Enzymatic responses of transplanted tumour cells towards estrogen, progesterone and testosterone

Abstract

The influence of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone on the activities of alkaline and acid phosphatases, adenosine triphosphatase and succinate dehydrogenase were determined by cytochemical methods in sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich's carcinoma cells transplanted in male and female Swiss mice. The results revealed differential effects of the sex hormones on different enzymes which seemed to depend on the type of tumour cell studied and the sex of the host mice.

PIP: Cells of sarcoma 180 and of Ehrlich's carcinoma were maintained by serial transplantation in male and female Swiss mice. Either estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone were injected im at doses of 1 mg/mouse. Ascitic fluid was aspirated at intervals of 1, 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours following hormone injections. Enzyme activities were analyzed by subjective grading according to the intensity of staining reaction. Estrogen produced enhancement of alkaline phosphatase activity in both types of cells in both sexes of mice. Progesterone produced increased alkaline phosphatase activity in both types of cells from female hosts but an inhibitory effect in male hosts' cells. Testosterone produced no change in enzyme activity in tumor cells of female hosts but in male hosts it inhibited enzyme activity of sarcoma 180 cells and activated activity in carcinoma cells. The effect of all 3 hormones on acid phosphatase activity was activation. With adenosine triphosphatase, estrogen stimulated the activity in both types of tumor in both sexes. Progesterone stimulated cells from male hosts with little or no effect on cells from female hosts. This enzyme was resistant to testosterone. Succinate dehydrogenase activity under similar conditions was different. Estrogen reduced this activity and progesterone produced some inhibition of activity. Testosterone inhibited the sarcoma cells but had no effect on carcinoma cells of either sex. Others have shown that sex hormones affect the enzyme activities beyond the target tissues, particularly in the liver, kidney, and pancreas. Different responses of the enzymes seemed to depend on the endogenous hormonal status of the mice.