Altered gene expression profile in chemically induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas and its modulation by an aromatase inhibitor.

In the present study, competitive cDNA library screening (CCLS) and cDNA microarray analyses were employed to identify differentially expressed genes in methylnitrosourea-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas. The preliminary screening of 100 000 plaques by CCLS identified 1217 clones with differential expression. Dot-blot analysis of the isolated clones verified differential expression in 471 distinct genes. Confirmation of these 471 genes was conducted by performing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions, and a total of 160 genes were confirmed after comparing six rat mammary adenocarcinomas and three normal rat mammary glands. Fifty-nine of these showed lower expression in the adenocarcinomas while the remaining 101 were overexpressed in the tumors. Employing a cDNA microarray containing 588 known genes revealed an additional 33 differentially expressed genes in these tumors. Importantly, most of the identified genes demonstrated relatively reproducible overexpression or underexpression in individual tumors. Many of the altered genes determined by cDNA microarray analysis were oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, or genes involved in cell cycle control and apoptosis. CCLS identified many others not previously associated with mammary carcinogenesis, including a novel gene named RMT-7. Preliminary studies to determine the applicability of this gene expression approach for detecting potential biomarkers for cancer chemoprevention was evaluated in rat mammary tumors obtained from animals treated with vorozole, a potent aromatase inhibitor. When genes exhibiting differential expression as determined by CCLS or cDNA microarray analysis were examined in control and vorozole-treated tumors, expression of 19 genes was found to be modulated significantly in tumors treated with vorozole. Further investigations into these identified genes should contribute significantly to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of rat mammary tumorigenesis. In addition, the identified genes may become useful targets for drug development and potential biomarkers for monitoring treatment and prevention of breast cancer in humans.

Chromosome 3p tumor-suppressor gene alterations in cervical carcinomas.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 3p is a common event in cervical cancer and typically occurs in a dispersed pattern involving several loci. This implies that more than one resident tumor-suppressor gene is involved in the genesis of these tumors; however, specific targets remain to be identified. The region of 3p14.2-pter encompasses a region of frequent loss and contains at least three tumor-suppressor genes: fragile histidine triad (FHIT), transforming growth factor-beta receptor II (T beta R-II), and Von Hippel-Lindau. To identify those loci within 3p14.2-pter that are important in cervical cancer, invasive tumors were first subjected to high-density LOH analysis. With 25 microsatellite markers, LOH was detected in seven of 15 cervical carcinomas (47%). Losses always included markers mapping to 3p22, and markers at this location were exclusively lost in two tumors, implicating this as a site of a cervical tumor-suppressor gene. Because it is a known tumor-suppressor gene located at 3p22 and thus a potential target for inactivation in these tumors, the T beta R-II gene was subsequently screened for mutation and altered expression levels. Whereas no tumor-derived mutations were detected in any of the tumors, six of ten tumors showed T beta R-II transcript levels reduced by > or = 50% when compared with normal cervical epithelium. Nine of 15 (60%) tumors exhibited LOH at 3p22 or reduced expression of T beta R-II, suggesting that reduced T beta R-II levels contribute to cervical tumorigenesis. Two cases exhibited silent germline polymorphisms of T beta R-II: one corresponding to a C1167T transversion and the other to an A1266G transition. The FHIT gene, which is located at 3p14.2, also frequently incurred LOH and abnormal transcription in these tumors. LOH of FHIT was observed in five of the 15 tumors analyzed. Neither mutations nor homozygous deletions of FHIT were detected in the tumors. However, aberrantly short transcripts of the FHIT gene were evident in six of nine (67%) tumors. Only one of these also displayed LOH, indicating that this gene was altered in at least 10 of 15 (67%) tumors. These results provide evidence that the inactivation of two known tumor-suppressor genes, TbetaR-II and FHIT, on chromosome 3p is involved in cervical carcinogenesis. Mol. Carcinog. 30:159--168, 2001.

