Abstract

Puberty timing, critical for adulthood wellbeing, is influenced by the environment, life-style, and diets. However, differential puberty-interfering effects of soy and soy isoflavone are observed in both epidemiological and toxicological studies. Additionally, their impact on neuroendocrine function at various pre-pubertal developmental windows is unclear. This study investigates the effect of genistein, a typical soy isoflavone, at neonatal, lactational, and post-weaning stages on the time of vaginal opening and determines the levels of neuroendocrine factors in female rats using immunofluorescence, immunochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A physiologically relevant dosage (10mgkg-1 ) is used to resemble human exposure. The results show that genistein exposure at lactational stage significantly accelerates vaginal opening time, marginally increases hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, significantly enhances kisspeptin receptor expression, and markedly elevates blood levels of GnRH, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, while neonatal and post-weaning exposures do not induce significant alternations. Lactational stage may be an important window for genistein to impact reproductive development and neuroendocrine regulations.

Full Text
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