Effects of biotin deficiency and excess on mice reproductive tract

Teratogenic effects have been observed in biotin deficiency as well as in supplementation of the vitamin. The effects of biotin on the reproductive tract have not been well established. We investigated the effects of diets with different biotin content on the oestrus cycle, the concentration of estradiol and progesterone in serum, as well as on uterus and ovary morphology in Balb/cAnN Hsd mice. Three weeks old female mice were fed a biotin‐deficient diet, a control diet, or a biotin supplemented‐diet (0, 16.4 or 4100 micromol biotin/kg diet, respectively) during nine weeks. Mice that received a biotin‐deficient diet arrested estrous cycle on the day of diestrus, did not present primary, antrum, Graafian follicules, and corpus luteum, decreased uterus weight and exhibited 79.5% more serum estradiol concentration than mice fed a biotin‐control diet. In the uterus, the number and size of glands decreased 55% as compared with the control diet group. No significant changes were observed on serum progesterone. The group fed a biotin‐supplemented diet significantly showed a decrease in uterus weight, exhibited 144.3% more serum estradiol concentration than control mice, and uterus presented 45% more glands than the control group. Our results indicate that either a deficiency or an excess of biotin affects mice reproductive system. Supported by DGAPA IN208605 , UNAM