Beer consumption negatively regulates hormonal reproductive status and reduces apoptosis in Leydig cells in peripubertal rats

Abstract Beer is one of the most popular type of alcoholic beverage consumed by young people, that is associated with ethanol intake resulted in harmful effects also within the reproductive system. Bioactive compounds occurring in beer may diminish the toxic effect of ethanol. However, there is still too little of knowledge about the effect of beer consumption on hormonal regulation of male reproduction in organisms exposed to alcohol since peripubertal age. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the influence of beer intake on plasma reproductive hormones, immunolocalization of cleaved-caspase-3 (casp-3) and neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in Leydig cells (LCs) in adolescent male Wistar rats. The animals, since the age of 30 days drunk beer (10% of ethanol; B2 and B4 group), 10% ethanol solution (CE2 and CE4 group) or water (C2 and C4 group) for 2 or 4 weeks, respectively. The results demonstrated increased phenolic acids intake in rats after 4-week than 2-week exposure. Rats exposed to beer for 4 weeks were characterized by decreased plasma level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and 17β-estradiol (E2) (3.173 ng/mL and 11.49 pg/mL) compared to CE4 (5.293 ng/mL and 43.912 pg/mL) and C4 group (5.002 ng/mL and 41.121 pg mL, respectively). Expression of cleaved caspase-3 in LCs was lower in B4 groups compared to CE4 group rats (ID score: 1.676 vs . 2.190). No changes in nNOS expression were observed. Beer consumption revealed the similar negative effect on hormonal regulation of male reproductive, but lower apoptosis in LCs may be beneficial for steroidogenic activity.