Ki-67 antigen expression in the mammary epithelium of female rats in persistent estrus treated with anastrozole.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate Ki-67 antigen expression in mammary epithelium of female rats in persistent estrus treated with anastrozole.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight Wistar-Hanover female rats in persistent estrus induced by subcutaneous injection of 1.25 mg of testosterone propionate in the second day of life were randomly divided into two groups, control and experimental, with 14 animals each. The animals of control group received only the vehicle (propyleneglycol) and the animals of group experimental received 0.125 mg daily of anastrozole by gavage during 28 days. After 28 days of treatment, all animals were sacrificed and the first pair of abdominal-inguinal mammary glands was removed and fixed in 10% buffered formalin to investigate Ki-67 antigen expression by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: The mean percentage of Ki-67-stained nuclei per 500 cells in the mammary epithelium was 76.97 ± 0.76 and 14.44 ± 2.02 [mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM)] in the control and experimental groups, respectively (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Anastrozole treatment significantly reduced Ki-67 expression in the mammary epithelium of rats in persistent estrus.