Relationship between functional castration and alpha-fetoprotein produced by hepatoma-bearing female rats.
In rats bearing Morris hepatoma No. 7777, serum levels of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) increased as tumour size increased. Hepatoma-bearing females remained in dioestrus once the tumour exceeded a cross-sectional area of 12 cm2. The following changes were seen in tumour-bearing rats compared to control animals: uterine wet weight was significantly decreased, the uterine epithelial mucosa was lower, castration cells developed in the anterior pituitary, and there was a 3- to 23-fold elevation in serum oestrogen levels. We conclude that circulating oestrogen is bound to AFP in hepatoma-bearing female rats and that in this bound state it is unable to exert its normal physiological actions.
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
D004967:Estrogens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins