lysylglutamic-acid and Adenocarcinoma

Female transgenic FVB mice carrying breast cancer gene HER-2/neu were monthly injected with Vilon or Epithalon (1 microgram subcutaneously for 5 consecutive days) starting from the 2nd month of life. Epithalon markedly inhibited neoplasm development: the maximum size of breast adenocarcinomas was 33% lower than in the control (p < 0.05). The intensity of HER-2/neu mRNA expression in breast tumors of Epithalon-treated mice was 3.7 times lower than in control animals. These results indicate that Epithalon inhibits breast tumor development in transgenic mice, which is probably related to suppression of HER-2/neu expression.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aging; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Dipeptides; Female; Gene Expression; Genes, erbB-2; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Oligopeptides; Random Allocation; RNA, Messenger

Female transgenic FVB mice transfected with the mammary erbB-2/neu oncogene were injected 0.1 ml 0.9% solution of sodium chloride (control), 1 meg Vilon peptide (Lys-Glu) or Epitalon peptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Glu), s.c., 5 days in succession once a month, beginning from the age of 2 months. The characteristics of mammary tumor induction in the control and experimental groups did not differ until the age of 9 months. Later on, Epitalon-treated mice revealed distinct inhibition of carcinogenesis. One tumor per animal was detected in 7% (control), 4% (Vilon) and 16% (Epitalon) (p < 0.05). Two or more tumors per animal were in 75%, 95% and 56%, respectively (p < 0.05). Largest diameter of mammary adenocarcinoma in the Epitalon group was smaller than in controls by 33% (p < 0.05). Although the number of mice with metastases to the lung in all three groups was practically identical, their incidence in the Vilon group was 2.6 times higher than in Epitalon-treated animals (p < 0.05). Largest diameter of metastasis in the Epitalon group was the smallest, too. Our data point to inhibition of mammary carcinogenesis by Epitalon in transgenic erbB-2/neu mice.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Dipeptides; Female; Genes, erbB-2; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Oligopeptides