Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Biologia Futura https://doi.org/10.1007/s42977-020-00017-5 ORIGINAL PAPER Modulatory role of genistein on placenta and maternal bone minerals composition: further insight into its inﬂuence on pregnancy and foetal development Titilola Aderonke Samuel 2 · Funmileyi Olubajo Awobajo 1 · Taiwo Hafsah Akinsanya 2 · Habeeb Shemilore Oyediran 1 · Ikechukwu Eric Egege 2 · Chiamaka Blessing Egede 1 · Bukola Oluwasegun Timothy 1 Received: 19 February 2020 / Accepted: 24 May 2020 © Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt. 2020 Abstracts Pregnancy is a crucial period with an increased need to supply necessary minerals for both the mother and the developing foetus and with a tendency of altering the maternal bone mineral density when there is no balance between demand and supply of these minerals. This study evaluated the inﬂuence of genistein on the maternal bone and placenta mineral composition. Pregnant rats were grouped into control, 2 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg genistein groups, dosed accordingly till sacriﬁced at diﬀerent gestation days (GD). Body and placenta weights, right femur bone and placenta mineral composition were analysed. A sig- niﬁcant decrease in body weight and percentage relative right femur bone weight at GD-20 was recorded in the 2-mg group with the reverse occurring in the 4-mg genistein group. The right femur bone Ca 2+ and Zn 2+ was reduced towards GD-20 in both 2-mg and 4-mg genistein groups. Genistein had no inﬂuence on placenta selenium and cadmium level, but signiﬁcantly decreased zinc and lead level concentration as the gestation progressed towards GD-20. Copper level was increased at GD-16 at the doses used. Genistein modulated maternal bone mineral composition and placenta capability in retaining some heavy metals at various stages of pregnancy. Keywords Bone minerals · Ca 2+ · Zn 2+ · Arsenic · Placenta · Genistein · Pregnancy · Heavy metals Introduction Bone is a living tissue making up the skeletal system of the body and containing mostly collagen ﬁbre a protein that pro- vides a soft framework and calcium deposit that adds strength and hardness to the framework (Palacios 2006). Calcium ions, vitamin-D and a few other nutrients including phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin-k, and zinc are required to form and maintain strong bones in the body (Palacios 2006). Bone metabolism in the body is subject to nutritional status, health status, hormonal inﬂuence and pregnancy (Carmona 2004). Pregnancy is an energy-demanding phase in female reproduc- tion that requires higher supply of nutrients in the form of protein, carbohydrate, lipids, vitamins and minerals (Khovid- hunkit and Epstein 1996). The foetal bones are actively growing forming the body framework and thus placed a high demand on the maternal energy demand as well as the mater- nal nutrient and mineral reserve (Khovidhunkit and Epstein 1996). Although, there are few cases of osteoporosis during pregnancy reported in literature, but the increased drainage of minerals including calcium from the mother’s bone especially at the third trimester when foetal bone experiences substantial growth and calciﬁcation will precipitate some level of dete- rioration to the maternal skeleton unless an adequate com- pensatory mechanism is put in place to strike a balance and prevent such a dangerous trend (Naylor et al. 2000; Kraemer et al. 2012; Sanz-Salvador et al. 2015). There could therefore be questions on the possible inﬂuence of the consumption of soya which has genistein; an oestrogen analogue as its major phytoestrogen on bone metabolism during pregnancy. Imbal- ance in bone metabolism may precipitate maternal bone vul- nerability that may lead to bone mineral loss, decalciﬁcation and increase bone fragility (Sandhu and Hampson 2011; Sanz- Salvador et al. 2015). * Funmileyi Olubajo Awobajo fawobajo@unilag.edu.ng 1 Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria