Genistein is an abundant phytoestrogen in soybean. This study aimed to determine the effects of genistein on cholesterol distribution and metabolism in female yellow catfish. Three hundred fish (49.2 ± 1.4 g) were randomly divided into five treatments and received intraperitoneal injections as follows: (1) blank, no injection; (2) control, vehicle only; (3) E2, 17β-estradiol at 10 μg·g⁻¹ body weight; (4) low genistein doses, genistein at 10 μg·g⁻¹ body weight; (5) high genistein doses, genistein at 100 μg·g⁻¹ body weight. Both high and low genistein doses significantly reduced (p < 0.05) serum TC and LDL-C 24 h after injection. Moreover, the high genistein doses significantly reduced (p < 0.05) serum HDL-C. Both high and low doses of genistein significantly increased (p < 0.05) hepatic TC. Only high genistein doses significantly increased (p < 0.05) ovary TC. In the liver, both high and low genistein doses significantly increased (p < 0.05) protein and mRNA expression of ldlr. Meanwhile, high genistein doses significantly decreased (p < 0.05) mRNA expression of hmgcr. In ovary tissue, high genistein doses significantly decreased (p < 0.05) mRNA expression of cyp11a1. These results suggested that genistein affected the cholesterol distribution in female yellow catfish. Both high and low doses of genistein reduced cholesterol content in blood and increased its content in the liver by increasing the uptake of blood cholesterol. Meanwhile, high genistein doses may inhibit hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Additionally, high genistein doses could increase cholesterol transfer from serum into the ovary and disturb cholesterol conversion to pregnenolone.

染料木黄酮是大豆中丰富的植物雌激素。本研究旨在确定染料木黄酮对雌性黄鲶体内胆固醇分布和代谢的影响。300条鱼（49.2±1.4g）随机分为5个处理，腹腔注射如下：（1）空白，不注射；(2) 控制，仅限车辆；(3) E2, 17β-雌二醇，10 μg·g ^-1体重；(4) 低剂量的染料木黄酮，染料木黄酮为10 μg·g ^-1体重；(5) 高剂量的染料木黄酮，染料木黄酮为 100 μg·g ^-1体重。注射后 24 小时，高剂量和低剂量的染料木黄酮均显着降低（p < 0.05）血清 TC 和 LDL-C。此外，高剂量的染料木黄酮显着降低（p < 0.05）血清 HDL-C。高剂量和低剂量的染料木黄酮均显着增加（p < 0.05）肝 TC。只有高剂量的染料木黄酮显着增加 (p < 0.05) 卵巢 TC。在肝脏中，高剂量和低剂量的染料木黄酮均显着增加（p < 0.05）ldlr 的蛋白质和 mRNA 表达。同时，高剂量的染料木黄酮显着降低了 (p < 0.05) hmgcr 的mRNA 表达。在卵巢组织中，高剂量的染料木黄酮显着降低（p < 0.05）cyp11a1 的mRNA 表达. 这些结果表明染料木黄酮影响了雌性黄鲶的胆固醇分布。高剂量和低剂量的染料木黄酮都降低了血液中的胆固醇含量，并通过增加血液中胆固醇的摄取来增加其在肝脏中的含量。同时，高剂量的染料木黄酮可能会抑制肝脏胆固醇的合成。此外，高剂量的染料木黄酮会增加胆固醇从血清转移到卵巢并干扰胆固醇向孕烯醇酮的转化。