Triazine Herbicide Exposure and Breast Cancer Incidence: An Ecologic Study of Kentucky Counties

Kettles, Michele; Browning, Steven R.; Prince, Timothy Scott; Horstman, Sanford W.

doi:10.2307/3433901

Cited by 35 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(29 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Childhood cancer rates and proximity to agricultural use of specific pesticides have not been previously analyzed, although several studies of adult cancer incidence and mortality have been conducted (47)(48)(49); one recent study using the California PUR has reported elevations of adverse reproductive outcomes in high pesticide use areas (50). Our study is the first to examine childhood cancer incidence in relation to pesticides using an ecologic study design.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood cancer and agricultural pesticide use: an ecologic study in California.

Reynolds

Behren

Gunier

et al. 2002

Environ Health Perspect

105

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We analyzed population-based childhood cancer incidence rates throughout California in relation to agricultural pesticide use. During 1988-1994, a total of 7,143 cases of invasive cancer were diagnosed among children under 15 years of age in California. Building on the availability of high-quality population-based cancer incidence information from the California Cancer Registry, population data from the U.S. Census, and uniquely comprehensive agricultural pesticide use information from California's Department of Pesticide Regulation, we used a geographic information system to assign summary population, exposure, and outcome attributes at the block group level. We used Poisson regression to estimate rate ratios (RRs) by pesticide use density adjusted for race/ethnicity, age, and sex for all types of childhood cancer combined and separately for the leukemias and central nervous system cancers. We generally found no association between pesticide use density and childhood cancer incidence rates. The RR for all cancers was 0.95 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80-1.13] for block groups in the 90th percentile and above for use of pesticides classified as probable carcinogens, compared to the block groups with use of < 1 lb/mi(2). The RRs were similar for leukemia and central nervous system cancers. Childhood leukemia rates were significantly elevated (RR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.03-2.13) in block groups with the highest use of propargite, although we saw no dose-response trend with increasing exposure categories. Results were unchanged by further adjustment for socioeconomic status and urbanization.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood cancer and agricultural pesticide use: an ecologic study in California.

Reynolds

Behren

Gunier

et al. 2002

Environ Health Perspect

105

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Grana et al (2012) pointed out environmental concerns, such as interruption of ecological equilibrium, negative influence on human health, and increased incidence of weeds developing resistance. Research has indicated increased risk of cancer and Parkinson's disease following exposure to herbicides (Gorrel et al 1998;Kettles et al 1997;Kogevinas et al 1997); indicated that in the last 20 yr herbicides with mechanisms of action for new target sites have not been commercialized, which consistently increases the risk for resistance developing in weed populations. Therefore, there is a considerable need for new chemistries with innovative mechanisms of action.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbicidal Activity of Monoterpenes Is Associated with Disruption of Microtubule Functionality and Membrane Integrity

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aromatic plants and their volatile compounds affect seed germination and plant growth, and therefore hold potential for agriculture uses as plant growth regulators and bioherbicides. In the present study 17 major monoterpenes were selected, and their mechanisms of plant toxicity were elucidated using transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana at various growth stages. Microtubulin and the plant cell membrane were identified as the focal targets through which phytotoxicity and herbicidal activity acted. Variability in monoterpene mechanisms was observed. Limonene and (+ )-citronellal had strong antimicrotubule efficacy, whereas citral, geraniol, (−)-menthone, (+)-carvone, and (−)-citronellal demonstrated moderate antimicrotubule efficacy. Pulegone, (−)-carvone, carvacrol, nerol, geranic acid, (+)/(−)-citronellol, and citronellic acid lacked antimicrotubule capacity. An enantioselective disruption of microtubule assembly was recorded for (+)/(−)-citronellal and (+)/(−)-carvone. The (+) enatiomers were more potent than their (−) counterparts. Citral, limonene, carvacrol, and pulegone were also tested for phytotoxicity and herbicidal activity. Pulegone had no detectable effect on microtubules or membranes. Citral disrupted microtubules but did not cause membrane damage. Carvacrol lacked a detectable effect on microtubules but incited membrane leakage, and limonene disrupted microtubules and membrane leakage. Therefore, only limonene was herbicidal at the tested concentrations. In planta quantification of residues revealed that citral was biotransformed into nerol and geraniol, and limonene was converted into carvacrol, which could explain its dual capacity with respect to microtubules and membrane functionality. The results obtained are an important added value to commercial efforts in selecting appropriate aromatic plants to be sources of bioherbicidal compounds for sustainable weed management with a limited potential for herbicide resistance evolution in weed populations.