Chemopreventive efficacy of promising farnesyltransferase inhibitors.

The studies presented were designed to test the efficacy of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) as potential chemopreventive compounds in the mouse lung tumor model, and in tumor cell lines. The compounds included manumycin, gliotoxin, dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), perillyl alcohol (POH), and FTI-276. Each of these compounds had the potential, based on in vitro and limited in vivo evidence, to inhibit mouse lung tumorigenesis. In vitro studies were conducted with both K-ras-transformed NIH-3T3 cells and mouse lung tumor epithelial cell lines. We utilized 2 primary mouse lung tumor models that reliably produce lung tumors with an oncogenic K-ras mutation when induded by 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). Manumycin, gliotoxin, DHEA, and POH were administered 3 times per week peritoneally (i.p.), starting 1 week prior to carcinogen treatment, and throughout the test period (4.5 months). FTI-276 was delivered daily for 4 months by a time-release pellet method. Both the manumycin and gliotoxin treatment groups demonstrated 100% incidence and an increase in tumor multiplicity over control, of 66% and 58% increase respectively (P < .05). Although DHEA showed no significant chemopreventive effect, POH treatment demonstrated a 22% reduction in tumor incidence (P < .05) and a 58% reduction in tumor multiplicity (P < .05). Finally, FTI-276 reduced both the tumor multiplicity by 41.7% (P < .005), and the total tumor volume/burden per mouse by 79.4% (P < .0001). The apoptotic index in FTI-276-treated tumors showed an increase of 77% over control tumors (P < .05). In vitro, all compounds demonstrated growth inhibition at a dose-response manner; however, manumycin, gliotoxin, and DHEA demonstrated an initial increase in growth rate at lower doses. In summary, we have shown that POH and FTI-276 are chemopreventive in a primary mouse lung tumor model. In contrast, DHEA was not significantly chemopreventive at the dosage utilized, and treatment of an immunocompetent host with manumycin or gliotoxin demonstrated a significant increase in tumorigenicity over carcinogen control.

Effect of farnesyltransferase inhibitor FTI-276 on established lung adenomas from A/J mice induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone.

The Ras protein undergoes a series of post-translational modifications at the C-terminal CAAX motif, which culminates with the anchoring of p21 Ras to the plasma membrane where it relays growth regulatory signals from receptor tyrosine kinases to various pathways of cell signal transduction. FTI-276 is a CAAX peptidomimetic of the carboxyl terminal of Ras proteins. Pharmacokinetic analysis of FTI-276 in A/J mice with a time-release pellet system showed a dose of 50 mg/kg body wt achieved an average serum level of 1.68 microg/ml for up to 30 days following implantation. In the present study, 4 week old A/J mice were initiated with a single dose of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (100 mg/kg), and monitored for 18 weeks. Mice were grouped for daily delivery (time-release pellet) of 50 mg/kg of FTI-276 for 30 days (n = 12) and the control group (n = 12). Analysis of tumors from time-release pellet treated animals showed a 60% reduction in tumor multiplicity and a 42% reduction in tumor incidence. Moreover, FTI-276 treatment resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volume (approximately 58%). Mutation analysis of the lung tumors from both treatment groups revealed that most of the tumors harbored mutations in the codon 12 of K-ras and there is no significant difference in the incidence and types of mutations between tumors from the treated and control animals. This is the first demonstration of chemotherapeutic efficacy of a synthetic CAAX peptidomimetic farnesyltransferase inhibitor in a primary lung tumor model.

5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine is chemopreventive in a 4-(methyl-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced primary mouse lung tumor model.

