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Marty MS, Blankinship A, Chambers J, Constantine L, Kloas W, Kumar A, Lagadic L, Meador J, Pickford D, Schwarz T, Verslycke T. Population-relevant endpoints in the evaluation of endocrine-active substances (EAS) for ecotoxicological hazard and risk assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2017; 13:317-330. [PMID: 28052490 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
For ecotoxicological risk assessment, endocrine disruptors require the establishment of an endocrine mode of action (MoA) with a plausible link to a population-relevant adverse effect. Current ecotoxicity test methods incorporate mostly apical endpoints although some also include mechanistic endpoints, subcellular-through-organ level, which can help establish an endocrine MoA. However, the link between these endpoints and adverse population-level effects is often unclear. The case studies of endocrine-active substances (EAS) (tributyltin, ethinylestradiol, perchlorate, trenbolone, propiconazole, and vinclozolin) evaluated from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Pellston Workshop® "Ecotoxicological Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)" were used to evaluate the population relevance of toxicity endpoints in various taxa according to regulatory endocrine-disruptor frameworks such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Conceptual Framework for Testing and Assessment of Endocrine Disruptors. A wide variety of potentially endocrine-relevant endpoints were identified for mollusks, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals, although the strength of the relationship between test endpoints and population-level effects was often uncertain. Furthermore, testing alone is insufficient for assessing potential adaptation and recovery processes in exposed populations. For this purpose, models that link effects observed in laboratory tests to the dynamics of wildlife populations appear to be necessary, and their development requires reliable and robust data. As our understanding of endocrine perturbations and key event relationships improves, adverse population-level effects will be more easily and accurately predicted. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:317-330. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Janice Chambers
- Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
| | | | - Werner Kloas
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anupama Kumar
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Adelaide, South Australia
| | | | - James Meador
- NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Tamar Schwarz
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom
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Li DM, Han XD. Evaluation of toxicity of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) on mouse spermatogenic cells in vitro. Toxicol Ind Health 2016; 22:291-9. [PMID: 17022436 DOI: 10.1177/0748233706070310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As a synthetic organic chemical, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is the most common fuel oxygenate. The increasing use of MTBE has raised concern over its safety. Previous studies in vivo revealed that MTBE could alter the male reproduction system. Therefore, the current experiments were designed to evaluate whether isolated mice spermatogenic cells in vitro were sensitive to exposure to MTBE at environmental levels, and to evaluate whether spermatogenic cells had undergone changes in morphologic, activity and viability parameters after exposure to MTBE. Spermatogenic cells in vitro were incubated with medium alone (control), 100 ppb, 10 ppm, 1000 ppm, 3000 ppm MTBE, respectively, for 6, 12, 18 h. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazo liumbromide) assay, staining with fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and propidium iodide (PI), and flow cytometric analyses were used to assess MTBE toxicity on cells and DNA. The results showed that there were no significant differences between control and treatments of ≤ 1000 ppm MTBE at the same time point. Although 3000 ppm MTBE could exert toxic effects directly on spermatogenic cells, environmental levels of MTBE did not exert toxic effects on cultured spermatogenic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Li
- Laboratory of Immune and Reproduction Biology, Medical College of Nanjing University, Jiangsu, China
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3
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Qin F, Zhang J, Cao H, Guo W, Chen L, Shen O, Sun J, Yi C, Li J, Wang J, Tong J. Circadian alterations of reproductive functional markers in male rats exposed to 1800 MHz radiofrequency field. Chronobiol Int 2013; 31:123-33. [DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2013.830622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Bellingham M, Fiandanese N, Byers A, Cotinot C, Evans NP, Pocar P, Amezaga MR, Lea RG, Sinclair KD, Rhind SM, Fowler PA. Effects of Exposure to Environmental Chemicals During Pregnancy on the Development of the Male and Female Reproductive Axes. Reprod Domest Anim 2012; 47 Suppl 4:15-22. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02050.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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HARI PRIYA P, REDDY PSREENIVASULA. Effect of Restraint Stress on Lead-Induced Male Reproductive Toxicity in Rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 317:455-65. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Revised: 05/07/2012] [Accepted: 05/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. HARI PRIYA
- Department of Biotechnology Sri Venkateswara University; Tirupati; India
