scholarly journals Effects of endocrine disruptors in the development of the female reproductive tract

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Maria Frade Costa ◽  
Poli Mara Spritzer ◽  
Alexandre Hohl ◽  
Tânia A. S. S. Bachega
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Hormone Receptors ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Polycystic Ovary ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Environmental Agencies

Environmental agencies have identified a growing number of environmental contaminants that have endocrine disrupting activity, and these can become a major public health problem. It is suggested that endocrine disruptors could account for the higher-than-expected increase in the prevalence of some non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, thyroid diseases, and some cancers. Several endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), such as pesticides, bisphenol A, phthalates, dioxins, and phytoestrogens, can interact with the female reproductive system and lead to endocrine disruption. Initially, it was assumed that EDCs exert their effects by binding to hormone receptors and transcription factors, but it is currently known that they may also alter the expression of enzymes involved in the synthesis or catabolism of steroids. Biomonitoring studies have identified these compounds in adults, children, pregnant women, and fetuses. Among the diseases of the female reproductive tract associated with EDCs exposure are the following: precocious puberty, polycystic ovary syndrome, and premature ovarian failure. The different populations of the world are exposed to a great number of chemicals through different routes of infection; despite the various available studies, there is still much doubt regarding the additive effect of a mixture of EDCs with similar mechanisms of action.

Endocrine disruptors and polycystic ovary syndrome: a focus on Bisphenol A and its potential pathophysiological aspects

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Palioura ◽  
Eleni Kandaraki ◽  
Evanthia Diamanti-Kandarakis
Keyword(s):  
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ◽  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Polycystic Ovary ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Ovary Syndrome ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
The Many

AbstractPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disorder of unknown etiology that may arise from a combination of a number of underlying genetic interactions and predispositions with environmental factors. Endocrine disruptors and, in particular, Bisphenol A may represent one of the many underlying causes of the syndrome as they are experimentally linked to metabolic and reproductive derangements resembling PCOS-related disorders. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may act as an environmental modifier to worsen symptoms of PCOS in affected females or to contribute to the final phenotype of the syndrome in genetically predisposed individuals.

scholarly journals Endocrine disruption of oestrogen action and female reproductive tract cancers

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. T13-T31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A Gibson ◽  
Philippa T K Saunders
Keyword(s):  
Endometrial Cancer ◽  
Reproductive System ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Early Life Exposure ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Robust Evidence

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) are ubiquitous and persistent compounds that have the capacity to interfere with normal endocrine homoeostasis. The female reproductive tract is exquisitely sensitive to the action of sex steroids, and oestrogens play a key role in normal reproductive function. Malignancies of the female reproductive tract are the fourth most common cancer in women, with endometrial cancer accounting for most cases. Established risk factors for development of endometrial cancer include high BMI and exposure to oestrogens or synthetic compounds such as tamoxifen. Studies on cell and animal models have provided evidence that many EDC can bind oestrogen receptors and highlighted early life exposure as a window of risk for adverse lifelong effects on the reproductive system. The most robust evidence for a link between early life exposure to EDC and adverse reproductive health has come from studies on women who were exposedin uteroto diethylstilbestrol. Demonstration that EDC can alter expression of members of the HOX gene cluster highlights one pathway that might be vulnerable to their actions. In summary, evidence for a direct link between EDC exposure and cancers of the reproductive system is currently incomplete. It will be challenging to attribute causality to any single EDC when exposure and development of malignancy may be separated by many years and influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet (a source of phytoestrogens) and adiposity. This review considers some of the evidence collected to date.

scholarly journals Epigenetic modifications associated with in utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals BPA, DDT and Pb

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinonye Doris Onuzulu ◽  
Oluwakemi Anuoluwapo Rotimi ◽  
Solomon Oladapo Rotimi
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Environmental Chemicals ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Hormone System ◽  
Developmental Windows

Abstract Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are xenobiotics which adversely modify the hormone system. The endocrine system is most vulnerable to assaults by endocrine disruptors during the prenatal and early development window, and effects may persist into adulthood and across generations. The prenatal stage is a period of vulnerability to environmental chemicals because the epigenome is usually reprogrammed during this period. Bisphenol A (BPA), lead (Pb), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were chosen for critical review because they have become serious public health concerns globally, especially in Africa where they are widely used without any regulation. In this review, we introduce EDCs and describe the various modes of action of EDCs and the importance of the prenatal and developmental windows to EDC exposure. We give a brief overview of epigenetics and describe the various epigenetic mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, and how each of them affects gene expression. We then summarize findings from previous studies on the effects of prenatal exposure to the endocrine disruptors BPA, Pb and DDT on each of the previously described epigenetic mechanisms. We also discuss how the epigenetic alterations caused by these EDCs may be related to disease processes.

