Endocrine disruptors may play substantial roles in the high incidence of breast cancer. We previously described how early exposure to the mixture of phytoestrogen genistein (G) and the anti-androgen vinclozolin (V) affects peripubertal mammary development. This study evaluates the carcinogenic potential of exposure to V alone or associated with G from conception until weaning in Wistar rats. Dams were exposed to V, G or GV during pregnancy/lactation. At PND50 offspring were treated with DMBA[7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene]. V or GV maternal exposure decreased number of DMBA-induced mammary tumors in the offspring, without significant modifications in tumor incidence, multiplicity and latency. G exposure decreased number of tumors, incidence and multiplicity. Unexpectedly, GV exposure increased tumor volume (p=0.04 vs controls) and epithelial proliferation (p=0.001 vs controls; p=0.005 vs G,V only). All tumors were in situ carcinomas. Concluding, maternal gestation/lactation exposure to a vinclozolin and genistein mixture significantly increases offspring tumor growth without changes in carcinogenesis susceptibility.
Keywords: Anti-androgen; Endocrine disruption; Gestational and lactational exposure; Mammary gland carcinogenesis; Phytoestrogen.
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