title: Chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to female monkey and rat has no effect on mammary gland histology.
abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), the major steroid precursor of androgens and estrogens produced in peripheral tissues in primates, has been shown to exert chemopreventive effect on the development of carcinogen-induced rat mammary tumors. Since little is known on the effect of DHEA administration on mammary gland physiology and histology, we have studied the effect of long-term administration of DHEA to normal female monkey and rat on mammary gland histology as well as on serum DHEA, DHEA sulphate (DHEA-S), testosterone and estradiol levels. In monkeys, DHEA treatment (2 or 10 mg/(kg b.w.day)) induced a dose-related increase in serum DHEA and DHEA-S (above 20-fold) levels. At the highest dose of DHEA, serum testosterone levels were significantly increased (three- to fourfold), while serum estradiol concentration was not modified. DHEA treatment did not modify the histological characteristics of monkey mammary glands. In the rat, following DHEA administration (10 or 100 mg/(kg b.w.day)), a dose-related marked increase in serum DHEA and DHEA-S was observed. Serum testosterone was also increased in DHEA-treated animals, while no significant changes in serum estradiol levels were detected. As in the monkey, the histology of the female rat mammary gland remained unchanged following long-term treatment with any of the two doses of DHEA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Oncology, CHUL Research Center and Laval University, 2705 Laurier Boulevard, Québec City, Québec, Canada. georges.pelletier@crchul.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labrie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Labrie
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone