The effects of tamoxif en on rat skin

Background: Tamoxifen (Tx) is used mostly in the treatment of breast and gynecological cancers. It is also widely used in the treatment of different dermatological disorders. However, its effects on skin have not been investigated previously.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Tx administration on rat skin.

Methods: Forty Spraque-Dawley female newborn rats were separated into two control groups and two experimental groups (n 10). One day after birth, the control groups of newborn rats were given 0.02 ml saline subcutaneously (s.c.) daily whereas experimental litters were treated with 100 microg Tx citrate in 0.02 ml saline s.c. daily for five days. The first control group and experimental group of rats were anesthetized at 21 days whereas the second control group and experimental group of rats were anesthetized on the 28th day. Histopathological assessments were made and compared with the control groups.

Results: Abnormal hair follicles were observed in both experimental groups of rats. Epidermal atrophy together with increased dermal fibrosis was more prominent in the first experimental group. Dermal fibrosis and lymphohistiocytic inflammatory cell infiltration were found to be prominent around the hair follicles in the second experimental group.

Conclusion: Considerable harmful effects of Tx administration were observed on rat skin.

Tamoxifen; Rat; Skin

[1] Dewhurst L. O., Gee J. W., Rennie I. G., MacNeil S.: "Tamoxifen, 17 beta-oestradiol and the calmodulin antagonist J8 inhibit human melanoma cell invasion through fibronectin". Br. J. Cancer, 1997, 75, 860.

[2] Bezwoda W. R.: "The treatment of disseminated malignant melanoma with special reference to the role of interferons, vinca alkaloids and tamoxifen". Cancer Treat. Rev., 1997, 23, 17.

[3] Moghadam B. K., Hcrsini S., Barker B. F.: "Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis and stomatitis". Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. Oral Radial. Endod., 1998, 85, 537.

[4] Tonelli F., Valanzano R., Brandi M. L.: "Pharmacologic treatment of desmoid tumors in familial adenomatous polyposis: results of an in vitro study". Surgery, 1994, 115, 473.

[5] Deveci E., Onen A., Tacar 0., Yildirim A.: "The effect of tamoxi-fen on the neonatal development of rat glans penis". Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol., 1997, 24, 237.

[6] Gustafsson J. A.: "Therapeutic potential of selective estrogen receptor modulators". Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 1998, 2, 508.

[7] Kumar A., Georgouras K. E.: "Oestrogen dermatitis". Austral. J Dermatol., 1999, 40, 96.

[8] Dipaola R. S., Goodin S., Ratzell M., F lorczyk M., Karp G., Ravikumar T. S.: "Chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma during pregnancy". Gynecol. Oneal., 1997, 66, 526.

[9] Wei H., Cai Q., Tian L., Lebwohl M.: "Tamoxifcn reduces endogenous and UV light-induced oxidative damage to DNA, lipid and protein in vitro and in vivo". Carcinogenesis, 1998, 19, 1013.

[10] Chao A. S., Lai C. H., Hsueh S., Chen C. S., Yang Y. C., Soong Y K.: "Successful treatment of recurrent pelvic desmoid tumour with tamoxifen: case report". Hum. Reprod., 2000, 15,311.

[11] Hu D., Hughes M. A., Cherry G. W.:'Top儿al tamoxifcn-a potential therapeutic regime in treating excessive dermal scarring?". Br. J. Plast. Surg., 1998, 51, 462.

[12] Descamps V., Bouscarat F., Boui M., Marek Y., Lebrun-Vignes B., Crickx B., Belaich S.: "Delayed appearance of maculopapular eruptions induced by tamoxifen". Ann. Dermatol. Venereal., 1999, 126, 716.

[13] La Vecchia C., Tavani A., Garattini S.:"Advcrse effects of preventive therapy in humans". IARC Sci. Publ., 1996, 139, 135.

[14] Weitz I. C., Israel V. K., Liebman H. A.: "Tamoxifen-associated venous thrombosis and activated protein C resistance due to factor V Leiden". Cancer, 1997, 79, 2024.

[15] Cai Q.,Wei H.: "In vivo formation of DNA-adducts in mouse skin DNA by tamoxifen". Cancer Lett., 1995, 92, 187.

[16] Iguchi T., Irisawa S., Uchima F. D. A., Takasugi N.: "Permanent chondrification in the pelvis and occurence of hernias in mice treated neonatally with tamoxifen". Reprod. Toxicol ., 1988, 2, 127.

[17] Xiao X., Hong L., Sheng M.: "Promoting effect of estrogen on the proliferation of hemangioma vascular endothelial cells in vitro". J Pediatr. Surg., 1999, 34, 1603.

[18] Gagliardi A. R, Hennig B., Collins D. C.: "Antie、trogens inhibit endothelial cell growth stimulated by angiogenic growth factors" Anticancer Res., 1996, 16(3A), 1101.