Effect of Hypothyroidism on Growth, Viability, and Characteristics of Ascitic Ehrlich Tumor Cells in Ovariectomized and Non-ovariectomized Mice.

Abstract

The effect of hypothyroidism on the ascitic form of Ehrlich tumor in either non-ovariectomized or ovariectomized adult female mice was studied. Hypothyroidism was induced by treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU). Forty mice were divided into four groups: ovariectomized hypothyroid, non-ovariectomized hypothyroid, ovariectomized euthyroid, and nonovariectomized euthyroid. Mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with a suspension of 29 x 106 cells and tumor growth curve was determined by measuring abdominal circumference for 10 days. At the end of the experimental period, mice were sacrificed. Hypothyroidism resulted in lower abdominal circumference and lower volume of ascitic liquid. However, hypothyroidism did not affect the viability or concentration of tumor cells, the nucleus- cytoplasm ratio, or the mean nuclear diameter of neoplastic cells.The number of nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) of neoplastic cells did not differ among groups. In conclusion, hypothyroidism, regardless of the functional state of the gonads, resulted in a delayed growth of the ascitic form of Ehrlich tumor as it reduced the liquid volume and did not reduce the number, viability, or diameter of neoplastic cells.