Environmental chemical effects on testicular function

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-100
Author(s):  
PA Fowler ◽  
T Murray ◽  
DR Abramovich ◽  
N Haites ◽  
RG Lea
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Testicular Cancer ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Environmental Chemical ◽  
Actual Increase ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Changing Attitudes ◽  
Considerable Body

There have been a number of reviews on this topic over the past decade, starting with Carlsen et al. and including Irvine et al. and Murray et al., concerning declining male fertility. The most exhaustive has perhaps been that of Toppari et al. The main findings of these reviews are: (1) that in some countries of the world sperm production has halved in the last 60 years, (2) rates of testicular cancer have doubled, (3) rates of malformation of the male reproductive tract, such as hypospadias, have doubled, (4) rates of testicular maldescent have risen sharply and (5) these effects are largely linked geographically. Typically, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment have been regarded as the main candidates for these effects. A consistent problem with the field, however, is the difficulty in determining the accuracy of data relating to changes in men's health over the latter half of the 20th century. Advances in diagnosis and changing attitudes to the emotive issues surrounding deformity and male infertility inevitably render some of the mass of collected data suspect. Indeed a recent review of testicular and prostate cancer concluded that while the incidence of prostate cancer had increased, the epidemiological data were not suitable for concrete conclusions about causation to be drawn. However, in the case of testicular cancer the data suggested a limited number of major risk factors. In addition, assessing urogenital malformation retrospectively from patient notes is subject to considerable variation in classification. A recent review does however find evidence to suggest that trends of increasing incidences of hypospadias on a temporal and geographical basis may reflect an actual increase in incidence and require further study. On the other hand, there is a considerable body of evidence for EDC disruption of reproduction in wildlife (reviewed by Guillette & Gunderson, 2001).

scholarly journals To assess the prevalence of STI/RTI using syndromic case management in the urban health centre area of greater Visakhapatnam municipal corporation, Andhra Pradesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 3247
Author(s):  
Srinivas Rao Ganta ◽  
K. K. L. Prasad ◽  
P. J. Srinivas
Keyword(s):  
Urban Health ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Lower Abdominal Pain ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Urban Health Centre

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases remain a major public health problem in many parts of the world. 340 million new cases of curable STIS occur every year. 75 to 85% are seen in developing countries and rank second as the cause of healthy life lost among women of reproductive age group, after maternal morbidity and mortality. Methods: The study was conducted at Rama Murthy Pantulu Peta in the field area of urban health centre of greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Visakhapatnam during September 2015 to October 2016. The study design was a community based descriptive study. Based on the prevalence of STI as stated by National AIDS Control Organization, a sample of 1541 is calculated.Results: The overall prevalence of RTI/STI in our study is 18.88%. The prevalence of symptoms suggestive of STI/RTI among female respondents is found to be 27.97%. Majority of females complained of vaginal discharge (26.68%),vulvas itching (10%), lower abdominal pain (6.34%) followed by abnormal vaginal bleeding (5.91%).The prevalence of symptoms suggestive of RTI/STI is found to be 9.75% among male respondents and majority complained of Urethral Discharge (8.4%) followed by inguinal/scrotal swelling (5.2%). Conclusions: The prevalence of Reproductive tract infections is more in females when compared to males in our study. Health education regarding the sexual and personal hygiene should be targeted to both males and females so as to decrease the prevalence of Sexual transmitted diseases in the urban health centre areas of Visakhapatnam. 

scholarly journals Disruptores endocrinos y su camino hacia el desequilibrio metabólico

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-42
Author(s):  
P. Sánchez ◽  
M. Zanabria ◽  
S. Latorre ◽  
J. Calvache ◽  
A. Coy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Endocrine Disruptor ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Endocrine Effects ◽  
Endocrine Effect ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting

El presente artículo de revisión tiene como objetivo presentar, de forma resumida, la evidencia que existe sobre las repercusiones metabólicas a nivel de obesidad y diabetes, que se genera como consecuencia de la exposición a sustancias químicas exógenas, denominadas disruptores endocrinos (DE), a las cuales nos exponemos de forma cotidiana y que afectan nuestra salud y la de nuestra descendencia. Adicionalmente, con la presente revisión hacemos un llamado no solo a la comunidad médica, sino a los sectores involucrados en la producción, distribución y reglamentación del uso de estas sustancias, pues cada vez hay más evidencia de los efectos nocivos que pueden generar y debemos evitar su uso. Los datos se obtuvieron de estudios clínicos aleatorizados y de una revisión en idioma español e inglés de los últimos 15 años, que incluyó los términos DeCS: disruptores endocrinos, con alternativa DeCS: sustancias disruptoras endocrinas y efecto disruptor endocrino, así como términos MeSH: endocrine disruptors y alternativas MeSH: disruptors, endocrine; endocrine disrupting chemicals; chemicals, endocrine disrupting; endocrine disruptor effect; disruptor effect, endocrine; effect, endocrine disruptor; endocrine disruptor effects; disruptor effects, endocrine; effects, endocrine disruptor.

Developing a Laboratory Animal Model for Perinatal Endocrine Disruption: The Hamster Chronicles

2002 ◽  
Vol 227 (9) ◽  
pp. 709-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Hendry ◽  
Daniel M. Sheehan ◽  
Shafiq A. Khan ◽  
Jeffrey V. May
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disruption ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Developmental Toxicity ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Considerable Concern ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Future Plans

At the biomedical, regulatory, and public level, considerable concern surrounds the concept that inappropriate exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, especially during the prenatal and/or neonatal period, may disrupt normal reproductive tract development and adult function. The intent of this review was to 1. Describe some unique advantages of the hamster for perinatal endocrine disruptor (ED) studies, 2. Summarize the morphological and molecular consequences of exposure to the established perinatal ED, diethylstilbestrol, in the female and male hamster, 3. Present some new, histomorphological insight into the process of neonatal diethylstilbestrol-induced disruption in the hamster uterus, and 4. Introduce recent efforts and future plans to evaluate the potency and mechanism of action of other putative EDs in the hamster experimental system. Taken together, the findings indicate that the hamster represents a unique and sensitive in vivo system to probe the phenomenon of endocrine disruption. The spectrum of candidate endpoints includes developmental toxicity, neoplasia, and more subtle endpoints of reproductive dysfunction.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document