Abstract
Simple SummarySpermatogenesis and hormones secretions are important life-threating and complicated process, which can be affected by environmental estrogens. Genistein, a type of isoflavones, widely exists in the soybean products diet, which exerts a controversial role in reproductive regulation for its special structures or functions. The results of the study revealed that low-dose genistein treatment increased the level of testosterone in the mice serum, and positively regulated expression of spermatogenesis-related genes, which enhanced spermatogenesis and testicular development. However, High-dose genistein treatment induced apoptosis of germ cells and inhibited proliferation of germ cells during spermatogenesis. Reproductive alterations in the structures and functions of testis were dose-dependent in different genistein treatments. Sexual hormones are essential for the process of spermatogenesis in the testis. However, the effect of maternal genistein (GEN) on the pups’ testicular development remain-unclear. Our present study evaluated the effects of supplementing GEN for parental and offspring mice on the reproductive function and growth performance of the male pups. Mothers during gestation and lactation period were assigned to a control diet (CON group), low dose GEN (LGE group) diet (control diet +40 mg/kg GEN), and high dose of GEN (HGE group) diet (control diet +800 mg/kg GEN). Their male offspring underwent the same treatment of GEN after weaning. LGE treatment (40 mg/kg GEN) significantly increased body weights (p < 0.001), testes weights (p < 0.05), diameters of seminiferous tubule (p < 0.001) and heights of seminiferous epithelium (p < 0.05) of offspring mice. LGE treatment also increased serum testosterone (T) levels and spermatogenesis scoring (p < 0.05). However, HGE treatment (800mg/kg GEN) significantly decreased body weights (p < 0.001), testes weights (p < 0.05) and testis sizes (p < 0.001). Furthermore, mRNA expressions of ESR2 (p < 0.05), CYP19A1 (p < 0.001), SOX9 (p < 0.001) and BRD7 (p < 0.001) in testis of mice were increased in the LGE group. Similarly, HGE treatment increased mRNA expressions of ESR2 (p < 0.05) and CYP19A1 (p < 0.001). However, mRNA expressions of SOX9 and BRD7 were decreased significantly in the HGE group (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, higher ratio apoptotic germ cells and abnormal sperms were detected in the HGE group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, exposure to a low dose of GEN during fetal and neonatal life could improve testicular development of offspring mice, whereas, unfavorable adverse effects were induced by a high dose of GEN.
Highlights
Environmental estrogen, as a type of endocrine disruptors, is currently receiving extensive attention [1,2]
Of body weight in the high dose of GEN (HGE) group (23.05%) was statistically significant compared with the CON group on the fifth week (Table 2), suggesting that dietary GEN might enhance the growth of mice in the LGE
BRD7 expression will be the result of testicular development inhibition in continuous exposure mice to GEN supplementations from the fetal period. This experimental model of mice exposed to GEN during the fetal and neonatal period brings to light the controversial effects on the testicular development of male offspring
Summary
Environmental estrogen, as a type of endocrine disruptors, is currently receiving extensive attention [1,2]. The major class of soy phytoestrogens exert a controversial role in reproductive regulation for its special structures or functions [3,4,5]. Testes (GEN), a type of isoflavones, widely exists in the soybean products diet, which exerts a controversial role in reproductive regulation for its special structures or functions [6]. Mice in fetal and neonatal periods could expose to the exogenous estrogen when the mother was fed GEN. Human offspring habitually exposed to their family diet. This is worthy of attention, that approximately 20% of U.S
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