Effects of Exposure to Genistein during Pubertal Development on the Reproductive System of Male Mice

Beom-Jun LEE; Eun-Yong JUNG; Young-Won YUN; Jong-Koo KANG; In-Jeoung BAEK; Jung-Min YON; Yoon-Bok LEE; Heon-Soo SOHN; Jae-Yong LEE; Kang-Sung KIM; Sang-Yoon NAM

doi:10.1262/jrd.50.399

Original Article

Effects of Exposure to Genistein during Pubertal Development on the Reproductive System of Male Mice

Beom-Jun LEE, Eun-Yong JUNG, Young-Won YUN, Jong-Koo KANG, In-Jeoung BAEK, Jung-Min YON, Yoon-Bok LEE, Heon-Soo SOHN, Jae-Yong LEE, Kang-Sung KIM, Sang-Yoon NAM

Author information

Beom-Jun LEE
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Eun-Yong JUNG
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Young-Won YUN
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Jong-Koo KANG
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
In-Jeoung BAEK
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Jung-Min YON
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Yoon-Bok LEE
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University
Heon-Soo SOHN
Central Research Institute, Dr. Chung’s Food Co., Ltd.
Jae-Yong LEE
Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Hallym University
Kang-Sung KIM
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Yong-In University
Sang-Yoon NAM
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University

Keywords: Estradiol, Genistein, Phospholipid hydroxide glutathione peroxidase, Reproductive toxicity, Sperm

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2004 Volume 50 Issue 4 Pages 399-409

DOI https://doi.org/10.1262/jrd.50.399

Details

Abstract

Genistein, a soybean-originated isoflavone, is widely consumed by humans for putative beneficial health effects but its estrogenic activity may affect adversely the development of the male reproductive system. Twenty-one days old ICR mice weaned from dams fed with a casein-based AIN-76A diet during gestation and lactation were exposed to genistein (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 5 weeks. 17β-Estradiol (7.5 μg/kg/day) and corn oil were used for the positive and negative vehicle controls, respectively. The animals were fed the casein-based AIN-76A diet throughout the experiment. There were no significant differences in body weights of mice between the genistein groups and the negative control group. No significant differences in relative reproductive organ weights were found among all experimental groups. Sperm counts in epididymis and testes were slightly decreased in the genistein-exposed groups compared with control group. Sperm motile characteristics in genistein-exposed groups were slightly higher than those of the control group. Levels of phospholipid hydroxide glutathione peroxidase mRNA in the testis, epididymis, and prostate of mice exposed to genistein or estradiol were significantly higher than those of the controls (P<0.05). Exposure to genistein caused hyperplasia of Leydig cells in the testis and a slight increase of interstitial fibroblasts in the epididymis, while estradiol treatment caused severe damage to the testis and epididymis. These results suggest that dietary uptake of genistein during the juvenile period may affect male reproductive development, resulting in a slight decrease in sperm count, but with an increase in sperm motion quality.

Corresponding author

Register with J-STAGE for free!