show abstract

“…In addition to its persistence, mobility, and widespread contamination of water, atrazine is also a concern because several studies have shown that atrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor active in the ppb (parts per billion) range in fish (4, 5), amphibians (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), reptiles, and human cell lines (5,(13)(14)(15), and at higher doses (ppm) in reptiles (16)(17)(18), birds (19), and laboratory rodents (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28). Atrazine seems to be most potent in amphibians, where it is active at levels as low as 0.1 ppb (6)(7)(8)(9)(10).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)

Hayes

Khoury

Narayan

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

513

307

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The herbicide atrazine is one of the most commonly applied pesticides in the world. As a result, atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide contaminant of ground, surface, and drinking water. Atrazine is also a potent endocrine disruptor that is active at low, ecologically relevant concentrations. Previous studies showed that atrazine adversely affects amphibian larval development. The present study demonstrates the reproductive consequences of atrazine exposure in adult amphibians. Atrazineexposed males were both demasculinized (chemically castrated) and completely feminized as adults. Ten percent of the exposed genetic males developed into functional females that copulated with unexposed males and produced viable eggs. Atrazineexposed males suffered from depressed testosterone, decreased breeding gland size, demasculinized/feminized laryngeal development, suppressed mating behavior, reduced spermatogenesis, and decreased fertility. These data are consistent with effects of atrazine observed in other vertebrate classes. The present findings exemplify the role that atrazine and other endocrine-disrupting pesticides likely play in global amphibian declines.A trazine is one of the most widely used pesticides in the world. Approximately 80 million pounds are applied annually in the United States alone, and atrazine is the most common pesticide contaminant of ground and surface water (1). Atrazine can be transported more than 1,000 km from the point of application via rainfall and, as a result, contaminates otherwise pristine habitats, even in remote areas where it is not used (2, 3). In fact, more than a half million pounds of atrazine are precipitated in rainfall each year in the United States (2).In addition to its persistence, mobility, and widespread contamination of water, atrazine is also a concern because several studies have shown that atrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor active in the ppb (parts per billion) range in fish (4, 5), amphibians (6-12), reptiles, and human cell lines (5, 13-15), and at higher doses (ppm) in reptiles (16-18), birds (19), and laboratory rodents (20-28). Atrazine seems to be most potent in amphibians, where it is active at levels as low as 0.1 ppb (6-10). Although a few studies suggest that atrazine has no effect on amphibians under certain laboratory conditions (29,30), in other studies, atrazine reduces testicular volume; reduces germ cell and Sertoli cell numbers (11); induces hermaphroditism (6, 8, 10); reduces testosterone (10); and induces testicular oogenesis (7-9, 31). Furthermore, atrazine contamination is associated with demasculinization and feminization of amphibians in agricultural areas where atrazine is used (32) and directly correlated with atrazine contamination in the wild (7,9,33,34).Despite the wealth of data from larvae and newly metamorphosed amphibians, the ultimate impacts of atrazine's developmental effects on reproductive function and fitness at sexual maturity, which relate more closely to population level effects and amphibian declines, have b...

show abstract

Triazine Herbicide Exposure and Breast Cancer Incidence: An Ecologic Study of Kentucky Counties

Cited by 35 publications

References 19 publications

Childhood cancer and agricultural pesticide use: an ecologic study in California.

Childhood cancer and agricultural pesticide use: an ecologic study in California.

Herbicidal Activity of Monoterpenes Is Associated with Disruption of Microtubule Functionality and Membrane Integrity

Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About