Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print August 1, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.107.003392

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Exposure of juvenile rats to phytoestrogen daidzein impairs erectile function in a dose-related manner at adulthood

Lianjun Pan , Xinyi Xia , Yao Feng , Chunxia Jiang , Yingxia Cui , and Yufeng Huang *

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pljandrol{at}163.com.

Health benefits of isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein have led to an increasing interest in consuming soybeans or soy-containing food. However, possible adverse effects of such plant estrogens on male reproductive system, particularly on penile erection, have hardly been evaluated. In previous research we observed that exposure of rats in adulthood to daidzein could attenuate apomorphine-induced erections. To identify the impacts of daidzein exposure in early life on erectile function, we evaluated erectile capacity using apomorphine-induced erectile test and by determining intracavernous pressure after exposure of juvenile rats to daidzein at a dose of 2, 20, or 100 mg/kg for 90 days. Meanwhile sexual hormones including testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone were determined. Both subtypes of estrogen receptor (estrogen receptor {alpha} and {beta}) in the corpora carvernosa were also detected immunohistochemically. When examined at adulthood, we observed that rats treated with medium (20mg/kg) and high (100mg/kg) doses of daidzein, but not with a low dose (2mg/kg), showed lower plasma testosterone levels and attenuated erectile parameters, including apomorphine-induced erections and intracavernous pressure concomitant with markedly decreased expression of estrogen receptor {beta} in the corpora carvernosa; however, the penis still grew to its normal size as controls. Thus, these results suggest that exposure of juvenile rats to daidzein in a relatively large amount could adversely affect penile erection in adulthood.


Key words: Erectile Dysfunction • Hormone • Penis • Puberty • animal model • isoflavones






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