DMBA-induced Mammary Carcinogenesis Research Articles

A histopathological study on alterations in DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats with 50 Hz, 100 muT magnetic field exposure.

Several epidemiological studies have indicated that residential or occupational exposure to 50 or 60 Hz magnetic fields (MF) may increase the risk of breast cancer, possibly by suppression of pineal production of the oncostatic hormone melatonin. In view of the methodological problems of epidemiological studies on MF exposure and cancer risk, laboratory studies are needed to determine whether 50/60 Hz exposure can initiate, promote or copromote mammary cancer. In the present study, 216 female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Two of the groups (with 99 animals each) received oral applications of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and were either sham-exposed or exposed in a 50 Hz, 100 muT MF for 24 h/day 7 days/week for a period of 91 days. The other two groups (nine animals each) were either sham-exposed or MF-exposed without DMBA treatment. The exposure chambers and all other environmental factors were identical for MF-exposed and sham-exposed animals. At the end of the 3 month period of MF exposure, all rats were used for histopathological diagnosis of lesions. At the time of necropsy, significantly more MF-exposed DMBA-treated rats exhibited macroscopically visible mammary tumours than DMBA-treated controls. Furthermore, the size of mammary tumours was significantly larger in MF-exposed rats. Histopathological examination of the mammary gland showed that the number of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions did not significantly differ between groups, indicating that MF exposure had not altered the incidence of mammary lesions but had only accelerated tumour growth, consistent with a co-promoting effect. In the MF-exposed group, significantly more rats exhibited malignant mammary tumours than in controls, indicating that MF exposure had affected the progression of DMBA-induced lesions. The number of metastases of mammary tumours or of primary lesions in other organs in response to DMBA was not affected by MF exposure. In rats without DMBA application, no non-neoplastic or neoplastic lesions were determined. The data demonstrate that long-term exposure of DMBA-treated female rats promotes the growth and progression of mammary tumours, while tumour incidence is not affected, at least under the experimental conditions of the present study. The data thus add to the accumulating evidence that MF exposure exerts tumour co-promoting effects.

Failure of high fat diets to promote mammary cancers in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Rat strains differ in their susceptibilities to chemically-induced mammary carcinogenesis. The present study tested the hypothesis that the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strain is resistant to mammary carcinogenesis. Resistance would imply the presence of the mammary carcinoma suppressor (MCS) gene. Therefore, we also wanted to test the ability of this gene to inhibit mammary tumor promotion in the presence of high fat diets. Female SHRs were treated with DMBA (5 mg/rat) at 50 days of age and transferred to either a 20% corn oil or 19% menhaden oil + 1% corn oil diet one week later. At 17 weeks post-DMBA none of the rats in either group developed mammary carcinomas. Multiple palpable nodules formed in the mammary gland indicating that initiation had occurred. We conclude that the SHR strain is genetically resistant to DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis by mechanisms involving a blockade of promotion.

Inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced lipid peroxidation and mammary tumor development in rats by vitamin E in conjunction with selenium.

The effects of combined dietary vitamin E supplementation and a relatively low increase in selenium levels on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) induction of lipid peroxidation in the short term and development of mammary tumors in the long term were investigated in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Control animals were fed the basal diet (20 mg/kg vitamin E and 0.6 mg/kg selenium) throughout the experiment. Three other groups received a high vitamin E diet (235 mg/kg vitamin E and 0.6 mg/kg selenium) at different times, the first two from three weeks after DMBA treatment and the other throughout the experiment. When the vitamin E diet with selenium supplementation was applied until three weeks after DMBA or until the termination of the experiment, tumor yields (tumors per rat) were significantly inhibited compared with the control group. On the other hand, delaying the supplementation of vitamin E until three weeks postcarcinogen produced no prophylactic effect. The elevation of lipid peroxidation levels observed immediately after DMBA administration was also significantly inhibited in both mammary fat pads and livers of animals in the high vitamin E group. It was therefore concluded that the inhibitory effect of vitamin E in combination with selenium on tumorigenesis might be causally related to reduction of carcinogen treatment associated with lipid peroxidation, the latter presumably playing an important role in DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Selective in vivo inhibition of rat mammary 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-DNA adduct formation by dietary butylated hydroxytoluene

