Effect of catechol estrogens on rat mammary tumors

The effect of 1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,16α, 17β-triol (estriol), 1,3,5(10)-estratriene-2,3-diol-17-one (2-hydroxyestrone), and 1,3,5(10)-estratriene-2,3,17β-triol (2-hydroxyestradiol) on the growth of dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumor and of R3230AC-transplantable mammary tumor was compared with that produced by estradiol benzoate treatment. Estriol showed minimal inhibition of tumor growth in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced tumor and no effect on R3230AC tumor while 2-hydroxyestrone showed no effect of tumor inhibition. On the other hand, 2-hydroxyestradiol showed appreciable inhibition of tumor growth in both tumors studied. That 2-hydroxyestradiol has been found to bind to estrogen receptors in mammary tumors and is uterotropic suggests that the inhibition of tumor growth by 2-hydroxyestradiol may be similar to the mechanism of inhibition of mammary tumors by high concentrations of estradiol.