Abstract
Since many risk factors are associated with the development of uterine adenocarcinomas in humans, the etiology is unclear in most cases, although it has been pointed out that estrogen may play essential roles. To clarify the effects of exposure to p-tert-octylphenol (OP), an environmental xenoestrogen, on uterine carcinogenesis, adult Donryu rats were initiated with a single intrauterine treatment of N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) at 11 weeks of age and exposed thereafter to 100 mg / kg OP by s.c. injection until 15 months of age. Adult ovariectomized (OVX) rats were also treated in a similar way. OP had no effect on occurrence of persistent estrus in middle age, although uterotrophic effects were obvious in OVX rats. At the termination, development of uterine adenocarcinomas was significantly increased in animals exposed to OP during adulthood. No tumors, but a few focal hyperplasias, developed in OVX rats. These findings suggest that OP has tumor-promoting effects on ENNG-treated endometrium of rats, possibly due to direct action on the uterus, as indicated by the uterotrophic effect when a high dose of OP was given. The results provide clues to the mechanisms of influence of hormonal disrupters on uterine carcinogenesis.