Summary:
The term endocrine disruptor was coined at the Wingspread Conference Centre in
Wisconsin, in 1991. An endocrine-disrupting compound was defined by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “an exogenous agent that interferes
with
synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, binding action, or elimination of
natural
blood-borne hormones that are present in the body and are responsible for
homeostasis, reproduction and developmental process.”
Endocrine disruptors act via nuclear receptors, nonnuclear steroid hormone
receptors,
non-steroid receptors (e.g. neurotransmitter receptors such as the serotonin
receptor,
dopamine receptor, norepinephrine receptor), orphan receptors [e.g., aryl
hydrocarbon
receptor (AhR)—an orphan receptor], enzymatic pathways involved in steroid
biosynthesis and/or metabolism, and numerous other mechanisms that eventually
converge upon endocrine and reproductive systems. Endocrine disruptors may turn
on, shut off, or modify signals that hormones carry, which may affect the normal
functions of tissues and organs.
Environmental contaminants considered endocrine disruptors have been shown to
affect during early fetal life the development of different body systems
including: 1.
the endocrine system which is related to diabetes mellitus, obesity and
metabolic
syndromes; 2. the reproductive system of both male and female causing impact on
male and female fertility; 3. the nervous system which is related to
neurodevelopmental disorders. The interesting future about endocrine disruptors
is
that they affect humans and wildlife lifelong but mainly during the critical
windows
of exposure (fetal life, childhood, puberty, menopause). Results from animal
models,
human clinical observations and epidemiological studies converge to implicate
EDCs
as a significant concern to public health.
Keywords:
Endocrine disruptors, Diabetes mellitus 2, Obesity, Reproductive health, Neurotoxicity
