A synergistic effect of oestradiol and prolactin influencing the incidence of 3-methylcholanthrene induced cerivical carcinomas in mice.

Castrated NMRI mice were laparotomized and a thread impregnated with beeswax-methylcholanthrene was inserted into the uterine cervix. Beginning on the day of operation and for a further 5 days the animals were injected with oestradiol, prolactin, oestradiol-prolactin, oestradiol-prolactin-progesterone, or the solvents for the hormones only. One group of animals were injected with oestradiol-prolactin for 6 days and later with progesterone every third day until death. The animals were killed one or 4 weeks after the operation. Among the one-week animals the number of cervices presenting epithelial downgrowths ("buds") into the stroma was higher after treatment with a combination of oestradiol and prolactin than after treatment with each hormone separately or among the controls. Four weeks after operation, the incidence of squamous cervical carcinomas was seen to be significantly higher among animals injected with both oestradiol and prolactin than in controls or in those injected with oestradiol or prolactin alone. Progesterone had no definite effect on the oestradiol-prolactin induced incidence. The mechanism behind the synergistic effect of prolactin and oestradiol is discussed.