Carcinogenesis is a multistep process in which many alterations in both genetic and epigenetic controls lead to a growth advantage for neoplastic cells. Hypermethylation has been established as the basis of genomic imprinting, but recent studies have also shown that alterations in genomic methylation patterns may contribute to tumorigenesis. The chemical 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) has been used both in vitro and in vivo to inhibit DNA methylation. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive efficacy of 5-aza-dC in a well-established primary mouse lung tumor model. Five-week-old male (C3H/HeJ x A/J) F1 hybrid mice were treated for 24 consecutive weeks with 5-aza-dC, three times per week i.p. Lung tumors were induced with two consecutive weekly doses of 4-(methyl-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone starting 1 week after initial treatment with 5-aza-dC. We demonstrated that 5-aza-dC exhibits a chemopreventive effect in this primary mouse lung tumor model which, like human lung adenocarcinomas, harbors an activating K-ras mutation. Treatment with 5-aza-dC resulted in a 23% reduction in tumor incidence, as well as a 42% reduction in tumor multiplicity. This work supports further investigation of methylation inhibitors likes 5-aza-dC for early intervention, prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

Additional evidence that the K-ras protooncogene is a candidate for the major mouse pulmonary adenoma susceptibility (Pas-1) gene.

A locus for mouse pulmonary adenoma susceptibility, Pas-1, has been mapped on distal chromosome 6, where the K-ras gene is located. Allele-specific activation and expression of the K-ras allele from the susceptible parent has been observed in lung tumors from F1 hybrid mice. We report here genetic mapping of lung tumor susceptibility genes in urethane-treated A x B and B x A recombinant inbred (RI) mice using microsatellite markers to seek further evidence for the K-ras gene as candidate for Pas-1. The K-ras genotype differs between the A/J and C57BL/6J progenitors of the RI strains, and distal chromosome 6 contained a major lung tumor susceptibility determinant in the RI mice. Additional evidence that Pas-1 is K-ras involved linkage analysis of (A/JOLaHsd x BALB/ cOLaHsd) F2 intercross mice whose parents shared the same K-ras genotype. In contrast to the results with the A x B and B x A RI strains, no distal chromosome 6 site was significantly associated with tumor development in these F2 mice. In addition to this major locus, linkage analysis of the RI mice revealed additional quantitative trait loci for susceptibility on chromosomes 10, 17, and 19. These loci may serve as modifiers of Pas-1. The relationship between the K-ras genotype and the frequency of K-ras mutations in urethane-induced lung tumors from the RI mice was also explored. All 18 tumor DNAs from RI mice with high susceptibility contained an AT-->TA transversion at the second base of K-ras codon 61. This was also true for DNAs from 27 of 27 (100%) tumors in mice with high intermediate susceptibility. In RI strains with a low intermediate susceptibility, the DNA from 39 of 47 (83%) tumors contained an AT-->TA transversion at codon 61, and only 13 of 21 (62%) tumors had this mutation in the most resistant group. This reflects a positive correlation between the frequency of K-ras mutations in lung tumors of A x B or B x A RI strains and their susceptibility to lung carcinogenesis. Since K-ras appears to be Pas-1, these results suggest that some RI mice that have the resistant K-ras or Pas-1 allele undergo tumor development by a K-ras-independent route.

Effect of green tea on p53 mutation distribution in ultraviolet B radiation-induced mouse skin tumors.

In the present study, administration of green tea to SKH-1 mice, via the drinking fluid, was found to significantly reduce the incidence and volume of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation-induced skin tumors. Thirty-six skin tumors induced by UVB and 32 skin tumors induced by UVB, in mice treated with green tea in their drinking water, were collected and examined for the presence of mutations in the p53 gene. Polymerase chain reaction products from p53 exons 5-8 were screened by single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequence analyses. Eight of 36 UVB-induced tumors contained nine p53 mutations, with four in exon 5 and five in exon 8. In contrast, nine of 32 UVB-induced tumors in mice treated with green tea contained 11 p53 mutations, with two in exon 5, five in exon 6 and four in exon 8. All of the p53 mutations occurred at dipyrimidine sequences. These results were further corroborated by p53 immunohistochemistry. The most frequent mutations were C-->T or T-->C transitions, which are consistent with the genetic alterations caused by UVB exposure. Interestingly, mutations found in exon 6 of the p53 gene occurred only in tumors from the UVB/green tea group. Thus, the tumors observed in UVB/green-tea-treated mice have a different exon distribution of p53 mutations than tumors obtained from mice treated with UVB alone.

