title: Lactational coumestrol exposure increases ovarian apoptosis in adult rats.
abstract: This study is the first to examine the increased apoptosis in the adult rat ovary after lactational exposure to coumestrol (COU), a potent phytoestrogen. Lactating dams were gavaged at doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg COU during the lactation period and the reproductive effects of female pups were investigated in young adults. Rats were sacrificed at postnatal days (PND) 81-84. Ovarian weights were reduced significantly at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg COU. The reduction in the ovarian weight occurred in parallel with an increase in the apoptosis at PND 135-140. A marked dose-dependent increase in the expressions of active caspase-3 and -7 was observed in ovarian granulosa cells. Immunostaining for active caspase-3 and the TUNEL staining of apoptotic cells were also increased in ovaries exposed to COU in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest new sights into the effect of lactational exposure to COU on the female reproductive health.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Division, National Institute of Toxicological Research, Korea Food and Drug Administration, 194 Tongil-ro, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-704, South Korea. mhj1612@kfda.go.kr
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seok
authors.forename: Soon Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyu Seek
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Rhee Da
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Soo Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Seung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo Youn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003375:Coumestrol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D003375:Coumestrol