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Influence of Gonadal Hormones and Cortisone on Spontaneous and Methylcholanthrene-induced Leukemia in Inbred Mice^*

( Department of Anatomy, Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, Texas)

The influence of endogenous gonadal hormones as well as administered testosterone or cortisone on the development of spontaneous leukemia in C58 mice and methylcholanthrene-induced leukemia in DBA/2 mice was studied. The incidence of leukemia was greater, and the disease occurred earlier in the females of both strains as compared with the males. Gonadectomy resulted in a significant enhancement of leukemogenesis in males and females of both strains. Administered testosterone suppressed the the development of leukemia in gonadectomized mice. Likewise, administered cortisone proved to be inhibitory to the occurrence of both the spontaneous and methylcholanthrene-induced disease. Male mice were more susceptible to the anti-leukemic effects of cortisone than were female mice. It was concluded that leukemia as it develops either as a spontaneous disease or following the application of methylcholanthrene shows a similar response to various hormonal alterations, and this finding suggests the use of the methylcholanthrene-induced system as a simple and rapid means to facilitate more detailed studies of the exact mechanism of action of hormones in leukemogenesis.

^* Supported by U.S. Public Health Service grants.

Received 5/21/62.