRNA was measured with a competitive RT-PCR technique. The F344 strain was the most susceptible to E(2) induction of pituitary tumorigenesis, followed by Wistar and Brown-Norway, while no increase in pituitary weight was noted in Donryu rats. PTTG mRNA in the gland was induced by E(2) within 48 - 72 h in F344 and Wistar, but not in Brown-Norway or Donryu strains. These data suggest that PTTG expression may at least in part be responsible for strain differences in E(2)-induced pituitary tumorigenesis.     

Mammotropic and somatotropic hormones in sera of normal rats and in rats bearing primary and grafted pituitary tumors

Parallel determinations were made of the concentration of MtH and StH in the sera of rats with spontaneous, estrogen-induced and grafted pituitary tumors and, for a base, in sera of normal rats of both sexes, in various physiologic states, following oophorectomy and treatment with gonadal hormones. The characteristic sharp rise of MtH during proestrus was confirmed. This was not accompanied by a rise in StH. Following oophorectomy the levels of both hormones dropped. After estrogen treatment of normal rats, both hormones rose gradually, reaching very high levels with development of pituitary tumors. Similar increases were found with spontaneous mammotropic tumors (MtH) in rats of both sexes. Seven MtT's, originating in six different strains, were studied in the course of successive transplantations. All exhibited mammary gland stimulation, with very high MtH and StH levels, depending on the tumor size and tumor strain. In general, hormone secretion decreased in the course of successive transplantations. One variant of the originally typical MtT.W5, MtT.W5/H, markedly lost the ability to produce MtH while maintaining the ability to produce StH, as indicated by both radioimmunoassays and biological changes in the tumor hosts. The oldest transplantable tumor of this series (MtT.F4), secreted large quantities of AtH and StH without biological evidence of somatotropic effects. The StH effect became “unmasked” by adrenalectomy. Biological evidence of AtH secretion by the other MtH strains was inconstant and variable. It was often present in the first transplant generation but vanished in the course of successive transplantations with the exception of the F4 strain. The MtH values in normal as well as MtT-bearing hosts were higher in female than in male rats. There was relatively more StH in males than in females.     

Identification of genetic loci controlling hepatocarcinogenesis on rat chromosomes 7 and 10.

Neoplastic liver nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) were induced, by "resistant hepatocyte" model, 32 and 70 weeks after initiation with diethylnitrosamine, respectively, in F344 Brown Norway (BN), and (BNxF344)F1 rats. Nodule number/liver (N) did not significantly differ among rat strains, whereas nodule mean volume (V) and nodule volume fraction (VF) were higher in susceptible F344 than in resistant BN and BFF1 strains and were predictive of subsequent development of HCCs. Genomic scanning of 157 backcross BFF1xF344 rats with 190 polymorphic microsatellites, and linkage analysis, revealed two quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 7 and 10, which showed significant linkage with VF, and two QTL on chromosomes 4 and 8, which showed suggestive linkage with V and VF. On the basis of phenotypic patterns of homozygous and heterozygous backcross progeny and of allelic distribution pattern, QTL on chromosomes 10, 8, and 4 were tentatively identified as resistance loci, and QTL on chromosome 7 was identified as susceptibility locus for rat hepatocarcinogenesis. An analysis of interactions allowed us to identify additional putative QTL on chromosomes 5 and 8 and suggested an additive effect of loci on chromosomes 10, 8, and 4 for VF and V. These data are the first to identify chromosomal regions containing putative susceptibility/resistance loci for rat hepatocarcinogenesis, which seems to be highly complex in terms of the number of genetic factors involved.     

Genetic role of rat macrophage cytotoxicity against tumor.

Macrophages from the Lewis (Le) rat strain are significantly more cytotoxic to a Moloney sarcoma tumor both in vivo and in vitro, than are macrophages from the Brown Norway (BN) strain. Activity of macrophages from (Le x BN)F1 rats that are histocompatible with the Moloney sarcoma tumor is directed toward tumor and/or virus-associated antigens and is expressed as a dominant genetic trait. Experiments with backcross rats suggest that the genetic factors are unrelated to the major histocompatibility locus (AgB) of the rats. BN microphages, although not active against tumor and/or viral antigens, can become cytotoxic to cells displaying Le alloantigens.     