The in vivo formation of specific 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA)-DNA adducts in the mammary gland of the female Sprague-Dawley rat was studied in response to dietary butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Dietary BHT concentrations of 0.4 and 0.8% significantly inhibited total DMBA-DNA binding by 41.5 and 35.6% respectively, as compared to controls. However, the decrease in total binding associated with intake of BHT was not due to a uniform inhibition in the formation of all individual adducts. The formation of two adducts resulting from the binding of the anti-dihydrodiolepoxide of DMBA to deoxyguanosine (anti-dGuo) was significantly decreased by a combined average of 51.5% for rats fed BHT-supplemented diets as compared to controls. However, syn-derived DMBA-DNA adducts were not consistently inhibited by dietary BHT. Adduct formation resulting from the binding of the syn-dihydrodiolepoxide of DMBA to deoxyadenosine (syn-dAdo) was significantly inhibited only for rats fed a diet supplemented with 0.4% BHT. The formation of the syn-dGuo adduct was not affected by the feeding of BHT-supplemented diets. These results suggest that in vivo inhibition by BHT of mammary DNA adducts formed from the anti-diastereomer of DMBA may be an important contribution to the inhibitory effect of BHT on the initiation stage of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Prospective study on selenium and antioxidant status during dmba-induced mammary carcinogenesis

The purpose of this study was to examine selenium (Se) and antioxidant status of rats during the development of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis and to determine whether there are differences between DMBA-treated rats that remained free of tumors (NT group, n=23), animals that developed tumors (WT group, n=7) and vehicle-treated control rats (n=20). All animals were fed the recommended amount of Se (0.1 mg/kg) in a high fat (20%) diet. The activities of Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx) and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in plasma and erythrocytes every 2 wks for the 21 wk duration of the experiment. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring urinary malondialdehyde. SeGSHPx activity was lower in WT rats, before the appearance of tumors, compared to both NT and control rats. In contrast, SOD activity was reduced in DMBA-treated rats compared to control animals, but there were no differences between NT and WT rats. These changes in enzyme activity and the presence or absence of tumors did not affect lipid peroxidation.

Protective effect of chorionic gonadotropin on DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis

The effect of the placental hormone chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumours was studied in young virgin Sprague-Dawley rats. This hormone when administered at a dose of 100 IU day-1 does not induce toxic effects, measured as alterations in body weight or weight of endocrine organs, and has a reversible effect on oestrous cycle. The lack of toxicity and the fact that hCG treatment terminated prior to administration of the chemical carcinogen DMBA protects the mammary gland from malignant transformation, led us to test the effect of hCG treatment on DMBA-initiated mammary tumours. Fifty day-old virgin Sprague-Dawley rats received intragastrically 8 mg DMBA per 100 g body weight and were divided into two groups: group I animals were treated with DMBA only and group II received DMBA at age 50 and in addition, a daily intraperitoneal injection of 100 IU hCG for days 21-81 post carcinogen administration. Tumorigenic response was evaluated by biweekly palpation of all animals and by complete autopsy 24 weeks after DMBA treatment. Group I animals developed an incidence of 100% of both tumours and adenocarcinomas. Group II animals developed a significantly lower incidence of tumours and adenocarcinomas, 51.5% and 45.5% respectively. In both groups lesions developed more frequently in thoracic than in abdominal mammary glands. It is postulated that hCG treatment, probably through stimulation of ovarian oestrogen and progesterone synthesis, induces differentiation of mammary epithelium that although affected by the carcinogen can still be rescued from malignant transformation.

