Light deprivation retards the growth of the diethylstilbesterol-induced renal tumor in hamsters.
Chronic treatment with diethylstilbesterol (DES) induces renal cancer in male Syrian hamsters. This tumor may result from direct carcinogenicity of the estrogen, but extrarenal neuroendocrine effects of DES may also be important in modulating tumor growth in the kidney. Since light deprivation is known to profoundly influence neuroendocrine function in the hamster, we elected to examine the effects of short photoperiod or blinding on the development of the DES-induced renal tumor in this species. Animals were maintained either in long (14 hours of light and 10 hours of dark) or short (10 hours of light and 14 hours of dark) photoperiod or blinded. Groups of six to eight animals were sacrificed after three, six or nine months of treatment with either DES or the vehicle. All animals treated with DES for nine months had evidence of renal tumors, but the rate of growth and final size of the tumors were significantly reduced by either maintenance in short photoperiod or blinding. These data provide unique evidence of the importance of neuroendocrine system in the modulation of the DES-induced renal tumor in hamsters.
Research Service of the Tucson V.A. Medical Center, AZ 85723.
J L
JL
Logan
B
B
Benson
D000818:Animals; D001766:Blindness / Q000503:physiopathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000502:physiology; D010507:Periodicity; D011388:Prolactin / Q000502:physiology
D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D011388:Prolactin