title: Peri-pubertal high caffeine exposure increases ovarian estradiol production in immature rats.
abstract: Chronic caffeine consumption exerts a negligible effect on the reproductive organs of normal adult females, but it is not known whether this is also true for children and adolescents. Here, we investigated the effects of high caffeine exposure on sexual maturation and ovarian estradiol production in immature female rats. Immature female SD rats were divided into controls and caffeine groups fed 120 and 180mg/kg/day for 4 or 8 weeks. There was a significant delay in vaginal opening in the caffeine-fed groups. In addition, serum estradiol levels were elevated in the caffeine-fed animals after 2 and 4 weeks of exposure. Estradiol secretion as well as aromatase expression also increased significantly in the ovarian cells in response to caffeine. These results demonstrate that peripubertal exposure to high caffeine increases estradiol production in the ovary; this may disturb the coordinated regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis, thereby interfering with sexual maturation.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoojin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeonhae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jaeman
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea. Electronic address: rohjaesook@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jaesook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roh
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D004958:Estradiol; D001141:Aromatase
keywords: Aromatase; Caffeine; Estrogen; Estrogen receptor; Ovary; Puberty; Rat; Uterus