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Gray L, Ostby J, Furr J, Wolf C, Lambright C, Parks L, Veeramachaneni D, Wilson V, Price M, Hotchkiss A, Orlando E, Guillette L. Effects of environmental antiandrogens on reproductive development in experimental animals. APMIS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2001.tb05780.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Zhou J, Cai ZH, Zhu XS. Are endocrine disruptors among the causes of the deterioration of aquatic biodiversity? INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2010; 6:492-498. [PMID: 20821709 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental pollutants such as endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) is now taken into account to explain partially the biodiversity decline of aquatic ecosystems. Much research has demonstrated that EDCs can adversely affect the endocrine system, reproductive health, and immune function in aquatic species. These toxicological effects include 1) interference with normal hormonal synthesis, release, and transport, 2) impairment of growth, development, and gonadal maturation, and 3) increased sensitivity to environmental stressors. Recent studies also have confirmed that EDCs have carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. In essence, these changes in physiological and biochemical parameters reflect, to some extent, some phenotypic characteristics of the deterioration of aquatic biodiversity. At present, evidence at the molecular level shows that exposure to EDCs can trigger genotoxicity, such as DNA damage, and can reduce genetic diversity. Field studies have also provided more direct evidence that EDCs contribute to the population decrease and biodiversity decline. Evolutionary toxicology and multigenerational toxicity tests have further demonstrated that EDCs can damage an organism's offspring and eventually likely lead to loss of evolutionary potential. Taken together, these results provide some basis for understanding the relationship between variety deterioration and EDC exposure. It is conceivable that there is a causal association between EDC exposure and variety deterioration of aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhou
- Marine Biology Laboratory of Life Sciences Division, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen City, People's Republic of China
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Bornman MS, Barnhoorn IEJ, de Jager C, Veeramachaneni DNR. Testicular microlithiasis and neoplastic lesions in wild eland (Tragelaphus oryx): possible effects of exposure to environmental pollutants? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2010; 110:327-33. [PMID: 20303476 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2010.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2009] [Revised: 01/25/2010] [Accepted: 02/04/2010] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to compare wildlife in the proximity and away from the sources of known industrial pollution. Macroscopic, focal, gritty areas that appeared white were observed in the testes of all 24 South African eland (Tragelaphus oryx) culled in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve (RNR; n=17) between 2001 and 2003 and Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve (SNR; n=7) in 2004. Histopathological evaluation of testes showed multiple intratubular dystrophic calcifications, focal areas of sperm stasis and interstitial chronic cell infiltrates with fibrosis. Spermatogenesis was generally impaired; a few atypical germ cells were also encountered. Sertoli cell vacuolization and sloughing of the seminiferous epithelium were evident. Adenomatous changes of the rete testis, reflective of possible chronic estrogenic exposure, were found. In testes collected from three reference eland in 2007 from the Molopo Nature Reserve (MNR) in the Kalahari/Kgalagadi Desert, except for one focal area of sperm stasis and another with microcalcification, the seminiferous epithelium as well as collecting/rete tubules were normal. Analyses of fat tissue for environmental pollutants showed that 11 out of 17 RNR eland contained a detectable estrogenic chemical p-nonylphenol (mean+/-SD: 184.8+/-24.6 microg/kg fat); no organochlorine chemicals or polychlorinated biphenyls were detected. Of the 7 SNR eland, 5 had detectable octylphenol residues (50.2+/-30.9 microg/kg fat), 3 had detectable p-nonylphenol (137.8+/-77.9 microg/kg fat), 3 had o-p'-DDT (114.9+/-31.1 microg/kg fat), 3 had p-p'-DDT (127.3+/-49.9 microg/kg(79.5+/-30.4 microg/kg fat) and 5 contained o-p'-DDE (27.7+/-9.9 microg/kg fat). One eland from the MNR contained one 70.6 microg o-p'-DDT/kg fat and another p-p'-DDE 61.3 microg/kg fat. Therefore, in eland with testicular abnormalities, significant amounts of various estrogenic chemicals were bioaccumulated in fat samples. It therefore seems likely that the lesions found in RNR and SNR were associated with the relatively high body-burden of environmental pollutants (phenols), although the possibility of systemic infections cannot be ruled out. No testicular abnormalities were found in reference eland. These findings are the first indication of mammalian wildlife being affected by environmental pollution of endocrine disrupting chemicals in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Bornman
