Biological analysis of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in animal meats from the Pearl River Delta, China

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) consist of a diverse group of industrial chemicals and pharmacological agents. The use of instrumental analyses as the first screening tool might not be cost-effective to identify the existence of enormous numbers of chemical contaminants in environments. Also, knowledge of the concentration of individual residues is difficult to use to evaluate biological impacts of contaminants to wildlife and humans. The primary objective of the present study was to develop and to test the feasibility of using a battery of exposure biomarkers for the rapid-screening of various endocrine disrupting activities present in food. The measurement of the EDC-elicited activities involved various (i) receptor-mediated responses, including androgenic, estrogenic, dioxin-like, glucocorticoid-like, progesterone-like, peroxisome proliferator-like and retinoid-like as well as (ii) the non-receptor mediated responses through modulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ATP content. Samples of both local and imported pork, beef and chicken as well as freshwater and seawater fishes were collected. Extracts of different foods exhibited various dioxin-like and ''hormonal'' activities. Fish and chicken skin were found to be the major source of exogenous ''hormonal'' and dioxin-like substances in diets. Extracts of beef and pork contained lesser potencies of hormonally-active agents. Our data suggest that the proposed EDC-screening platform may be useful in a risk assessment for the routine monitoring of EDCs in foods. Continuous monitoring and research is warranted to assess the physiological consequences of the consumption.

Breast Cancer Exposomics

“…Nutritional stimuli modulate interactions between different cell populations within the TME, such as immune cells, adipocytes, vascular cells, and mammary epithelial and BC stem cells, so that both obesity, a chronic over-nutritional condition, as well as excess caloric consumption, disrupt mammary gland homeostasis and increase BCR [ 44 , 123 ]. EDCs has been reported in aquatic macroinvertebrates, mussels and seawater or freshwater fish [ 126 ], pork, beef, and chicken meat [ 127 ], vegetables [ 128 ], as well as in milk and dairy products [ 129 ]. Heavy metals, such as cadmium, mercury, and lead, act as EDCs and bioaccumulate mainly in fish and seafood products [ 130 ].…”

Uncovering Evidence: Associations between Environmental Contaminants and Disparities in Women’s Health

“…Although data tracking dietary environmental contaminant exposure are scarce, a group in India recently reported that meat and dairy products are often traced with environmental contaminants [55]. Law et al reported that chicken skin and fish from China had higher levels of environmental contaminants compared to beef and pork [56]. Food packaging, which is prevalent in industrialized countries, is also a major source of environmental contaminants because EDCs/POPs can leach into food [57].…”