Hedgehog signal disruption, gonadal dysgenesis and reproductive disorders: Is there a link to endocrine disrupting chemicals?

The potential for man-made chemicals to mimic or antagonise natural hormones is a controversial issue, but one for which increasing amounts of evidence are being gathered worldwide. The controversy surrounds not so much the matter of whether these chemicals can mimic hormones invitro— this phenomenon has been widely accepted in the scientific world — but more whether, as a result, they can disrupt reproduction in a wildlife situation. It has, nevertheless, been acknowledged that many wildlife populations are exhibiting reproductive and/or developmental abnormalities such as intersex gonads in wild roach populations in the U.K.[1] and various reproductive disorders in alligators in Lake Apopka, Florida[2]. However, the causative agents for many of these effects are difficult to specify, due to the extensive mixtures of chemicals — each of which may act via different pathways — to which wild populations are exposed, together with the wide variability observed even in natural (uncontaminated) habitats. As a result, any information detailing fundamental mechanism of action of the so-called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is of use in determining whether or not these chemicals, as they are present in the environment, may in fact be capable of causing some of the effects observed in wildlife over recent years.

Download Full-text

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Reproductive Health in Boys and Men

Frontiers in Endocrinology ◽

10.3389/fendo.2021.706532 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Wiwat Rodprasert ◽

Jorma Toppari ◽

Helena E. Virtanen

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Testicular Cancer ◽

Semen Quality ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽

Serum Testosterone ◽

Serum Testosterone Level ◽

Sensitive Period ◽

Testicular Development ◽

Reproductive Disorders ◽

Endocrine Disrupting

Male reproductive health has declined as indicated by increasing rates of cryptorchidism, i.e., undescended testis, poor semen quality, low serum testosterone level, and testicular cancer. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been proposed to have a role in this finding. In utero exposure to antiandrogenic EDCs, particularly at a sensitive period of fetal testicular development, the so-called ‘masculinization programming window (MPW)’, can disturb testicular development and function. Low androgen effect during the MPW can cause both short- and long-term reproductive disorders. A concurrent exposure to EDCs may also affect testicular function or damage testicular cells. Evidence from animal studies supports the role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in development of male reproductive disorders. However, evidence from epidemiological studies is relatively mixed. In this article, we review the current literature that evaluated relationship between prenatal EDC exposures and anogenital distance, cryptorchidism, and congenital penile abnormality called hypospadias. We review also studies on the association between early life and postnatal EDC exposure and semen quality, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormone levels and testicular cancer.

Download Full-text

Impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on onset and development of female reproductive disorders and hormone-related cancer

Reproductive Biology ◽

10.1016/j.repbio.2016.09.001 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 243-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Sona Scsukova ◽

Eva Rollerova ◽

Alzbeta Bujnakova Mlynarcikova

Keyword(s):

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽

Reproductive Disorders ◽

Endocrine Disrupting

Download Full-text

Xenobiotics with estrogen or antiandrogen action — disruptors of the male reproductive system

Open Medicine ◽

10.2478/s11536-006-0027-6 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 205-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jolanta Słowikowska-Hilczer

Keyword(s):

Reproductive System ◽

Life Style ◽

Gonadal Dysgenesis ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽

Male Reproductive System ◽

Androgenic Activity ◽

Life Style Changes ◽

Endocrine Disrupting ◽

Fertility Potential

AbstractThe environmental and life-style changes associated with developing industry and agriculture, especially the exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (xenobiotics), are considered as causes of the increasing incidence of male reproductive system disorders. Most of the xenobiotics, which harmfully influence the male reproductive system, reveal estrogen-like (xenoestrogens) or anti-androgenic activity. Recent data have revealed physiological roles of estrogens in the male, however, there are evidences that estrogen-like substances may lead to many undesirable symptoms in the male i.e. gonadal dysgenesis, genital malformations, cryptorchidism, decreased fertility potential and testicular neoplastic changes. The number of xenoestrogens is still growing in the environment, whereas the mechanisms of their action are still not exactly known. They can be harmful not only to the present but potentially also to the next generations.

Download Full-text