Reproduction of the tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus) with dietary phytosterol supplement

Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Jun;42(6):945-51. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2004.02.006.

Abstract

Phytosterols (PS) are plant-derived compounds with estrogenic activity in vitro and beneficial effects on the serum lipid profile in vivo. In nature, PS exposure can derive from pulp mill effluents. The effects of a pulp-mill derived PS mixture on the reproduction, endocrine variables and enzyme activities of the tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus) were investigated in a two-generation study. The cumulative food intake of PS-treated females was higher than in the control group supporting previous results on the effects of PS on food consumption in rodents. 85% of the PS treated pairs reproduced, but the figure was only 60% for the control pairs. The plasma and testicular testosterone concentrations were lower in the adult PS males, but the PS-treated male offspring had higher testicular testosterone concentrations than their controls. In the female offspring, the liver lipase activity was higher in the PS-treated group, which could be a result of decreased cholesterol absorption in the gut. Chronic PS treatment increased the reproduction probability of the species and had a potential effect on the sex steroid hormones of maturing offspring, which could have applications in environmental monitoring.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Arvicolinae / physiology*
  • Cholesterol / metabolism
  • Female
  • Industrial Waste
  • Lipase / pharmacology
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Male
  • Phytosterols / pharmacology*
  • Reproduction / drug effects*
  • Testosterone / analysis*

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Phytosterols
  • Testosterone
  • Cholesterol
  • Lipase