title: Mammary epithelial proliferation and estrogen receptor alpha expression in prepubertal heifers: effects of ovariectomy and growth hormone.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of ovariectomy and growth hormone on mammary epithelial cell proliferation and estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) expression within the bovine mammary gland. Two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, eight Holstein heifer calves aged between 1 and 3 mo were ovariectomized, while six calves served as controls. At 6 mo of age, calves were treated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label proliferating cells and sacrificed 2 h later. Coinciding with reduced mammary mass (304 +/- 25 vs. 130 +/- 21 g), proliferation of mammary epithelial cells was significantly lower in ovariectomized heifers compared to control heifers (2.24 vs. 0.25%). ER alpha expression was restricted to mammary epithelial cells and was not observed within intra-lobular stroma of parenchymal tissue. The proportion of ER alpha positive cells was significantly higher in ovariectomized heifers than in controls (36.1% +/- 2.2 vs. 46.7% +/- 2.4). In the second experiment, mammary biopsies were taken from five 6-mo-old heifers, immediately preceding and 7 d following a single injection of bovine growth hormone. Mammary epithelial cell proliferation (assessed by incorporation of 3H-thymidine) was increased by growth hormone. The proportion of ER alpha positive mammary epithelial cells was not increased by growth hormone. In conclusion, reduced mammary epithelial cell proliferation following ovariectomy was associated with an increase in ER alpha expression, whereas increased proliferation caused by bovine growth hormone was not associated with changes in the proportion of ER alpha positive cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061, USA.
authors.forename: S D K
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Jobst
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Capuco
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Akers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D014316:Tritium; D013006:Growth Hormone; D004247:DNA