Summary
The present experiments were designed to test whether, in the hormone responsive N-nitrosomethyl-urea (NMU)-induced rat mammary tumor, polyamine levels are under hormonal control and whether they correlate with estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptor content. We observed that tumor regression induced by ovariectomy was associated with a decline in putrescine (Pu), spermidine (Sd) and spermine (Sm). Administration of estradiol and perphenazine (to stimulate endogenous prolactin release) to castrated rats restored tumor growth and contents of Pu and Sd to control values in a time dependent fashion while Sm levels were only modestly raised. The hormonal modulation of tumor polyamine levels was particularly obvious when the treatment effects on total pools (i.e. Pu+Sd+Sm) were analyzed. No significant correlation was observed between ER and PgR and polyamines in the tumors of intact rats as well as most of the treated groups. In contrast, a highly significant correlation was observed between ER and PgR levels. We conclude that in this experimental system cellular polyamine levels are hormonally regulated but are not correlated with the ER and PgR content of the tumor.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Manni A, Wright C: Polyamines as mediators of estrogen action on the growth of experimental breast cancer in rats. J Natl Cancer Inst 73: 511–514, 1984
Manni A, Wright C: Polyamines as mediators of the effect of prolactin and growth hormone on the growth of Nnitroso-N-methylurea-induced rat mammary tumor culturedin vitro in soft agar. J Natl Cancer Inst 74: 941–944, 1985
Manni A, Badger B, Wright C, Ahmed SR, Demers L: Effects of progestins on growth of experimental breast cancer in culture: Interaction with estradiol and prolactin and involvement of the polyamine pathway. Cancer Res 47: 3066–3071, 1987
Lima G, Shiu PC: Role of polyamines in estradiol-induced growth of human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 45: 2466–2470, 1985
Kendra KL, Katzenellenbogen BS: An evaluation of the involvement of polyamines in modulating MCF-7 human breast cancer cell proliferation and progesterone receptor levels by estrogen and antiestrogen. J Steroid Biochem 28: 123–128, 1987
Thompson HJ, Herbst EJ, Meeker LD, Minocha R, Ronan AM, Fite R: Effect of D,L-α-difluoromethylornithine on murine mammary carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 5: 1649–1651, 1984
Manni A, Badger B, Luk G, Wright C, Caplan R, Rockette H, Bartholomew M, Ahmed SR: Role of polyamines in the growth of hormone-responsive experimental breast cancerin vivo. Breast Cancer Res Treat 11: 231–240, 1988
Cohen S, O'Malley BW, Stastny M: Estrogenic induction of ornithine decarboxylasein vivo andin vitro. Science (Wash DC) 170: 336–338, 1970
Kaye AM, Ickeson I, Linder HR: Stimulation by estrogens of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases in the immature rat uterus. Biochem Biophys Acta 252: 150–159, 1973
Morris DR, Fillingame RH: Regulation of amino acid decarboxylation. Annu Rev Biochem 43: 303–325, 1974
Russel DH, Taylor RL: Polyamine synthesis and accumulation in the castrated rat uterus after estradiol 17β stimulation. Endocrinology 88: 1397–1403, 1971
Manni A, Wright C, Demers L, Luk G: Polyamines and hormonal regulation of N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumor growthin vivo. Cancer Res 46: 4938–4941, 1986
Thompson HJ, Ronan AM, Ritacco KA, Meeker LD: Effect of tamoxifen and D.L-2-difluoromethylornithine on the growth, ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine content of mammary carcinomas induced by 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea. Carcinogenesis 7: 837–840, 1986
Messeri G, Quercioli M, Cardona G, Cataliotti L, Distante V, Serio M: Polyamine modification in human breast tumors after short treatment with tamoxifen. J Steroid Biochem 26: 169–171, 1987
Russel DH, Gullino PM, Marton LJ, LeGendre SM: Polyamine depletion of the MTW9 mammary tumor and subsequent elevation of spermidine in the sera of tumor-bearing rats as a biochemical marker of tumor regression. Cancer Res 34: 2378–2381, 1974
Kute TE, Muss HB, Anderson D, Crumb K, Miller B, Burns D, Dube LA: Relationship of steroid receptor and cell kinetics and clinical status in patients with breast cancer. Cancer Res 41: 3524, 1981
Janne J, Poso H, Raina A: Polyamines in rapid growth and cancer. Biochem Biophys Acta 478: 241–293, 1978
Tabor CW, Tabor H: 1,4-Diaminobutane (putrescine), spermidine and spermine. Ann Rev Biochem 45: 285–290, 1982
Norman JC, Puddefoot JR, Anderson E, Braunsberg H: Relationships between polyamine, deoxyribonucleic acid and oestrogen receptor binding site concentrations in human breast tumours. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 24: 603–613, 1988
Arafah BM, Finegan HM, Roe J, Manni A, Pearson OH: Hormone dependency in N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumors. Endocrinology 111: 584–588, 1982
Manni A, Rainieri J, Arafah BM, Finegan HM, Pearson OH: Role of estrogen and prolactin in the growth and receptor levels of N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumors. Cancer Res 42: 3492–3495, 1982
Seiler N, Knodgen B: High performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the simultaneous determination of the natural polyamines and their monoacetyl derivatives. J Chromat 221: 227–235, 1980
McGuire WL, De La Garza M, Chamness GC: Evaluation of estrogen receptor assays in human breast cancer tissue. Cancer Res 37: 637–639, 1977
Feil PD, Klase JC, Margets MJ: Use of medroxyprogesterone acetate to measure cytosol progestin receptors in human breast cancer. Program of the 61st Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Anaheim, CA, p. 150, 1979
McGuire WL, Horowitz KB: A role for progesterone in breast cancer. Ann NY Acad Sci 286: 90–100, 1977
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Manni, A., Badger, B., Lynch, J. et al. Hormonal control of polyamine pools in experimental breast cancerin vivo: Correlation with estrogen and progesterone receptor levels. Breast Cancer Res Tr 14, 227–234 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01810739
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01810739