- Andrology, Department of Urology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X169, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Martin O, Shialis T, Lester J, Scrimshaw M, Boobis A, Voulvoulis N. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome and the estrogen hypothesis: a quantitative meta-analysis. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2009; 13:1601-18. [PMID: 18813661 DOI: 10.1590/s1413-81232008000500024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2007] [Accepted: 11/07/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive tract abnormalities such as hypospadias and cryptorchidism, and testicular cancer have been proposed to comprise a common syndrome together with impaired spermatogenesis with a common etiology resulting from the disruption of gonadal development during fetal life, the testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). The only quantitative summary estimate of the link between prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents and testicular cancer was published over 10 years ago; other reviews of the link between estrogenic compounds, other than the potent pharmaceutical estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), and TDS end points have remained inconclusive. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of the association between the end points related to TDS and prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents. Inclusion in this analysis was based on mechanistic criteria, and the plausibility of an estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha-mediated mode of action was specifically explored. Eight studies were included, investigating the etiology of hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism that had not been identified in previous systematic reviews. Four additional studies of pharmaceutical estrogens yielded a statistically significant updated summary estimate for testicular cancer. Results of the subset analyses point to the existence of unidentified sources of heterogeneity between studies or within the study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olwenn Martin
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Martin OV, Shialis T, Lester JN, Scrimshaw MD, Boobis AR, Voulvoulis N. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome and the estrogen hypothesis: a quantitative meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:149-57. [PMID: 18288311 PMCID: PMC2235228 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2007] [Accepted: 11/07/2007] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male reproductive tract abnormalities such as hypospadias and cryptorchidism, and testicular cancer have been proposed to comprise a common syndrome together with impaired spermatogenesis with a common etiology resulting from the disruption of gonadal development during fetal life, the testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). The hypothesis that in utero exposure to estrogenic agents could induce these disorders was first proposed in 1993. The only quantitative summary estimate of the association between prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents and testicular cancer was published over 10 years ago, and other systematic reviews of the association between estrogenic compounds, other than the potent pharmaceutical estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), and TDS end points have remained inconclusive. OBJECTIVES We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of the association between the end points related to TDS and prenatal exposure to estrogenic agents. Inclusion in this analysis was based on mechanistic criteria, and the plausibility of an estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha-mediated mode of action was specifically explored. RESULTS We included in this meta-analysis eight studies investigating the etiology of hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism that had not been identified in previous systematic reviews. Four additional studies of pharmaceutical estrogens yielded a statistically significant updated summary estimate for testicular cancer. CONCLUSIONS The doubling of the risk ratios for all three end points investigated after DES exposure is consistent with a shared etiology and the TDS hypothesis but does not constitute evidence of an estrogenic mode of action. Results of the subset analyses point to the existence of unidentified sources of heterogeneity between studies or within the study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olwenn V. Martin
- Centre for Environmental Policy and
- Experimental Medicine and Toxicology Group, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | | | - John N. Lester
- Centre for Water Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Mark D. Scrimshaw
- Institute for the Environment, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alan R. Boobis
- Experimental Medicine and Toxicology Group, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
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Veeramachaneni DNR. Impact of environmental pollutants on the male: effects on germ cell differentiation. Anim Reprod Sci 2007; 105:144-57. [PMID: 18155861 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2007.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A variety of so-called innocuous chemicals can have insidious and long lasting effects on the developing male reproductive system. Developmental exposures of male rabbits to common industrial contaminants in drinking water (a mixture of arsenic, chromium, lead, benzene, chloroform, phenol, and trichloroethylene); alkyl phenols (e.g. octylphenol); water disinfection by-products (e.g. dibromoacetic acid); anti-androgenic pesticides (e.g. p,p'-DDT and vinclozolin); and plasticizers (e.g. dibutyl phthalate) produce testicular dysgenesis. The lesions include testicular carcinoma in situ, also called intratubular germ cell neoplasia--the precursor lesion of germ cell tumors in men, and acrosomal dysgenesis--characterized by sharing of a dysplastic acrosome by two or more spermatids resulting in characteristic sperm acrosomal-nuclear malformations. Certain manifestations of testicular dysgenesis arch across environmental agents, and sequelae of intentional developmental exposures of rabbits duplicate what has been encountered in deer, horses, and humans for which the etiology is uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- D N Rao Veeramachaneni
- Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1683, USA.
