During the course of prolonged high estrogen treatment the glandular interstitial tissue of the testis in mice of the Strong A strain has been observed to hypertrophy, in a few instances to such an extent that large areas of the testis were composed entirely of these cells.1Since neither local invasions nor metastases were observed, not one of these hypertrophies or overgrowths was considered malignant. Recently, however, a malignant tumor of the interstitial cells appeared in an A strain mouse receiving estradiol benzoate. This mouse had received weekly subcutaneous injections of 0.05 mg. of estradiol benzoate2in sesame oil beginning at the age of 30 days. Shortly after six months of treatment the left testis began to increase in size rather rapidly, and after eight months it was several times normal size, was nodular and protruded somewhat above the base of the tail. Shortly thereafter the general health
The growth of the mammary glands of males bearing ovarian grafts or receiving extracts of estrogenic hormones has been observed by many investigators. Several pure estrogenic chemicals, theelin, theelol, dihydroestrin and equilin,, induced the growth of the mammary glands of male mice and of males of other species. The male hormone, testosterone, also induced a limited mammary gland proliferation in rats. Progestin had no effect upon the mammary glands of rabbits when injected as a rather crude extract,, but when progestin and theelin were administered simultaneously a complete development of the mammary glands occurred. The mammary ducts developed in rabbits receiving estrin, while simultaneous injections of progestin and estrin induced the development of the lobules of alveolar tissue as observed during pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy. In some strains of mice scattered lobules of alveoli developed in males receiving large amounts of estrogenic hormone while a complete development of the lobules occurred in injected males from other strains. The mice used in this investigation were supplied by Dr. L. C. Strong. Two highly purified extracts of progestin obtained from corpora lutea and one crystalline preparation of progesterone (Proluton) were used. All of the preparations were dissolved in oil and were injected subcutaneously. Seven castrated male mice were given from 0.35 to 1.6 units of progestin over periods of from 14 to 16 days. Two of these mice were given in addition 5 rat units of theelin daily. The mammary rudiments of all of these mice had developed into extensive systems of branching ducts, similar to those of mice receiving theelin for approximately 30 days. One castrated male receiving 5 r.u. of theelin daily showed but a slight growth of the mammary glands. One of two non-castrate male mice receiving 0.1 unit of progestin daily for 14 days showed extensive development of the mammary ducts.
Studies on Ovarian and Pituitary Tumorigenesis Get access W. U. Gardner W. U. Gardner Department of Anatomy, Tale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 15, Issue 3, December 1954, Pages 693–709, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/15.3.693 Published: 01 December 1954
The function of the ovary in the stimulation of mammary gland growth was first critically demonstrated in males or ovariectomized immature females bearing ovarian grafts. The guinea pig was extensively used in these experiments as the growth of the nipples served as an easily determinable index of ovarian function. For a review of this work reference to made to Smelser (1933). Two ovarian hormones have recently been found to be necessary for complete mammary development in most species of animals (Turner, 1932). The ovarian follicular hormone, theelin, characteristically induced a growth of the mammary duct system while the additional stimulation of the hormone of the corpus luteum was required for the complete development of the mammary alveoli. The development of the mammary duct system of the normal female mouse occurs during the late pre-pubertal and the post-pubertal periods in virgin animals (Turner and Gomez, 1933; Cole, 1933; Gardner and Strong, 1935). The mammary alveoli were found to develop only during pregnancy or pseudopregrancy. The normal development of the female mammary glands has been duplicated experimentally by the administration of ovarian hormones.
