Prenatal and pubertal testosterone exposure imprint permanent modifications in the prostate that predispose to the development of lesions in old Mongolian gerbils.

The prostate is an accessory sex gland that develops under precise androgenic control. It is known that hormonal imbalance may disrupt its development predisposing this gland to develop diseases during aging. Although the hypothesis regarding earlier origins of prostate diseases was proposed many years ago, the mechanisms underlying this complex phenomenon are poorly understood.

Prenatal testosterone exposure as a model for the study of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the gerbil prostate.

The development of the prostate depends on a precise androgenic control, so sensible interferences may predispose this gland to develop prostatic diseases during life. These aspects are of interest and preoccupation, since human beings are exposed to a growing number of endocrine-disrupting chemicals with androgenic potential. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the prostates of adult gerbils exposed to testosterone during intrauterine life.