Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Disease Endpoints

Abstract

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have significant impacts on biological systems, and have been shown to interfere with physiological systems, especially by disrupting the hormone balance. During the last few decades, EDCs have been shown to affect reproductive, neurological, and metabolic development and function and even stimulate tumor growth. EDC exposure during development can disrupt normal development patterns and alter susceptibility to disease. Many chemicals have endocrine-disrupting properties, including bisphenol A, organochlorines, polybrominated flame retardants, alkylphenols, and phthalates. These compounds have gradually been elucidated as risk factors for many diseases, such as reproductive, neural, and metabolic diseases and cancers. Endocrine disruption has been spread to wildlife and species that are connected to the food chains. Dietary uptake represents an important source of EDC exposure. Although EDCs represent a significant public health concern, the relationship and specific mechanism between EDCs and diseases remain unclear. This review focuses on the disease-EDC relationship and the disease endpoints associated with endocrine disruption for a better understanding of the relationship between EDCs-disease and elucidates the development of new prevention/treatment opportunities and screening methods.

Advancing Endocrine Disruptors via In Vitro Evaluation: Recognizing the Significance of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development and United States Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines, Embracing New Assessment Methods, and the Urgent Need for a Comprehensive Battery of Tests

“…The ability of an endocrine disruptor to bind to a receptor depends on the chemical properties of the substance and the characteristics of the receptor, such as its shape, charge, and binding site [ 29 ]. Some endocrine disruptors have a chemical structure that resembles the natural hormone, allowing them to bind to the receptor in a similar way [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Diethylstilbestrol is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, and it is probably the most famous endocrine disruptor [ 33 , 34 , 35 ].…”

“…Diethylstilbestrol is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, and it is probably the most famous endocrine disruptor [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Endocrine disruptors can also bind to the receptor and block the natural hormone from binding, resulting in a decrease in hormone activity [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. These substances are known as antagonists.…”

Environmental contaminants, endocrine disruption, and transgender: Can “born that way” in some cases be toxicologically real?

“…Observations in wildlife have included disruption of normal estrogenic, androgenic, brain neurochemical, thyroid, and other hormone activities by these environmental chemicals. 5,17 Such hormone-mimicking or inhibiting effects of pollutants have been documented in wildlife species that include land and sea mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and diverse invertebrates and have been found to include changes in sex differentiation before and after birth, intersex animals that show features of both sexes, sex reversal, altered sex ratios, skewed steroid production by gonads, altered penile density, reproductive impairment, altered thyroid function, behavioral changes, shifts in brain neuroendocrine hormones, changed brain synaptic density in steroid-sensitive nuclei, and other endocrine system-related changes. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] The demonstration of pollutant-induced hormone disruption in diverse wildlife species raises important questions about possible similar effects these chemicals may be having in some members of the human population.…”

Application of sol‐gel universal sorbent coated fabric phase sorptive extraction membranes in combination with high‐performance liquid chromatography‐ultraviolet detection to monitor endocrine‐disrupting chemicals in milk and environmental water samples

“…These harmful species are mostly lipophilic which strongly bind to the fatty tissues of organisms and are often transferred via the food chain. Their adverse effects result in changes in sex, developmental problems, cardiovascular disorders, hepatotoxicity, diabetes, and sexual dysfunction to name a few in both lower and higher animals [2,3]. Their widespread presence in trace amounts across different complex sample matrices has been reported in the literature [4][5][6].…”