Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen that predisposes to prostate disease. Indole-3-carbinol (I 3 C), found in vegetables, has chemo-protective properties in hormone dependent cells. This work investigates the harmful effect of prenatal exposure to BPA on rat prostate and the protective effect of I3C.
Material& methods: 30 pregnant albino rats were divided equally into 3 groups: 1- Control group: received no medication. 2- Bisphenol group: received 25 μg BPA / kg body weight (bw), orally by gavage once daily from 8th day of pregnancy to day 21. 3- Bisphenol and indole group: received 25 μg BPA / kg bw, orally by gavage once daily plus 2 g I 3 C/kg chow, from 8th day of pregnancy to day 21. The prostates were collected from male offspring at 1 and 3 months after birth and were examined by light and electron microscopes.
Results: The prostates from bisphenol group showed epithelial hyperplasia, increased intraluminal papillary projections and inflammatory cells in the interstitial space. The acinar cells presented heterochromatic irregular nuclei, vacuolated mitochondria and degenerated microvilli. Multiple layers of fibroblasts accumulate outside the basement membrane. The prostates from bisphenol and indole group showed a nearly intact simple columnar epithelial lining of the acini with basal rounded nuclei, normal mitochondria and intact apical microvilli.
Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to BPA has a harmful effect on prostate. Maternal I3C feeding during pregnancy has a protective effect against the gestational BPA harmful imprinting on the prostate.