Effect of early administration of dietary genistein on reproductive development in two generational rats.

Objective To investigate the effects of early administration of dietary genistein(Gen) on the reproductive development of two generational rats. Method Rats were divided into 3 groups randomly on their pregnant day 10. They were fed with basic diet containing different dose of Gen (control:0 mg/kg·d,middle Gen:20mg/kg·d,high Gen:100 mg/kg·d). Growth indices were detected every week,At age of 21 d,all mother rats and 8 female pups were killed and their blood,uterus and ovaries were taken for estradiol determination and pathological examination. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of estradiol receptor (ER) in uterus and ovary. After that,8 female pups of similar body weights from every group were killed at age of 13w and treated similarly. Results Compared with control group,pup mortality at 21d old was increased in high Gen group,and uterus and ovary weight in female rats were deceased. Histopathology showed that more vesicula graafianae appeared in ovary of 3w old female pups in high Gen group. At 9w old,the body weight of female rats decreased,and the vaginal open time was earlier than control group. At age of 13w,the plasma estradiol level decreased. The cavity of uterus was larger than control group. Treatment with genistein augmented the expression of ER in uterus and ovary. Conclusion Genistein at early life period can influence the reproductive development of female rats. The effect on rats,body weight was mainly after growing up. It seems that the change of hormone level and expression of ER is related with these effects.