Tissue-specific expression of the K-ras allele from the A/J parent in (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice.

Tissue-specific expression of parental K-ras allele(s) was investigated by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of the 3' untranslated region of the K-ras gene in normal lung, spleen, liver and kidney from (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice. The expression of A/J K-ras allele was equal to that of C57BL/6J allele in normal spleen, liver and kidney. However, transcripts from A/J K-ras allele were found to be 2-12-times greater than those from C57BL/6J allele in lung tissues harvested over a 20-week period. Similar to our previous observation with dimethylnitrosamine- and benzo[a] pyrene-induced lung tumors, K-ras mRNA transcribed from A/J allele was 10-40-times more abundant than those from C57BL/6J allele in all of 40 (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mouse lung tumors induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. In addition, K-ras mutations (G to A transitions at the second base of codon 12) were detected in 38 of 40 (95%) lung tumors and all of the mutations were found on the allele inherited from the A/J parent. These data demonstrate tissue-specific allele-specific transcription of the K-ras gene and provide further support to the thesis that K-ras allele itself is a primary mouse lung tumor susceptibility gene.

Detection of differentially expressed genes in methylnitrosourea-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas.

In this study, altered gene expression in five methylnitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas was investigated using a newly developed competitive cDNA library screening assay. In order to detect the differentially expressed cDNA transcripts, three cDNA libraries (rat mammary, rat liver, and rat kidney) with over 18,000 clones were differentially screened with competing normal and neoplastic mammary cDNA probes. Ninety-eight clones indicated by competitive hybridization to be differentially expressed in tumors were verified by dot-blot hybridization analysis. Of these clones, 45 were found to be overexpressed while 53 were underexpressed in tumors. Forty-five of the confirmed clones were further analyzed by single-pass cDNA sequence determination. Four clones showed homology with cytochrome oxidase subunit I, polyoma virus PTA noncoding region, cytoplasmic beta-actin, and mouse secretory protein containing thrombospondin motifs. Further investigation into the potential roles of these identified genes should contribute significantly to our understanding of the molecular mechanism(s) of rat mammary tumorigenesis.

Chemopreventive effect of perillyl alcohol on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone induced tumorigenesis in (C3H/HeJ X A/J)F1 mouse lung.

This study was designed to test the chemopreventive potential of perillyl alcohol, an inhibitor of farnesyltransferase, in a mouse lung tumor bioassay. Perillyl alcohol is a naturally occurring monoterpene found in lavender, cherries, and mint. We have shown previously that the majority of lung tumors in this bioassay have an activating mutation in the K-ras gene, which occurs early in the development of mouse lung carcinogenesis. The Ras protein undergoes a series of post-translational modifications, the first of which is farnesylation at the cysteine of the C-terminal CAAX motif. These modifications lead to the anchoring of Ras p21 to the plasma membrane in its biologically active state. Activated Ras p21 couples growth regulatory signals from receptor tyrosine kinases to cytoplasmic second messengers. In a preliminary study, we determined the maximum tolerated dose of perillyl alcohol to be 75 mg/kg body weight. For the bioassay, 5-week-old male (C3H/HeJ X A/J) F1 hybrid mice were randomized into trial groups, and treated with perillyl alcohol three times per week i.p., starting 1 week prior to initiation with the carcinogen NNK, and continuing for 22 weeks after initiation. Our results show a 22% reduction in tumor incidence, and a 58% reduction in tumor multiplicity. Our study demonstrates that perillyl alcohol is an effective chemopreventive compound in the mouse lung tumor bioassay.

Effect of early vs. late administration of 4-hydroxyphenylretinamide (4-HPR) on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary tumorigenesis.