Effect of dietary butylated hydroxytoluene on the in vivo distribution, metabolism and DNA-binding of 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a]anthracene

The effect of dietary intake of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (0.6%) on the in vivo distribution, metabolism and DNA-binding of intragastrically administered 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) was evaluated. Urinary excretion of DMBA increased, blood content of metabolized DMBA increased and blood content of non-metabolized DMBA decreased for rats fed the diet containing BHT as compared to rats fed the control diet. The binding of DMBA to both liver and mammary DNA decreased for rats fed the diet containing BHT as compared to controls. The liver activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), epoxide hydrolase (EH) and NAD(P)H-quinone reductase (QR) increased in response to BHT feeding. However, no increase in the mammary tissue activities of these enzymes was observed. These results suggest that the ability of dietary BHT to inhibit the initiation of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis partly may be due to decreased binding of DMBA to mammary DNA. This effect of BHT is not due to an increase in mammary tissue activities of GST, EH and QR, enzymes involved in carcinogen detoxification, but may involve increased liver metabolism of DMBA to products that do not bind to DNA.

Inhibition of dmba‐induced mammary tumorigenesis by caloric restriction in rats fed high‐fat diets

Most previous studies on the inhibiting effect of caloric restriction during promotion of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis have used low to moderate levels of dietary fat, i.e., about 4 to 14% by weight. The current study was designed to test whether a moderate degree of caloric restriction, 25%, would inhibit tumor growth in rats fed the equivalent of 20% dietary fat which approximates human consumption in affluent countries. Rats were fed diets ad libitum that contained 5, 15 or 20% corn oil. Groups of rats were pair-fed to the last 2 groups, but subjected to a 25% caloric restriction. These groups were fed 20 or 26.7% corn oil so that absolute fat intake in the paired groups was identical. Significant inhibition of tumor incidence, tumor weight, tumor burden, body fat deposition, and fasting serum insulin were observed in the 2 calorically restricted groups. We conclude that moderate caloric restriction is significantly more effective in inhibiting tumor growth than is the promoting effect of diets high in fat. Total body weight, body fat and serum insulin concentrations may be better correlates of risk of developing mammary tumors than is dietary fat.

Changes in Selenium and Antioxidant Status during DMBA-Induced Mammary Carcinogenesis in Rats

Female weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were used to examine the changes that occurred in selenium and antioxidant status during the development of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors. Animals were fed an AIN-76 diet, modified to contain 20% fat (3:1 wt/wt, lard:corn oil) and 0.1, 0.035, 0.1, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 mg Se/kg diet. At wk 5, rats in groups 2-6 were administered by intragastric tube 4.32 mg of DMBA dissolved in corn oil. Control rats received corn oil only. A blood sample was removed from the tail vein and analyzed for selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSHPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity at wk 5, and every 4 wk until wk 25. At the end of the experiment, rats were classified by tumor status, and each diet group was subdivided into two groups: those rats remaining free of tumors for 25 wk and those with tumors. DMBA treatment caused an initial decrease in erythrocyte SeGSHPx and SOD activity compared to untreated control rats. SeGSHPx activity in rats with tumors remained lower than controls, while SeGSHPX activity increased in rats with no tumors. These changes, however, were not associated with any changes in lipid peroxidation.

Effect of dietary brussels sprouts with increased selenium content on mammary carcinogenesis in the rat

Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea, L; Jade cross E, hybrid cultivar) were cultivated with inorganic selenium added to the plant growth medium. Sprague-Dawley, female, weanling rats were divided into groups and fed 20% brussels sprouts diets containing either 0.03, 0.58, 1.29, or 6.71 ppm of selenium naturally occurring in the sprouts. These diets were fed 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after a single dose of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), and the rats were then placed on a low selenium basal diet for an additional 25 weeks. All brussels sprouts diets reduced the incidence of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis. Increased dietary levels of naturally occurring selenium did not further depress mammary tumorigenesis. The time period of selenium feeding may have been too brief to observe any additional tumor reductions.

