Influence of Submandibular Salivary Glands on Hormone Responsiveness of Mouse Mammary Glands

Abstract
Surgical removal of the submandibular salivary glands (sialoadenectomy) of female Balb/c mice significantly (P < 0.05) reduced mammary development as judged by development scores and mammae DNA levels. Reduction in mammae development score by sialoadenectomy was observed in both mice saline injected and mice treated with estradiol and progesterone. Autografts of submandibular salivary tissue or daily administration of EGF to sialoadenectomized mice partly alleviated the atrophy of the mammary gland induced by sialoadenectomy (P < 0.05). The results of our studies are consistent with a model of mammary gland developmental regulation that includes the submandibular salivary gland as a mediator of mammogenesis via secretion of EGF.

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