Body and organ weight, sperm acrosomal status and reproduction after genistein and diethylstilbestrol treatment of CD1 mice in a multigenerational study

The effect of genistein (GEN) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) on body weight, weight of different organs, sperm acrosomal status and in vivo fertility of CD1 mice was tested in a multigenerational study. The adult parental generation of mice and F1 and F2 generations were exposed to selected drugs for all their life. GEN had effect on different body parameters of 30-day-old mice, but not of adult mice in the first generation. Contrary to that, treatment by DES had a strong effect on body weight, other body parameters and on the levels of serum hormones. In the first generation only sterile pairs of mice were observed. Monoclonal antibody against mouse intra-acrosomal sperm protein was used for analysis of the acrosome state and as biomarkers of sperm damage. In the control groups, about 93% of acrosome-reacted sperm was found, acrosome staining decreased to 78-84% (P<0.01). However, the GEN had no effect on fertility of CD1 mice. On the other hand, the fertility of mice exposed to DES was disrupted, especially in the first generation.