title: Serum oxytocinase activity is related to tumor growth parameters in N-methyl nitrosourea induced rat breast cancer.
abstract: Oxytocinase has been reported to hydrolyse the peptide hormone oxytocin (OT). We have previously described changes in oxytocinase activity in human breast cancer, where a highly significant increase occurred in tumoral tissue. In the present work, we analysed oxytocinase activity in serum of rats with breast cancer induced by N-methyl-nitrosourea (NMU). We also correlated these data with the number and size of tumors and the body weight of the animals to evaluate the putative value of this activity as a biological marker of the disease. Our results confirm the involvement of OT in carcinogenesis and suggest a mayor role for oxytocinase activity in the development of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Area de Fisiología, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Universitario Las Lagunillas, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Expósito
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mayas
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martínez-Martos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002273:Carcinogens; D010122:Cystinyl Aminopeptidase / Q000097:blood*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008770:Methylnitrosourea; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D008770:Methylnitrosourea; D010122:Cystinyl Aminopeptidase