Hormonal steroids in the tissue of induced rat mammary tumours.

The possible presence of steroids in the tissue of induced hormone-dependent rat mammary tumours was investigated. The method used involves a preliminary extraction of tumours followed by chemical separation and thin-layer chromatography. The identified compounds were cholesterol, androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, 5beta-androst-1-ene-3,17-dione, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione and oestrone. This is the first report of the presence of these steroids in the tissue of an experimental tumour of a non-endocrine organ. In particular 5beta-androst-1-ene-3,17-dione has not previously been identified from natural sources.