Ras-driven proliferation and apoptosis signaling during rat liver carcinogenesis is under genetic control

Fast growth and deregulation of G1 and S phases characterize preneoplastic and neoplastic liver lesions of genetically susceptible F344 rats, whereas a G1-S block in lesions of resistant BN rats explains their low progression capacity. However, signal transduction pathways responsible for the different propensity of lesions from the 2 rat strains to evolve to malignancy remain unknown. Here, we comparatively investigated the role of Ras/Erk pathway inhibitors, involved in growth restraint and cell death, in the acquisition of a phenotype resistant or susceptible to hepatocarcinogenesis. Moderate activation of Ras, Raf-1 and Mek proteins was paralleled in both rat models by strong induction of Dab2 and Rkip inhibitors. Levels of Dusp1, a specific ERK inhibitor, increased only in BN rat lesions, leading to modest ERK activation, whereas a progressive Dusp1 decline occurred in corresponding lesions from F344 rats and was accompanied by elevated ERK activation. Furthermore, a gradual increase of Rassf1A/Nore1A/Mst1-driven apoptosis was detected in both rat strains, with highest levels in BN hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas loss of Dab2IP, a protein implicated in ASK1-dependent cell death, occurred only in F344 rat HCC, resulting in significantly higher apoptosis in BN than F344 HCC. Taken together, our results indicate a control of the Ras/Erk pathway and the pro-apoptotic Rassf1A/Nore1A and Dab2IP/Ask1 pathways by HCC susceptibility genes. Dusp1 possesses a prominent role in the acquisition of the phenotype resistant to HCC by BN rats, whereas late activation of RassF1A/Nore1A and Dab2IP/Ask1 axes is implicated in the highest apoptosis characteristic of BN HCC.     

Strain Difference in Regulation of Pituitary Tumor Transforming Gene (PTTG) in Estrogen–induced Pituitary Tumorigenesis in Rats

Recently a novel oncogene, PTTG (pituitary tumor transforming gene) was isolated from a rat pituitary tumor cell line whose expression is apparently correlated with pituitary tumorigenesis. In the rat, estradiol (E₂) is known to induce anterior pituitary hyperplasia. The effects of E₂, however, vary greatly among rat strains. Therefore we examined the expression of PTTG and its regulation by E₂ in F344, Wistar, Brown–Norway and Donryu rats. Four–week–old females were ovariecto–mized and a pellet containing 10 mg of E₂ was given s.c. Total RNA was isolated from the pituitary gland and PTTG mRNA was measured with a competitive RT–PCR technique. The F344 strain was the most susceptible to E₂ induction of pituitary tumorigenesis, followed by Wistar and Brown–Norway, while no increase in pituitary weight was noted in Donryu rats. PTTG mRNA in the gland was induced by E₂ within 48–72 h in F344 and Wistar, but not in Brown–Norway or Donryu strains. These data suggest that PTTG expression may at least in part be responsible for strain differences in E₂–induced pituitary tumorigenesis     

Estrogen enhances angiogenesis through a pathway involving platelet-activating factor-mediated nuclear factor-kappaB activation

In this study, we investigated the molecular events involved in estrogen-induced angiogenesis. Treatment of the human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells, HEC-1A, with estrogen up-regulated mRNA expression and protein synthesis of various angiogenic factors such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. The estrogen-dependent induction of the expression was blocked by the platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonists, WEB 2170. Estrogen treatment caused the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in HEC-1A cells and was also blocked by PAF antagonist. Inhibitors of NF-kappaB activation inhibited estrogen-induced mRNA expression and protein synthesis of the angiogenic factors. Estrogen led to a pronounced angiogenesis as assessed by a mouse Matrigel model in vivo and endothelial cell sprouting in vitro. PAF antagonists or NF-kappaB inhibitors significantly inhibited this estrogen-dependent angiogenesis. Estrogen caused phospholipase A2 (PLA2) gene and protein expression. Estrogen-induced vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression and sprouting were significantly inhibited by PLA2 inhibitors, suggesting PLA2 expression is the upstream pathway in the estrogen-induced angiogenesis. Taken together, these results suggest that estrogen induces the production of angiogenic factors via a mechanism involving PAF-mediated NF-kappaB activation.     

