This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Koudstaal, J. Articles by Hadders, H. N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Koudstaal, J. Articles by Hadders, H. N.

The Development of Induced Cervicovaginal Carcinoma in Intact and Estrogen-treated, Castrated Mice Studied by Histochemical and Enzyme Histochemical Methods

Department of Pathology of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

To investigate the development of induced cervicovaginal carcinoma in mice several experiments were carried out. In 1 experiment 3 groups of 10 C3H mice received 0.5 µg of estradiol-17ß-monobenzoate s.c. twice weekly. Two groups of mice had been ovariectomized. One of these groups had been painted on the ectocervix with chloroform. Mice of the other group received on the ectocervix 20-methylcholanthrene (20-MC) dissolved in chloroform. In the mice painted with chloroform alone 4 microcarcinomas developed. Although the intact mice produced 2 microcarcinomas, the ovariectomized mice treated with 20-MC and chloroform developed 2 microcarcinomas and 6 macrocarcinomas. Ovariectomy appeared to be a tumor-promoting factor. In another experiment it was shown that painting of the cervix with 20-MC dissolved in chloroform produced a higher incidence of epidermoid carcinoma in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated mice than in intact mice. No cervical tumors were observed in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated mice not treated with the carcinogen. By histochemical methods it was shown that preneoplastic lesions had the same enzyme pattern as the normal epithelium, although a slight decrease of activity of some enzymes had been recorded. Carcinomas, developed in a different way, showed a characteristic enzyme pattern. Generally the activity of 5-nucleotidase, aminopeptidase, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)- and NADPH-tetrazolium reductase, lactic acid dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase increased, while the activity of alkaline phosphatase, ß-hydroxybutyric acid dehydrogenase, and the nonspecific esterases decreased. In a 3rd experiment it was demonstrated that in ovariectomized mice estrogens alone can act as tumor-promoting agents. The role of estrogens in the development of chemically induced cervicovaginal carcinomas is discussed.

Received 11/12/65. Revised 3/28/66.