title: Adult-only exposure of male rats to a diet of high phytoestrogen content increases apoptosis of meiotic and post-meiotic germ cells.
abstract: Apoptosis plays a critical role in regulating sperm production. Removal of androgens and gonadotropins, or estrogen administration induces germ cell apoptosis. It is hypothesized that dietary phytoestrogens increase apoptosis of developing germ cells, decreasing sperm production. This study aimed to test this in rats fed a high phytoestrogen diet only during adulthood. Male Wistar rats used in this study were offspring of females maintained on a low phytoestrogen diet prior to conception through to weaning. After weaning, juveniles were fed the same low phytoestrogen diet into adulthood. A cohort of males were transferred to a high phytoestrogen diet for 24 days and subsequently testes were collected from all animals. In the high phytoestrogen fed group, homogenization-resistant sperm counts were significantly decreased, as were epididymal sperm counts. Morphometric analysis determined round and elongated spermatid volumes to be significantly decreased, but seminiferous tubule lumen diameters to be significantly increased. TUNEL analysis determined that apoptosis of spermatocytes and round spermatids was significantly greater in the high phytoestrogen fed rats. Neither plasma gonadotropin concentrations nor testicular testosterone were altered. In conclusion, exposure of the adult male rat to a high phytoestrogen diet disrupts spermatogenesis, increasing germ cell apoptosis. This effect is independent of the hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis and is likely due to disruption of estrogen's actions in the testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand. stephena@physiol.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assinder
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glover
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D013739:Testosterone