Effect of ovariectomy and sex hormones replacement on tumour marker enzymes under administration of chemical carcinogens in the rat

The effect of ovariectomy and sex hormone/s replacement in female rats was investigated by the determination of the tumour marker enzymes gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). This was compared to ovariectomized rats receiving sex hormone replacement and treated with carcinogen. Ovariectomy significantly increased the activity of plasma GGT. Plasma and microsomal ALP and microsomal GGT were unchanged. When replacements of estrogen (E), or progesterone (Prog), or combinations of both estrogen and progesterone were given to ovariectomized rats, the activity of plasma GGT was brought to the level of normal intact females. Treatment with carcinogen increased the PGGT activities in intact rats. In ovariectomized rats receiving carcinogen, the PGGT activities were significantly lower than in intact females and rats receiving both hormone replacement and carcinogen (p < 0.01). Carcinogen treatment in case of estrogen or progesterone replacement, either individually or in combination, showed GGT activities comparable to intact females receiving carcinogen. Both plasma and microsomal ALP were not affected by carcinogen administration. These results showed that ovariectomy reduced the severity of hepatocarcinogenesis while sex hormone replacement worsened the process.