Comparison of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene metabolism and DNA binding in mammary epithelial cells from three rat strains with differing susceptibilities to mammary carcinogenesis

The capacity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to induce mammary carcinomas has been studied in three rat strains. Wistar/Furth (WF) rats are highly susceptible to DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis, Copenhagen (Cop) rats are completely resistant, and Fischer 344 (F344) rats have an intermediate susceptibility. We have previously shown that WF rats possess 'enhancer genes', which enhance susceptibility to induced mammary cancer. Cop rats, however, possess a single 'suppressor' gene which confers complete resistance to mammary cancer. Both gene types are apparently absent in F344 rats. In order to determine possible mechanisms of action of these enhancer and suppressor genes, we have examined DMBA metabolism and DNA binding in mammary epithelial cells isolated from each rat strain. Quantitative analyses of both metabolism and DNA binding indicate no significant differences among the strains. In addition, HPLC analyses of DMBA metabolites and DMBA-DNA adducts were essentially identical. These data suggest that the genes controlling susceptibility and resistance to mammary carcinogenesis in these rat strains are likely to be active at later stages of the carcinogenic process.

Prior Dietary Protein Intake and DNA-Binding 7,12-Dimethylbenz[<italic>a</italic>]anthracene Metabolites Formed by Isolated Rat Hepatocytes

Hepatocytes were isolated from noninbred Sprague-Dawley rats previously fed diets containing 7.5 or 15% protein. These hepatocytes were incubated in the presence of exogenous DNA for examination of their ability to metabolize 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene [(DMBA) CAS: 57-97-6] and release reactive DNA-binding metabolites to the medium. An increased formation of extracellular water-soluble metabolites of DMBA was observed in hepatocyte cultures from rats fed a 15% protein diet compared with that in cells from rats fed 7.5% protein. As dietary protein increased, there was a reduction in the release of DNA-binding metabolites by isolated hepatocytes. Bay-region dihydrodiol-epoxide adducts were formed with extracellular calf thymus DNA and hepatic DNA. However, most of the binding of DMBA with extracellular and intracellular DNA was due to unidentified DMBA-DNA adducts that eluted, upon reversed-phase chromatography, after the bay-region dihydrodiol-epoxide DMBA adducts were formed. The present studies show that feeding animals diets that are limiting in protein results in a decrease in DMBA detoxification and an increase in excretion of reactive DMBA metabolites from the liver. These results may explain the previously observed influence of dietary protein on the initiation of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in the rat.

DMBA-induced Mammary Carcinogenesis, in Relaton to Rebound Increase of Serum Prolactin after Suppression with Bromocryptine in Pubescent Virgin Rats

DMBA-induced Mammary Carcinogenesis, in Relaton to Rebound Increase of Serum Prolactin after Suppression with Bromocryptine in Pubescent Virgin Rats

Effects of Dietary Protein, Fat and Energy Intake during an Initiation Phase Study of 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Breast Cancer in Rats

A factorial experiment was conducted to examine the effects of dietary protein (8, 16, 32% of energy from casein) and dietary fat (12, 24, 48% of energy from corn oil) on the initiation of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast carcinogenesis in rats. Forty weanling female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to each of nine diets fed ad libitum. After 4 wk each rat received DMBA (20 mg/kg) via gastric intubation. For an additional 22 wk after carcinogen administration all rats consumed a diet containing 16% of dietary energy from protein and 24% from fat. Dietary fat, protein and ad libitum energy consumption exhibited statistically significant effects on final tumor prevalence, but interactive effects were not found. At necropsy, rats fed corn oil at 12, 24 and 48% of energy prior to DMBA administration showed tumor prevalences of 58, 58 and 85% with 116, 153 and 231 total tumors, respectively. The data indicate a significant nonlinear effect of dietary fat. Corresponding numbers for rats fed casein at 8, 16 and 32% of energy prior to DMBA were prevalences of 79, 65 and 59%, with total tumor counts of 194, 144 and 162. Higher dietary protein during the initiation phase was associated with a significant reduction in tumor prevalence, which was most striking between 8 and 16% of energy from protein. In addition, results of multiple logistic regression showed that tumorigenesis was increased with greater ad libitum energy intake. The odds of a tumor at necropsy were multiplied by 1.19 for each kilocalorie increase in ad libitum energy intake averaged over the post-DMBA phase of the experiment. An additional six weanling rats fed each diet for 4 wk were killed for assay of hepatic carcinogen metabolizing enzymes at the time corresponding to DMBA administration in the initiation experiment. Both protein and fat showed independent effects on the activity of several enzymes. However, enzyme activity did not suggest a unifying mechanism whereby these nutrients influence DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Detection of short-lived mutagens in welding fumes with a culture of Salmonella typhimurium TA100 in a microimpinger

