PROGESTERONE-LIKE ACTIVITY OF SOME STEROID COMPOUNDS AND OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL IN STIMULATING MAMMARY LOBULE-ALVEOLAR GROWTH1,2

Abstract
Desoxycorticosterone acetate, dehydroandrosterone, diethylstilbestrol, acetoxypregneninolone, methyl testosterone, testosterone and testosterone propionate were assayed and compared with progesterone for their ability to stimulate mammary lobule-alveolar growth in the ovariec-tomized [female] mouse. Using progesterone as a standard, pregneninolone had an activity of approx. 1/2, desoxycorticosterone acetate and dehydroandrosterone of 1/3, diethylstilbestrol of 1/4, acetoxy-pregneninolone of 1/16, and methyl testosterone of 1/25, that of progesterone. Testosterone and testosterone propionate in doses up to 10 mg. failed to stimulate lobule-alveolar growth.