title: Effects of dietary soybean isoflavones (SI) on reproduction in the young breeder rooster.
abstract: Soybean isoflavones (SIs) are phytoestrogens that competitive with estrogens in body. Although SIs play an important role in reproduction, their role in testicular development in roosters is unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of SIs on testicular development and serum reproductive hormone profiles in young breeder roosters (70-133days old). Gene expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), which are related to testosterone synthesis, in rooster testis were also evaluated after treatment with different SI doses. Although SIs had no significant effect on body weight, 5mg/kg SIs significantly increased the testis index and serum levels of reproductive hormones (gonadotropin releasing hormone, follicle- stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone).To further investigate whether SIs regulate hormone synthesis via StAR, p450scc, 3β-HSD, real time-PCR was performed to measure the mRNA levels of the corresponding genes. The results showed that 5mg/kg of SIs significantly increased StAR mRNA levels. However, there were no significant effects on p450scc or 3β-HSD mRNA levels. Moreover, the spermatogonial development and the number of germ cell layers were increased by treatment with 5mg/kg of SIs. These results suggest that SIs promote testicular growth by increasing reproductive hormone secretion, which is closely related to StAR expression, to positively regulate reproduction in young roosters.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.affiliation: Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Ningxia Agricultural School, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shangyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kaili
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Baochang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics in Ningxia, Department of Histology and Embryology, Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia 750004, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: alnord820119@163.com.
authors.forename: Yanzhou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zhch8012@163.com.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; C044256:3 (or 17)-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
keywords: Reproductive hormones; SI; StAR; Young breeder roosters