title: Effects of genistein in the maternal diet on reproductive development and spatial learning in male rats.
abstract: Endocrine disruptors, chemicals that disturb the actions of endogenous hormones, have been implicated in birth defects associated with hormone-dependent development. Phytoestrogens are a class of endocrine disruptors found in plants. In the current study we examined the effects of exposure at various perinatal time periods to genistein, a soy phytoestrogen, on reproductive development and learning in male rats. Dams were fed genistein-containing (5 mg/kg feed) food during both gestation and lactation, during gestation only, during lactation only, or during neither period. Measures of reproductive development and body mass were taken in the male offspring during postnatal development, and learning and memory performance was assessed in adulthood. Genistein exposure via the maternal diet decreased body mass in the male offspring of dams fed genistein during both gestation and lactation, during lactation only, but not during gestation only. Genistein decreased anogenital distance when exposure was during both gestation and lactation, but there was no effect when exposure was limited to one of these time periods. Similarly, spatial learning in the Morris water maze was impaired in male rats exposed to genistein during both gestation and lactation, but not in rats exposed during only one of these time periods. There was no effect of genistein on cued or contextual fear conditioning. In summary, the data indicate that exposure to genistein through the maternal diet significantly impacts growth in male offspring if exposure is during lactation. The effects of genistein on reproductive development and spatial learning required exposure throughout the pre- and postnatal periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA.
authors.forename: Evan R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Mary Kay
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Caniglia
authors.forename: Jenna L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.forename: Karla A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Overton
authors.forename: Marra J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Burr
authors.forename: Brady D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Amy B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.forename: Craige C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wrenn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D003463:Cues; D004032:Diet; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D007774:Lactation; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D019833:Genistein