Mammary tumors were induced in 48-52-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats in metestrus or diestrus with a single jugular injection of MNU (50 mg/kg). Control rats received the saline vehicle (Group 4 n = 9). Rats were fed 4% Teklad diet containing either 0 (Group 3, n = 20) or 782 mg 4-HPR/kg diet. 4-HPR supplementation was initiated either 1 week prior to (Group 1, n = 14) or 4 weeks following MNU administration (Group 2, n = 19). Neither body weight nor food intake differed significantly between treatment groups. Feeding of 4-HPR 1 week prior to tumor induction reduced the number of tumors (0.8 +/- .2) when compared to MNU control rats (2.1 +/- .4). Immunohistochemical staining of mammary tumor sections for PCNA was quantitated by microdensitometry and expressed as an HSCORE. No differences in HSCORE were observed between tumor groups although the percentage of nuclear area occupied by intermediate and darkly stained nuclei was reduced in the late 4-HPR group. GC-->AT transitions in codon 12 of the H-ras gene were detected in 50% (12/24) of MNU control tumors, 60% (6/10) of early 4-HPR tumors, and 38% (6/16) of late 4-HPR tumors. Mutation rates did not differ significantly between groups. 4-HPR appears to be a more effective chemopreventive when fed during the initiation period.

Brief communication, P53 accumulation in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced rat mammary tumors.

P53 aberrant protein expression and mutation is a component of many human tumors but less information is available regarding involvement in relevant animal models. We have examined invasive mammary epithelial neoplasms for p53 aberrant protein expression from Sprague-Dawley rats induced by two intrajugular injections of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU, 50 mg/kg), 7 days apart, beginning at 44-49 days of age. Positive nuclear staining was observed in 8/10 mammary tumor frozen sections using PAb 421, a mouse monoclonal antibody, compared to a mixed mouse IgG negative control antibody. Paraffin sections from two additional sets of similarly induced rat mammary tumors also showed positive nuclear staining (22/37 tumors) with CM-5, a rabbit polyclonal antibody. Our results indicate that elevated cellular content of p53 is a common event in invasive palpable mammary tumors induced by NMU in this dual-injection model system.

Detection of genomic alterations in human cervical cancer by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to comprehensively scan the whole genome of 6 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions, 7 cervical squamous cell carcinomas, 1 cervical adenosquamous cell carcinoma, and 2 cervical adenocarcinomas for multiple genetic alterations, such as DNA amplification, chromosome deletion, loss of heterozygosity, and chromosome translocation, as compared with the paired normal tissues. DNA spot analysis of the genomic 2-dimensional gels was performed by a computer color overlay system and by spot recognition software allowing for objective spot comparison and quantitation. Nine spots were found to be amplified in the cervical carcinomas while two amplified spots were detected in the CIN III lesions. Fourteen DNA spots were either reduced in their intensity or absent in cervical carcinomas as compared to their normal paired tissues. Reduction of intensity in 6 spots was observed in the 5 CIN III lesions. These genetic alterations may represent changes in cancer genes that are associated with human cervical carcinogenesis. Further characterization of these alterations may be significant to the understanding of cervical tumorigenesis and to the development of biomarkers for clinical trials in cancer chemoprevention.

DNA quantification in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia thick tissue sections by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Image analysis of tissue biopsies for determination of DNA content as an early marker of neoplasia is hampered by the complexity of corrections necessary to dea with nuclear truncation and overlap in thin sections. The use of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) for measurement of cellular DNA content on whole cells within thick tissue sections offers the advantage of preservation of cellular architecture, capacity for 3-dimensional analysis, and absence of sectioning artifacts. We have applied this technique to pararosaniline-Feulgen stained human cervical tissues graded from normal to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III. For the purpose of comparison, 15 microns sections were stained and mapped so that the same cell population could be analyzed by both integrated optical density and fluorescence intensity. Distribution of DNA content from normal cervical epithelial cells 2-3 layers out from the basal cell layer measured by both methodologies showed a stable G0/G1 population with no observable S-phase or G2 cells. Cells measured from areas of increasing CIN grade showed progressively higher DNA content values that were not observable in normal tissue. Although these data are preliminary they suggest that CLSM can be used to identify aneuploid states within defined structural areas of pre-invasive neoplasia.

