Oestrogen receptors in rat mammary tissue and plasma concentrations of prolactin during mammary carcinogenesis induced by oestrogen and ionizing radiation.

Female-Sprague-Dawley rats received a subcutaneous implant containing 2 mg oestradiol at the age of 7 weeks. One week later half of the rats treated with oestrogen and half of the rats in an untreated control group were irradiated with 2 Gy (200 rad) of X-rays. The content of oestrogen receptor of the mammary tissue and the concentration of prolactin in the plasma were studied at intervals of 2 months for a period of 14 months after this treatment. Oestrogen treatment resulted in a decrease in the content of oestrogen receptors in the mammary tissue of both irradiated and non-irradiated rats. In oestrogen-treated rats, plasma prolactin was raised 10-50 times and pituitary tumours were observed. Radiation had no additional effect on the oestrogen-receptor content of mammary tissue or the concentration of plasma prolactin. The changes in the oestrogen-receptor content of mammary tissue and the prolactin concentration of plasma preceded the development of mammary tumours. It is suggested that the synergistic action of oestrogen and radiation on rat mammary tumour development is the result of a stimulation by oestrogen and/or prolactin of the sensitivity of the mammary gland to ionizing radiation.