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Androgen Dependent Mammary Gland Virilism in Rats Given the Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator LY2066948 Hydrochloride

¹ Departments of Pathology
² Pharmacological and Toxicological Research
³ Drug Disposition
⁴ Endocrine Nonclinical Safety Assessment, Lilly Research Laboratories, Division of Eli Lilly and Co., Greenfield, Indiana 46140, USA

Correspondence: Address correspondence to: Daniel G. Rudmann, Eli Lilly and Co., Lilly Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 708, Greenfield, IN 46140; e-mail:rudmanndg{at}lilly.com

A selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) is a nonsteroidal compound with tissue specific estrogen receptor (ER) agonist or antagonist activities. In animals, SERMs may produce morphologic changes in hormonally-sensitive tissues like the mammary gland. Mammary glands from female rats given the SERM LY2066948 hydrochloride (LY2066948) for 1 month at 175 mg/kg had intralobular ducts and alveoli lined by multiple layers of vacuolated, hypertrophied epithelial cells, resembling in part the morphology of the normal male rat mammary gland. We hypothesized that these SERM-mediated changes represented an androgen-dependent virilism of the female rat mammary gland. To test this hypothesis, the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide was co-administered with LY2066948 (175 mg/kg) to female rats for 1 month. Female rats given SERM alone had hyperandrogenemia and the duct and alveolar changes described here. Flutamide cotreatment did not affect serum androgen levels but completely blocked the SERM-mediated mammary gland change. In the mouse, a species that does not have the sex-specific differences in the mammary gland observed in the rat, SERM treatment resulted in hyperandrogenemia but did not alter mammary gland morphology. These studies demonstrate that LY2066948 produces species-specific, androgen-dependent mammary gland virilism in the female rat.

Key Words: Selective estrogen receptor modulator • rat • mammary gland • virilism • androgen • sexual dimorphism

Abbreviations: SERM, Selective estrogen receptor modulator • ER, Estrogen receptor • LY2066948, LY2066948 hydrochloride • F344 and F344/NHsd, Fischer 344 • LH, Luteinizing hormone • PRL, Prolactin • DHT, Dihydrotestosterone • LC/MS/MS, Liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy • ANOVA, Analysis of variance • C_max, Maximum plasma concentration • AUC_0–24hr, Area under the plasma concentration time curve from 0 to 24 hours • CO, Corn oil • FL, Futamide • AR, Androgen receptor • K_i, Dissociation constant of receptor-compound complex • HPO, Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian • TEB, Terminal end buds • GLP, Good Laboratory Practice • SSNDC, Standard System of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria

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