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Abnormal Cell Differentiation and p21 Expression of Endometrial Epithelial Cells Following Developmental Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol (DES)

Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709

Retha R. Newbold

Laboratory of Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709

Darlene Dixon

Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, dixon{at}niehs.nih.gov

Gene expression relevant to abnormal cell differentiation and altered cell cycle in endometrial epithelial cells was investigated immunohistochemically in developing mouse uteri exposed neonatally to diethylstilbestrol (DES). Female CD-1 mice were given daily SC injections of 2 µg of DES in corn oil or were given corn oil alone (control) at 1-5 days of age and euthanatized at 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, and 22 days of age. The endometrial epithelial cells of DES-treated mice at 5-8 days of age showed enhanced staining intensity for the estrogen receptor alpha (ER), whereas the stromal cells showed decreased staining reaction; the epithelial cells showed that the protein encoded by the c-fos proto-oncogene, which plays a key role in regulating diverse estrogen-related cellular differentiation patterns, was enhanced. These cells also showed increased expression of lactoferrin, a sensitive protein marker of estrogen exposure, although the staining intensity decreased after exposure ended. The stain for p21 protein, a mitotic inhibitor which suppresses cyclindependent kinase activity, showed frequent positively stained cells in DES-treated mice at 5-15 days of age, whereas no accumulation of p53 protein of either wild or mutant type was detected immunohistochemically in these cells. These results indicate that suppressed cell cycle activity of endometrial epithelial cells and abnormal estrogen-related differentiation at the developmental stage following neonatal DES exposure may be caused, in part, by transient altered expression of ER and expression of the p21 gene, which appears to be induced by a p53-independent mechanism.

Key Words: Neonatal mouse uterus • estrogen receptor • c-fos • lactoferrin • p21 • p53 • endocrine disrupters • environmental estrogens

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