Abstract
Epidemiological findings indicate that both cryptorchid testis and testicular germ cell cancer may be a result of high maternal oestrogen levels early in pregnancy. An experiment was conducted with a mouse strain (129 Sv-S1 C P) in which the males are susceptible to testicular teratomas to determine if the frequency of undescended testis and testicular teratoma in male offspring could be increased by administration of ethinyl oestradiol (EE) to pregnant mice before day 13 of gestation. This point in gestation marks the completion of the migration of germ cells to the gonadal ridge in mice and other studies with these mice have shown that the tumours are initiated in this critical time period. EE mixed with corn oil was administered by subcutaneous injection in doses of 0.02 (n = 76) and 0.2 (n = 102) mg kg-1 of body weight on gestational days 11 and 12. These mice were allowed to deliver their offspring and the males were killed at 15 days of age. Since the tumours are present from birth, this amount of time was allowed to permit the tumours to reach sufficient size for easy visual identification. Compared to controls (n = 63), who received corn oil alone, the treated mothers produced offspring who were significantly more likely to have a cryptorchid testis (P = 0.0001) and who had an increased risk, although not significant, of a testicular teratoma.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walker, A., Bernstein, L., Warren, D. et al. The effect of in utero ethinyl oestradiol exposure on the risk of cryptorchid testis and testicular teratoma in mice. Br J Cancer 62, 599–602 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1990.337
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1990.337
This article is cited by
-
Genetic variation in hormone metabolizing genes and risk of testicular germ cell tumors
Cancer Causes & Control (2008)
-
Conditions in utero and cancer risk
European Journal of Epidemiology (2006)
-
Update on cryptorchidism: Endocrine, environmental and therapeutic aspects
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation (2003)
-
Perinatal determinants of germ-cell testicular cancer in relation to histological subtypes
British Journal of Cancer (2002)
-
Le cancer à cellules germinales du testicule, élément constitutif du Syndrome de Dysgénésie Testiculaire: rôle des facteurs environnementaux et de la susceptibilité génétique
Andrologie (2002)