Phytoestrogen-containing diets offer benefits for mouse embryology but lead to fewer offspring being produced

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Jussi Helppi - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Erstautor:in)
  • Ronald Naumann - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Autor:in)
  • Oliver Zierau - , Umweltmonitoring und Endokrinologie (FoG) (Autor:in)

Abstract

One of the most commonly used protein sources in rodent diets is soy, which is naturally rich in phytoestrogens. Although phytoestrogens have shown potential health benefits in humans, they may also have the ability to disrupt reproduction. Consequently, there has been a tendency to try to exclude them from rodent diets. In the current study, we investigated whether phytoestrogen content in the mouse diet could affect reproduction in mice used as embryo donors. Donor mice (C57BL/6JOlaHsd) were maintained with three different diets: high phytoestrogen (ca. 400 mg/kg genistein), low phytoestrogen (ca. 10 mg/kg genistein) and standard breeding diet (ca. 120 mg/kg genistein). Mice fed a high phytoestrogen diet had a high yield of plugs, embryos, and injectable embryos, as well as producing good quality embryos. Results from donor mice fed a low phytoestrogen diet were consistently but only slightly inferior, whereas mice fed a standard diet performed the poorest. Interestingly, the largest number of born and weaned offspring were observed when recipient females received embryos from the standard diet group. Sperm yield and quality of stud males did not differ between the groups. We surmize that for experimental endpoints requiring fertilized embryos it may be more beneficial to feed mice a diet containing phytoestrogen, but if the goal is to produce transgenic mice, a diet high in phytoestrogen may be inadvisable. In conclusion, care should be taken when selecting a diet for experimental mouse colonies as phytoestrogen could influence the study outcome.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)536-545
Seitenumfang10
FachzeitschriftLaboratory animals
Jahrgang54
Ausgabenummer6
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Dez. 2020
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

Scopus 85079727914

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • Animal Feed/analysis, Animals, DNA/administration & dosage, Diet, Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects, Embryonic Development/drug effects, Female, Litter Size, Male, Mice/embryology, Mice, Transgenic/embryology, Microinjections, Phytoestrogens/administration & dosage, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Rate, Reproduction/drug effects

Bibliotheksschlagworte