K-ras mutations in lung tumors from A/J and A/J x TSG-p53 F1 mice treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and phenethyl isothiocyanate.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the loss of a p53 allele and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) pre-treatment on the tumorigenicity of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and K-ras mutation frequency in a hybrid mouse model. Male TSG-p53 'knock-out' mice were bred with A/J female mice to produce (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice either homozygous (p53+/+) or heterozygous (p53+/-) for p53 alleles. These mice, together with female A/J mice, were treated at 6-8 weeks of age with NNK or dosed with PEITC prior to administration of NNK. The A/J mice treated with NNK had a 100% incidence of lung tumors, with 9.7 +/- 3.4 tumors/mouse. A/J mice pre-treated with PEITC prior to NNK administration had 3.5 +/- 2.1 lung tumors/animal, although the incidence remained at 100%. In (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice with either the p53(+/-) or p53(+/+) genotype PEITC pre-treatment significantly decreased tumor incidence (100 to 40 and 36%, respectively) and multiplicity (2.0 +/- 0.5 to 0.5 +/- 0.4 and 2.1 +/- 0.5 to 0.5 +/- 0.4, respectively), indicating that PEITC is an effective chemopreventive agent in both A/J mice and (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice. Analysis of lung tumor DNA from A/J mice treated with NNK or NNK/PEITC indicated that 15 of 17 (88%) and 20 of 23 (87%) of the tumors, respectively, contained G-->A transitions at the second base of codon 12 in the K-ras gene. Similarly, in lung tumors from (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice treated with NNK or NNK/PEITC 29 of 30 (96%) and 9 of 10 (90%), respectively contained G-->A transitions at the second base of codon 12 of the K-ras gene. No mutations of the p53 gene were found in any of the tumors analyzed, suggesting minimal involvement of this gene in the development of lung adenomas. These data indicate that absence of a p53 allele in (A/J x TSG-p53) F1 mice does not alter the incidence or multiplicity of NNK-induced lung tumors and that PEITC inhibition of NNK tumorigenesis does not affect the frequency or spectrum of K-ras gene mutations found consistently with NNK carcinogenesis.

Distribution of estrogen receptor in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

BACKGROUND: Long-term antiestrogen therapy has been suggested as a possible treatment alternative for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. However, very little information is available on the distribution of estrogen receptor (ER) and treatment success with antiestrogen for such lesions. METHODS: Thirty-two formalin-fixed tissue specimens of DCIS from 32 female patients aged 38 to 71 years were evaluated for the presence of ER by an immunoperoxidase technique. Antigenic sites for ER were exposed by treating the tissue sections with deoxyribonuclease followed by peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining with monoclonal antibody against ER. Parallel negative controls were run with negative control monoclonal antibody and normal rat serum. The quality control for positive staining was performed with tissue sections from specimens with known ER detected by the radioreceptor method. RESULTS: Eighteen (60%) of the 32 lesions were positive for ER. In 7 of the 18 lesions less than 25% of cells stained positive for ER and in 4 of the 18 more than 50% of cells stained positive for ER. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of ER in DCIS is similar to the incidence of ER in invasive carcinoma, leading to the speculation that ER-positive invasive carcinoma originates from an ER-positive precursor lesion. Because only 60% of the cases have detectable ER and approximately 70% of positively stained ERs are expected to be functional (as in invasive carcinoma), it appears that approximately 42% of the patient population with DCIS will benefit from antiestrogen therapy.

