Effects of adrenalectomy and corticosterone administration on mouse lung tumor susceptibility and histogenesis.

The effects of adrenalectomy (Ax) on urethan-induced lung tumors were determined in strains of mice that vary in their respective tumor susceptibilities: A/J (sensitive), BALB/cByJ (intermediate), and C57BL/6J (B6, resistant). Ax increased tumor number in both A/J (by 25%) and B6 mice (by 400%), but not in BALB/cByJ mice. The relative proportions of adenomas exhibiting the alveolar or papillary histological growth patterns were unchanged. Implantation of corticosterone-containing pellets into adrenalectomized B6 mice restored tumor multiplicity to that of sham-operated mice and into adrenalectomized A/J mice reduced multiplicity below that of sham-operated mice. Corticosterone, therefore, regulates neoplastic development of mouse lung epithelial cells.