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the reproductive system in male rats fed with soy during early

Posters / Reproductive T

hlorpromazine significantly attenuated motor activity and theagnitude of the startle response at all ages tested. MK-801 pro-

uced significant increases in time and errors for both strains in theearning and memory assessment. MAM had differential effects on

otor activity depending on the age tested, but the effects wereimilar for WH and SDs. However, differences between the strainsn sensitivity to MAM were also evident. MAM treatment producedlear impairments in the learning and memory test for SD rats,ut was basically ineffectual for WH rats. MAM did impact bothualitative and quantitative endpoints in the neurological exami-ation for both strains. However, SD rats were much more affectedhan WH rats in the incidence, type, and severity of the effectseen. Taken together, the present data show limited functionalifferences between SD and WH rats in most endpoints testedere, however, they do indicate there is differential sensitivity tohe developmental neurotoxicant MAM. Ultimately, this may havemplications for the preferential selection of one particular strainor standard use in these tests, and may require risk assessmentonsideration when testing agents with the potential to induceevelopmental neurotoxicity.

ttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2012.05.084

esticle ultrastructure in rats receiving soy diet during gesta-ion, lactation and early development

oannis Papaioannidis a,∗, Ioannis Kyriakidis b, Theodoraapamitsou a, Ioannis Makaronidis b, Fotios Tsanakalis b, Mariaermentzopoulou a, Paraskevi Papaioannidou b

Department of Histology and Embryology, Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle Univer-ity of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Soy and soy products are increasingly used in human dietecause of their potential protective effects in cancer and otheriseases. Despite their beneficial effects, a concern has been raisedmong scientists, due to their estrogenic effect. Phytoestrogens

ontained in soy act as weak estrogenic agonists and bind tostrogen receptors � and �, and they may disrupt the endocrineystem by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.hus, soy phytoestrogens could influence the development of the

ogy 34 (2012) 155–173 173

reproductive system during crucial stages of life like gestation, lac-tation and early development after birth. The main objective ofthis study was to test the effect of soy diet on the ultrastructureof male reproductive system in rats that received diet enrichedin soy proteins during gestation, lactation and early development.Two groups of male Wistar rats 5 weeks old were used: The par-ents of the animals comprising the study group received ad libitumfood enriched in soy protein before mating and during gestationand lactation, while the offspring went on receiving the same foodup to the age of five weeks. The control group and their parentsreceived ad libitum the standard food before and during gesta-tion, during lactation and up to the age of five weeks. Both groupswere grown under the same conditions and according to the rulesof Good Laboratory Practice. The study was approved by the localEthics Committee. Five weeks after birth, the animals were sac-rificed and specimens of the reproductive organs were preparedand stained for microscopic and electron microscopic examina-tion. The preparations were observed by two different persons,blinded to the source of the specimen. Statistical analysis was per-formed with the statistical package SPSS. No histological differencein the basic structure of the reproductive organs was observedbetween the study and the control group. The seminiferous tubules,the seminiferous epithelium and the interstitial cells of the testeshad no basic differences in both groups. Nevertheless, the num-ber of spermatocytes was lower in the seminiferous tubules of therats fed with soy during gestation, lactation and early life, com-pared to the rats fed with standard food. The ultrastructure of thespermatocytes in the rats fed with soy appeared with endocyto-plasmic and perinuclear oedema and many mitochondria in thecytoplasm. In some spermatocytes rupture of the nuclear mem-brane and signs of apoptosis were observed. In conclusion, soy dietduring gestation, lactation and early development does not haveimportant effects on the basic structure of the reproductive organsof the male rat but it influences the number and the ultrastruc-ture of spermatocytes in the seminiferous tubules of the testes.To our knowledge, this is the first study of the ultrastructure of

development.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2012.05.085