Effect of CCK receptor antagonist on growth of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) exerts an influential effect on the growth of normal pancreas. It is postulated that carcinoma arising from the pancreas may retain some normal pancreatic properties as far as hormone dependency is concerned. In an effort to examine the effect of CCK on the growth of pancreatic cancer, we evaluated the effect of CCK receptor antagonist on the growth of a transplantable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. For this study we utilized three groups of hamsters with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas transplanted subcutaneously on the right flank. Group I (n = 15) served as control. Group II (n = 15) received CCK receptor antagonist (L-364,718), 0.1 mg/100 g body wt subcutaneously BID. Group III received CCK receptor antagonist in the same dose but treatment was started after tumors became palpable. All animals were examined daily. Latency for tumor growth, tumor size, and body weight were recorded. Animals were sacrificed after 3 weeks and final tumor volume and weight were measured. CCK receptor antagonist (L-364,718) significantly reduced pancreatic carcinoma growth when given immediately after transplantation and also in animals with established tumor. However, this inhibitory effect of L-364,718 was only partial and effective only for a brief time. This finding suggests CCK may have only a minimal influence on the biologic behavior of exocrine pancreatic cancer.

Palmitic acid kinetics in fasting, traumatized patients.

The contribution of free fatty acid oxidation to the elevation in energy expenditure after trauma has not been well characterized. Six control subjects and six traumatized patients were fasted for 48 hours and given a primed continuous infusion of (1-14C)palmitate to measure plasma palmitate and total free fatty acid kinetics. Traumatized patients had greater urinary nitrogen losses (20.8 vs. 9.3 g N per day) and a significantly greater ratio of measured to predicted resting energy expenditure (+36% vs. -6%) compared with controls. Individual and total plasma free fatty acid concentrations were similar for the two groups. The turnover and oxidation of plasma palmitate and total free fatty acids were not changed by multiple trauma. These results demonstrated that plasma free fatty acids and palmitate do not contribute to increased energy expenditure following trauma.

Ductal carcinoma in situ in rat mammary gland.

Antiestrogen therapy has been proposed as a treatment option for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). However, its effectiveness has not been evaluated in the laboratory due to lack of an animal model. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence, time span, and number of mammary glands involved with DCIS in a rat model treated with N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU). Sprague Dawley female rats 44 to 49 days old were treated with two iv doses of 5 mg NMU/100 g body wt given 7 days apart, initiated at diestrus. Animals were killed at intervals beginning 21 days following first injection. Breast tissues were evaluated following routine H&E stain. Standard histologic criteria were followed to establish the diagnosis of DCIS. The number of glands involved with DCIS increased from one to seven with time from first injection. This model demonstrates an incidence of 87% for DCIS and 0% for invasive Ca between 22 and 45 days following NMU injection. Nine rats were sacrificed between 50 to 60 days and five showed invasive carcinoma. This model appears suitable for studying the efficacy of hormone or chemoprevention in the progression of DCIS to invasive Ca.

Estrogen receptor in carcinoma in situ of the cervix.

The lining epithelium of the human cervix uteri is an estrogen dependent tissue containing specific intracellular receptors for this hormone. However, the influence of estrogen on an early neoplastic lesion arising from this epithelium, such as carcinoma in situ of the cervix, has not been determined. We evaluated 24 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens of cervical carcinoma in situ for the presence of estrogen receptor by the immunoperoxidase technique. The antigenic sites of estrogen receptor were exposed by DNAse treatment followed by peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) staining with monoclonal antibody against estrogen receptor. Parallel negative controls were run using negative control antibody and rat serum. Quality control for positive staining was performed using breast cancer tissue sections from specimens with known estrogen receptor detected by the radioreceptor method. Strongly positive staining was observed in all specimens in the nuclei of glandular epithelium, stromal cells, and basal and parabasal cells. However, nuclei within carcinoma in situ of the cervix showed no evidence of positive staining. Due to lack of specific intracellular receptor for estrogen, it appears that carcinoma in situ of the cervix will not be under direct influence of estrogen.