Cyclic nucleotides and protein phosphorylation in mouse mammary glands: effects of estrogen and progesterone administered in vivo.

Ovariectomized mice were injected daily for 20 days with saline, 17 beta-estradiol (1 microgram/day), progesterone (1 mg/day), or estrogen + progesterone. Mammary glands were removed, homogenized, and analyzed for DNA, cAMP, cGMP, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (kinase A), cGMP-dependent protein kinase (kinase G), tyrosyl kinase (kinase T), and epidermal growth factor-stimulated tyrosyl kinase (EGF-T). Estrogen and progesterone, administered singly, increased DNA, cAMP, kinase A, kinase T, and EGF-T. In addition, progesterone, administered alone or with estrogen, decreased kinase G activity. cGMP concentrations were not altered by estrogen or progesterone. No evidence of a synergism between estrogen and progesterone on the levels of the cyclic nucleotides and the activities of kinase enzyme was observed, although an additive effect of these steroids was seen. These data indicate that ovarian steroid-induced growth of mouse mammary glands is accompanied by significant changes in protein phosphorylation, i.e., increased cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation and tyrosyl phosphorylation and decreased cGMP-dependent protein phosphorylation.