DNA POLYMERASE ACTIVITY IN MAMMARY GLAND OF VIRGIN MICE AFTER OVARIAN HORMONE TREATMENT

Abstract

SUMMARY The effect of ovarian hormones on DNA polymerase activity in the mouse mammary gland was determined. The rate of [3H]thymidine triphosphate incorporation into DNA during incubation in vitro was used as a measure of DNA polymerase activity in the post-microsomal supernatant fraction of the mammary tissue. A negligible amount of DNA polymerase activity was present in the mammary tissue of ovariectomized mice which had no hormone treatment. Daily subcutaneous injections of 1 μg oestradiol-17β plus 1 mg progesterone induced a sixfold increase of DNA polymerase activity in the mammary tissue after two injections. A single intraperitoneal injection of the same dose also induced a similar rise of DNA polymerase activity and the effect was evident within hours after the treatment. The results provide evidence that stimulation of cellular biosynthesis by the growth-promoting ovarian hormones is associated with the activation of a specific enzyme involved in DNA replication.