title: Genistein stimulates the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in adult rats: morphological and hormonal study.
abstract: Genistein, the soy isoflavone structurally similar to estradiol, is widely consumed for putative beneficial health effects. However, there is a lack of data about the genisteins' effects in adult males, especially its effects on the hipothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effects of genistein on the HPA axis in orchidectomized adult rats, and to create a parallel with those of estradiol. Changes in the hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons and pituitary corticotrophs (ACTH cells) were evaluated stereologically, while corticosterone and ACTH levels were determined biochemically. Orchidectomy (Orx) provoked the enlargement (p<0.05) of: hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus volume (60%), percentage of CRH neurons (23%), percentage of activated CRH neurons (45%); pituitary weight (15%) and ACTH level (57%). In comparison with Orx, estradiol treatment provoked the enlargement (p<0.05) of: percentage of CRH neurons (28%), percentage of activated CRH neurons (2.7-fold), pituitary weight (131%) and volume (82%), ACTH level (69%), the serum (103%) and adrenal tissue (4.8 fold) level of corticosterone. Clearly, Orx has induced the increase in HPA axis activity, which even augments after estradiol treatment. Also, compared to Orx, genistein treatment provoked the enhancement (p<0.05) of: percentage of activated CRH neurons (2.3-fold), pituitary weight (28%) and volume (21%), total number of ACTH cells (22%) ACTH level (45%), the serum (2.6-fold) and adrenal tissue (2.8 fold) level of corticosterone. It can be concluded that an identical tendency, concerning the HPA axis parameters, follows estradiol and genistein administration to the orchidectomized adult rats.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research Siniša Stanković, Department of Cytology, Serbia. lanat@ibiss.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trifunović
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manojlović-Stojanoski
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ajdzanović
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nestorović
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ristić
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Medigović
authors.forename: Verica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Milošević
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009919:Orchiectomy; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D019833:Genistein; D003345:Corticosterone