Loss of differentiative potential of the mammary gland in ovariectomized mice: identification of a biochemical lesion.

The differentiative functions, lactose synthetase activity and casein synthesis, can be induced in mammary gland explants from intact mice when insulin, cortisol, and PRL are present in the medium. By contrast, the tissue from mice castrated for 1--2 months does not differentiate in vitro. Explants from these ovariectomized animals retain their sensitivity toward insulin, as evidenced by the ability of this hormone to stimulate DNA synthesis, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid accumulation, and glucose-6-phosphate/gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities. This tissue also remains sensitive to cortisol, as evidenced by the ability of this steroid to stimulate NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. However, the tissue from ovariectomized mice has lost biological responsiveness to PRL. Such insensitivity may be due to a deficiency of PRL receptors, which are reduced in the glands from castrated mice to 20--25% of control values. However, a second defect between the receptor and the genome is also likely, since PRL unresponsiveness is still present in the tissue of ovariectomized animals whose mammary PRL-binding has been partially maintained by elevating serum PRL levels with a pituitary transplant. Therefore, this system may be useful for the study of cellular processes related to PRL action beyond the receptor level.