Fifteen kinds of commonly consumed Thai vegetables were sequentially extracted with hexane, chloroform and methanol, and then tested for antimutagenic activities against direct-acting (AF-2 and NaN3) and indirect-acting (AFB1 and B(a)P) mutagens using Ames' Salmonella mutagenicity test with Salmonella typhimurium TA100 as tester strain. It was found that only the methanol extract of neem leaves contain weak antimutagen inhibiting the mutagenicities of both direct-acting mutagens. Interestinglly, all vegetables studied were found to contain chemical compounds, mainly nonpolar ones, capable of inhibiting the mutagenicity of AFB1, while only some vegetables contain chemical compounds capable of inhibiting the mutagenicity of B(a)P, which is also an indirect-acting mutagen. Studies on anticarcinogenic potentials demonstrated that Thai bitter gourd fruits, but not sweet basil leaves, at the concentration of 6.25% and 12.5% in the diet, partially inhibited DMBA-induced mammary gland carcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats when fed to the animals 2 weeks prior to DMBA. Results in the present study therefore demonstrated that most Thai vegetables contain antimutagens inhibiting the mutagenicity of some indirect-acting mutagen, particularly AFB1. The mechanism of their antimutagenicity may probably be the inhibition of the activity of metabolic-activating enzymes in rat liver homogenates. Very interestingly, our results clearly reveal that Thai bitter gourd fruits, which possess Phase II enzymes inducing property, as well as the ability to reduce Phase I enzyme activities in rat liver, contain some anticarcinogens or chemopreventive agents. However, sweet basil leaves that possess both Phase I and Phase II enzyme-inducing properties may not contain any anticarcinogen, at least against DMBA-induced mammary gland carcinogenesis.

ラットのDMBA誘発乳癌に対する食餌性ビタミンEの発癌抑制効果に関する実験的研究

The effect of dietary vitamin E on 7,12-dimethylbenz [α] an thracene-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats and on the lipid peroxidation due to DMBA was investigated. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were given iv injections of 2 mg of 7,12-DMBA at both 56 and 62 days of age. Feeding of control diet (included 20 mg of vitamin E per kg) or diet included 235 mg of vitamin E per kg (YES-group) was initiated at 2 week before the first carcinogen injection and was terminated at 120 days postcarcinogen. Control rats had 97% incidence of mammary carcinoma, whereas there was 71% incidence of cancer in YES-groups (P>0.05). Similarly, the average number of cancers per rat was significantly reduced in YES-groups (7.2 versus 3.7; P<0.01), and latency of cancer appearance was prolonged in comparison to con trols. Serum lipoperoxide level were significantly decreased in YES-groups compared to controls (8.88versus 10.26; P<0.05). Serum vitamin E leveles were significantly elevated in YES-groups in comparison to controls (1.98 versus 0.96; P<0.001). In the groups, in which were switched from control diet to vitamin E supplemented diet and vice versa at the time of 84 days of age, there were a 96% and 89% incidence of mammary cancer and average number of cancer per rat were 6.5 and 4.9 respectively.The effects of vitamin E on lipid peroxidation due to DMBA were studied. It was found that malonaldehyde (MDA), one of the most important products of lipid peroxidation, increased suddenly in the liver, mammary fat pad and serum with the treatment of DMBA. But, excess increase of MDA was significantly suppressed in the rats fed on vitamin E diet. Furthermore, temporal depression of serum vitamin E was induced by the administration of DMBA in both the control group and high vitamin E group, being significantly (P<0.02) marked in a high vitamin E group.It was co ncluded that inhibitory effects of vitamin E on DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis might be caused by the inhibition of lipid peroxidation with vitamin E, and lipid peroxidation might play an important role in DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats.

