Effects of Ovariectomy and Prolactin on Mammary Gland Expressions of Transforming Growth Factor α and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mRNAs in Mice

Hiroshi Nagasawa, Yoshie Ikezaki, Kazutoshi Yamamoto
In: Zoological Science · 1998 · vol. 15(4) , pp. 525–529 · doi:10.2108/0289-0003(1998)15[525:eooapo]2.0.co;2 · PMID:18462031 · W1989905303
article OA: bronze CC0
📄 Open PDF View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study found that ovariectomy decreased TGFα mRNA in mouse mammary glands, while danazol increased both TGFα and EGFR mRNA and inhibited end-bud formation, suggesting prolactin suppresses TGFα effects but is dominant for mammary growth.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

Beginning 15 days after ovariectomy (OVX), a high mammary tumor strain of SHN virgin mice at 3 months of age received subcutaneous injections of danazol (0.5 mug / 0.1 ml olive oil, once a day), perphenazine (0.05 mg / 0.1 ml saline, twice a day) or ovine prolactin (oPRL: 0.25 mg / 0.05 ml buffer, twice a day) for 3 days to modulate their circulating PRL levels. The serum PRL level was significantly decreased by danazol and increased by perphenazine compared to the intact and OVX-control groups. The expression of both transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) mRNA and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA in the mammary gland was increased by danazol. However, TGFalpha mRNA expression was decreased by perphenazine. Meanwhile, mammary end-bud formation was inhibited in danazol-treated group. All findings suggest that the manifestation of the effect of TGFalpha on mammary gland is rather suppressed by PRL, while mammary gland growth needs the participation of PRL; in other words, PRL is dominant to TGFalpha on the mammary gland growth. OVX resulted in a significant decrease of TGFalpha mRNA expression in the mammary gland despite of little alteration in serum PRL, confirming the previous observations. The similar trend was observed in ICR mice; however, the response to hormonal modulation is generally less susceptible than SHN mice.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Citation neighborhood (sparse)

Too few in-corpus citations on either side for a chart; here are the lists.

Cites (1)

References (27)

Source provenance

openalex
last seen: 2026-05-10T10:18:48.062904+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK