Perturbation of male sexual behavior in mice (Mus musculus) within a discrete range of perinatal bisphenol-A doses in the context of a high- or low-phytoestrogen diet

Differentiation of masculine and feminine behavior in mammals depends on perinatal sex steroids. As bisphenol-A (BPA) can be estrogenic and anti-androgenic, we examined impacts of perinatal exposure upon adult sexual behavior and morphology of male mice. In Experiment 1, dams were fed either a high- or low-phytoestrogen diet and received daily oral doses of 0, 0.175, 1.75, or 17.5 μg BPA from gestation day 10 through post-partum day 9. Male offspring from the high-phytoestrogen plus 17.5 μg BPA condition showed reduced mass of vesicular-coagulating but not other male glands, and showed increased latency to insemination when paired with females. In Experiment 2, these procedures were replicated but with all animals fed the high-phytoestrogen diet and perinatal BPA doses of 0, 17.5, 175, or 1750 μg/day. Adult masses of testes and male-accessory glands and levels of urinary steroids were not significantly affected. When males each encountered a sexually receptive female, there were fewer intromissions among those given 17.5 or 175 μg and fewer ejaculations among those given 17.5 μg, but the 1750 μg dose had no effect. Perinatal BPA dosages thus influenced male sexual behavior non-monotonically, with impairment evident in a discrete dose range among males on a high-phytoestrogen diet.

► We examined influences of perinatal BPA on reproductive morphology and behavior. ► Impacts of BPA were increased when males were raised on a high phytoestrogen diet. ► There were few significant effects of perinatal BPA on reproductive morphology. ► Males given moderate doses showed fewer intromissions and ejaculations. ► Dose-response was non-monotonic; neither higher nor lower doses had effects.