Hamster renal adenocarcinoma: Effect of diethylstilbestrol on immune and endocrine status

摘要: The mechanisms by which carcinogens cause tumor formation are complex and not well understood. A useful approach to the problem divides the events into two stages: transformation and growth (1). The evidence to date demonstrates that diethylstilbestrol (DES) can cause transformation in susceptible cells, either by itself or as a result of conversion to metabolites (2-9). In the male hamster, DES causes the induction of renal adenocarcinomas and this model offers a useful probe of the influence of the carcinogen on tumorogenesis. Our hypothesis is that tumor growth, following the transformation event, occurs because DES influences the hormonal status of the host. The altered hormonal balance then results in further endocrine changes and immune alterations which make the hamster susceptible to tumor formation. This paper will review the hamster model and present evidence which suggests that immune …