The binding of 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a]anthracene to mammary gland macromolecules in the hamster: Effects of enovid feeding or transplacental exposure to diethylstilboestrol

The covalent binding of 7,12-[ 3H]dimethylbenz[ a]anthracene ([ 3H]DMBA) to mammary gland macromolecules was studied in hamsters fed a contraceptive mixture, Enovid, those exposed transplacentally to diethylstilboestrol (DES), and controls. Compared with rats, hamsters are relatively resistant to DMBA mammary carcinogenesis, but susceptibility is increased by either of the above treatments with Enovid or DES. The amount of DMBA bound to DNA and protein was 4–5 times greater than to RNA, but only DNA binding was persistent. Fifty-three percent of the DNA-bound DMBA was still present after 8 days. The amount of DMBA bound to hamster mammary DNA and its persistence was similar to that found in rats. Neither Enovid nor DES treatment altered the levels of binding to mammary macromolecules, nor their persistence. These results indicate that the species differences in the susceptibility to DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in hamsters and rats, and modification of the former by hormones, is not due to differences in the activation of carcinogens. The role of hormones such as prolactin in the promotion phase of mammary gland carcinogenesis may explain these differences.

7,12-Dimethylbenz[&lt;italic&gt;a&lt;/italic&gt;]anthracene-Induced DNA Binding and Repair Synthesis in Susceptible and Nonsusceptible Mammary Epithelial Cells in Culture&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;

The effect of age and parity on the binding of 7,12-dimethybenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to DNA and the repair of DMBA-damaged DNA have been demonstrated in logarithmic phase and confluent mammary epithelial cell cultures from young virgin (YV), old virgin (OV), and parous (P) noninbred and inbred Sprague-Dawley rats. Over a dose range of 0.1-0.4 micrograms DMBA/ml, DNA binding was 1.5-to 2.0-fold higher in YV cells than in OV or P cells. In addition, a steeper slope of the dose-response curve was obtained with YV cells, suggesting a greater susceptibility of YV cells to DMBA. Excision repair was determined by measuring, in the presence of hydroxyurea and 5-bromodeoxyuridine, tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA during the repair process. At high doses od DMBA (0.5-2.0 micrograms/ml), excision repair in YV cells was 1.5 times higher than in OV cells and 2 times higher than in P cells. However, with lower DMBA doses (less than 0.5 micrograms/ml) similar levels of repair were obtained in all 3 groups of rats. Since binding to DNA is higher in YV cells at these low DMBA doses, ti is apparent that OV and P cells exhibit a greater DNA repair per unit damage. These results, therefore, suggest that age and parity not only lower the binding of DMBA to mammary epithelial cell DNA but also increase the efficiency of DNA repair processes, which may explain the lower susceptibility of OV and P rats to DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Inhibition of DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in the rat by 2-br- -ergocryptine (CB 154), an inhibitor of prolactin secretion, and by nafoxidine (U-11, 100 A), an estrogen antagonist.

The DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in the Sprague-Dawley rat is known to be both estrogen and prolactin dependent. The experiments presented here show that 2-Br-&amp;#913;-ergocryptine (CB 154), an inhibitor of prolactin secretion, and nafoxidine (, 100 A), an estrogen antagonist, inhibit the U 11 successive stages of carcinogenesis, namely formation of preneo plastic nodules, transformation of the latter into tumors, and finally growth of the established tumors. Endocrine studies, involving histological examination of organs and serum prolactin determination by radioimmunoassay, show that CB 154 inhibits prolactin secretion and produces peripheral changes consistent with this effect, and that nafoxidine behaves as an antiestrogen in intact animals and in oophorectomized animals given estrogens, that it is devoid of intrinsic estrogenic properties but rather displays progestational-like effects, and that it inhibits prolactin stimulation by estrogens in oophorectomized rats. The antitumor effect of CB 154 can be ascribed to interference with prolactin secretion. That of nafoxidine may result from its antiestrogenic properties at the tumor tissue level, although part of it could be tentatively ascribed to inhibition of prolactin secretion.