The Postnatal Offspring of Finasteride-Treated Male Rats Show Altered ERα and PCNA Expression in the Liver
July 2025
in “
Reproductive Biology
”
TLDR Finasteride use in male rats may harm their male offspring's liver function.
The study investigates the intergenerational effects of finasteride, a drug used by male rats, on the liver function of their male offspring. It was found that finasteride treatment in the paternal generation led to altered expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the liver of the offspring. The research involved analyzing liver samples from immature and mature Wistar male rats, revealing significant differences in ERα and PCNA expression between the offspring of finasteride-treated and untreated males. These findings suggest that finasteride use by males of reproductive age may have detrimental effects on the liver function of their male progeny, highlighting potential implications for hormone-dependent diseases.