Mitotane (MTT) is an adrenolytic drug used in advanced and adjuvant treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma, in Cushing’s disease and in ectopic syndrome. However, knowledge about its effects on the ovary is still scarce. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of MTT on the ovary using in vivo and in vitro models. The study was performed in CD1 mice and in the COV-434 human ovarian granulosa cell line. We examined ovarian morphology, follicle development, steroidogenesis and procreative function in mice and the effect of MTT on cell growth in vitro. Our results revealed that treatment of CD1 mice with MTT induces a decrease in early antral follicles with a subsequent increase in the secondary follicles, measured by the increased levels of anti-Mullerian Hormone (P < 0.05) and decreased levels of FSH receptor (P < 0.05). Moreover, we observed a significant decrease in Cyp11a1 (P < 0.01) and Cyp17a1 (P < 0.001) mRNA level in MTT-treated animals. Ovulation, induced by PMSG/hCG stimulation, was also significantly impaired, with a reduction in the number of ovulated oocytes (P < 0.01) and fewer corpora lutea in treated animals. Likewise, the mating experiment demonstrated a delay in the time of conception as well as fewer pups per litter in MTT-treated mice (P < 0.05). Experiments performed on the COV-434 cell line showed a significant inhibition of growth followed by apoptosis (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our study highlights the key points of ovarian folliculogenesis affected by MTT and demonstrates impairment of the ovulation process with a negative impact on conception, which is nevertheless preserved.

The possibility that hirsutism is an evolving syndrome rather than a static condition involving only one gland has been considered. To assess this proposal 60 untreated hirsute patients aged 12–32 years were divided into five groups according to the duration of the hirsutism (< 1, 1–2, 2–3, 3–5 and > 5 years).

Peripheral plasma concentrations of LH and FSH, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, testosterone, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol, 5α-androstane-3β, 17β-diol, cortisol, oestradiol-17β and oestrone were determined by radioimmunoassay. When the values obtained were compared with those from normal menstruating women, the results showed that in group I there was a significant increase only in the mean plasma 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol concentration. The mean concentration of this steroid was also raised in all other groups. In groups II and III mean basal levels of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate were also significantly increased and showed a marked increase after ACTH stimulation (1 mg tetracosactide acetate, i.m.) as did the concentrations of androstenedione and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Finally, in groups IV and V, a significant increase in mean plasma concentrations of LH, androstenedione, oestrone and testosterone was found in the basal condition. The clinical picture also became gradually more severe from group I to group V.

These data suggest that hirsutism could be an evolving syndrome progressively involving peripheral androgen metabolism, the adrenal gland and finally the ovary possibly through alterations of hypothalamic-pituitary function.

The pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive and devastating disease, which is characterized by invasiveness, rapid progression, and profound resistance to actual treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy. At the moment, surgical resection provides the best possibility for long-term survival, but is feasible only in the minority of patients, when advanced disease chemotherapy is considered, although the effects are modest. Several studies have shown that thyroid hormone, 3,3′,5-triiodo-l-thyronine (T₃) is able to promote or inhibit cell proliferation in a cell type-dependent manner. The aim of the present study is to investigate the ability of T₃ to reduce the cell growth of the human pancreatic duct cell lines chosen, and to increase the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs at conventional concentrations. Three human cell lines hPANC-1, Capan1, and HPAC have been used as experimental models to investigate the T₃ effects on pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell proliferation. The hPANC-1 and Capan1 cell proliferation was significantly reduced, while the hormone treatment was ineffective for HPAC cells. The T₃-dependent cell growth inhibition was also confirmed by fluorescent activated cell sorting analysis and by cell cycle-related molecule analysis. A synergic effect of T₃ and chemotherapy was demonstrated by cell kinetic experiments performed at different times and by the traditional isobologram method. We have showed that thyroid hormone T₃ and its combination with low doses of gemcitabine (dFdCyd) and cisplatin (DDP) is able to potentiate the cytotoxic action of these chemotherapic drugs. Treatment with 5-fluorouracil was, instead, largely ineffective. In conclusion, our data support the hypothesis that T₃ and its combination with dFdCyd and DDP may act in a synergic way on adenopancreatic ductal cells.