Macrophages regulate the angiogenic switch in a mouse model of breast cancer

The development of a tumor vasculature or access to the host vasculature is a crucial step for the survival and metastasis of malignant tumors. Although therapeutic strategies attempting to inhibit this step during tumor development are being developed, the biological regulation of this process is still largely unknown. Using a transgenic mouse susceptible to mammary cancer, PyMT mice, we have characterized the development of the vasculature in mammary tumors during their progression to malignancy. We show that the onset of the angiogenic switch, identified as the formation of a high-density vessel network, is closely associated with the transition to malignancy. More importantly, both the angiogenic switch and the progression to malignancy are regulated by infiltrated macrophages in the primary mammary tumors. Inhibition of the macrophage infiltration into the tumor delayed the angiogenic switch and malignant transition whereas genetic restoration of the macrophage population specifically in these tumors rescued the vessel phenotype. Furthermore, premature induction of macrophage infiltration into premalignant lesions promoted an early onset of the angiogenic switch independent of tumor progression. Taken together, this study shows that tumor-associated macrophages play a key role in promoting tumor angiogenesis, an essential step in the tumor progression to malignancy.     

Estrogen induced growth of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in athymic nude mice is enhanced by secretions from a transplantable pituitary tumor

MCF-7, a human breast carcinoma cell line, was maintained s.c. in female athymic nude mice for a period of 5–6 weeks. Administration of estrogen (s.c. pellet of 17β-estradiol and estrone in drinking water, 0.5 mg/l) to these mice resulted in sustained (P < 0.001) growth of MCF-7 tumors. Grafting of a prolactin and growth hormone secreting rat pituitary tumor to the estrogen-treated mice resulted in an increased (P < 0.05) rate of MCF-7 tumor growth. MCF-7 did not grow in athymic nude mice grafted with rat pituitary tumor alone or in mice without hormone treatment (controls). Thus, secretions of pituitary hormones alone are not capable of promoting in vivo growth of MCF-7 although such secretions significantly enhance estrogen-induced growth of this cell line. A synergism between pituitary hormones and estrogen for in vivo growth of a human breast carcinoma has been demonstrated in this study.     

Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Promoting Effects of Sodium l-Ascorbate on Two-stage Bladder Carcinogenesis in Rats

In the two-stage rat bladder carcinogenesis model using N -butyl- N -(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) as an initiator and sodium l -ascorbate (SA) as a promoter, we found a notable strain difference between F344/DuCrj (F344) and WS/Shi (WS) rats in susceptibility to the promoting effect of SA. Twenty each of F344, WS and reciprocal F₁ hybrid rats were given 0.05% BBN in their drinking water for 4 weeks and then a basal diet with (BBN-SA group) or without (BBN group) a 5% SA supplement for 32 weeks. In F344 and also in reciprocal F₁ hybrids, the number of tumors per rat was significantly higher in the BBN-SA group than in the BBN group ( P <0.0001). In contrast, WS rats were not significantly affected by either treatment ( P =0.8). These findings indicate that F344 rats are highly susceptible to the promoter effect of SA, but WS rats are not. Linkage analysis of 108 WS X (WSXF344) F₁ backcrosses revealed that this difference was related to a quantitative trait locus mapped on rat Chr. 17 (maximum LOD score, 3.86) named Bladder Tumor Susceptible-I and possibly another locus on Chr. 5 (maximum LOD score, 2.39). This study has provided the first evidence that host genes influence the risk of bladder cancer development.     

Protein and RNA synthesis in pituitary tumors from F344 rats given implants of estrogen.

The synthesis of total proteins, growth hormone, and prolactin and the incorporation of radioactive precursors into RNA was studied in Pituitaries from normal F344 rats and rats given implants of 15 mg diethylstilbestrol (DES).Prolonged DES treatment (greater than 50 days) induced pituitary tumors in male and female rats. The tumor tissue had a high rate of cell protein synthesis and an unusual capacity to synthesize a single-protein hormone (prolactin). After 17 days of DES treatment, the increase in prolactin synthesis in the hyperplastic pituitaries was not as marked as that in the tumors. At the time of tumor induction and high prolactin synthesis, incorporation of uridine or cytidine into RNA was not stimulated, and orotic acid incorporation in tumors from male rats was decreased. During early estrogen treatment (5 and 17 days), significantly less uridine was incorporated into RNA. These data suggested that the increment in protein and hormone synthesis promoted by DES may be related to a decrease in RNA turnover.