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Luben TJ, Olshan AF, Herring AH, Jeffay S, Strader L, Buus RM, Chan RL, Savitz DA, Singer PC, Weinberg HS, Perreault SD. The healthy men study: an evaluation of exposure to disinfection by-products in tap water and sperm quality. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115:1169-76. [PMID: 17687443 PMCID: PMC1940094 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2007] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlorination of drinking water generates disinfection by-products (DBPs), which have been shown to disrupt spermatogenesis in rodents at high doses, suggesting that DBPs could pose a reproductive risk to men. In this study we assessed DBP exposure and testicular toxicity, as evidenced by altered semen quality. METHODS We conducted a cohort study to evaluate semen quality in men with well-characterized exposures to DBPs. Participants were 228 presumed fertile men with different DBP profiles. They completed a telephone interview about demographics, health history, water consumption, and other exposures and provided a semen sample. Semen outcomes included sperm concentration and morphology, as well as DNA integrity and chromatin maturity. Exposures to DBPs were evaluated by incorporating data on water consumption and bathing and showering with concentrations measured in tap water. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the relationship between exposure to DBPs and adverse sperm outcomes. RESULTS The mean (median) sperm concentration and sperm count were 114.2 (90.5) million/mL and 362 (265) million, respectively. The mean (median) of the four trihalomethane species (THM4) exposure was 45.7 (65.3) microg/L, and the mean (median) of the nine haloacetic acid species (HAA9) exposure was 30.7 (44.2) microg/L. These sperm parameters were not associated with exposure to these classes of DBPs. For other sperm outcomes, we found no consistent pattern of increased abnormal semen quality with elevated exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs) or haloacetic acids (HAAs). The use of alternate methods for assessing exposure to DBPs and site-specific analyses did not change these results. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study do not support an association between exposure to levels of DBPs near or below regulatory limits and adverse sperm outcomes in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Luben
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Obidike IR, Maduabuchi IU, Olumuyiwa SSV. Testicular morphology and cauda epididymal sperm reserves of male rats exposed to Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil. J Vet Sci 2007; 8:1-5. [PMID: 17322767 PMCID: PMC2872690 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2007.8.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Potential negative effects of exposure to Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil on the reproductive system of male rats was investigated. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the experiment. Exposure to Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil was achieved via oral administration of increasing doses (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ml/rat) every other day for 4 weeks. Cauda epididymal sperm reserves and relative weights of the testes as well as histological features of the testes of rats that received the crude oil treatment were compared to those of control rats. The results described here showed a significant (p < 0.01) dose-dependent reduction in the cauda epididymal sperm reserves of rats that received crude oil treatment relative to the control group. The morphology of testes of the crude oil-exposed rats was characterized by the presence of interstitial exudates, degeneration, and necrosis of spermatogenic and interstitial (Leydig) cells. Findings indicate that exposure of male rats to Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil may have adversely affected their reproductive systems. This may imply possible reproductive health hazards for animals and humans that may be exposed to this environmental pollutant, especially in areas where oil spillage is a common feature.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Reginald Obidike
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
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Lyons G. Viewpoint: Policy requirements for protecting wildlife from endocrine disruptors. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2006; 114 Suppl 1:142-6. [PMID: 16818260 PMCID: PMC1874188 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2005] [Accepted: 08/08/2005] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Man-made endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) present a threat to biodiversity, even in remote areas. To date, numerous wildlife species have been affected by EDCs in the environment, but it is likely that many more species are suffering effects that have not yet been reported. Impaired reproduction, damaged brain function, and deficits of the immune system are of particular concern. In order to bring all endocrine-disrupting chemicals under control, the development of screens and tests to identify EDCs must be expedited. However, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) considers that sufficient information is already available to merit action on several such substances. In addition, it must be recognized that proving the mechanism of action for some chemicals may take decades. Therefore, it is important to enable certain chemicals to be brought under stricter control on the basis of strong suspicion of endocrine disruption or biochemical signaling disruption. Furthermore, the risk assessment process itself also must be modified, and some suggestions are discussed in this article. WWF maintains that any effect that could reasonably be expected to affect the population level should be taken forward in environmental risk characterization, in particular, behavioral effects should be given more consideration. Current chemical management policies are not protective, and we argue for modifications in them to be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwynne Lyons
- World Wildlife Fund UK, Norwich, United Kingdom.
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Veeramachaneni DNR, Amann RP, Jacobson JP. Testis and antler dysgenesis in sitka black-tailed deer on Kodiak Island, Alaska: Sequela of environmental endocrine disruption? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2006; 114 Suppl 1:51-9. [PMID: 16818246 PMCID: PMC1874179 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
It had been observed that many male Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) on Kodiak Island, Alaska, had abnormal antlers, were cryptorchid, and presented no evidence of hypospadias. We sought to better understand the problem and investigated 171 male deer for phenotypic aberrations and 12 for detailed testicular histopathology. For the low-lying Aliulik Peninsula (AP), 61 of 94 deer were bilateral cryptorchids (BCOs); 70% of these had abnormal antlers. Elsewhere on the Kodiak Archipelago, only 5 of 65 deer were BCOs. All 11 abdominal testes examined had no spermatogenesis but contained abnormalities including carcinoma in situ-like cells, possible precursors of seminoma; Sertoli cell, Leydig cell, and stromal cell tumors; carcinoma and adenoma of rete testis; and microlithiasis or calcifications. Cysts also were evident within the excurrent ducts. Two of 10 scrotal testes contained similar abnormalities, although spermatogenesis was ongoing. We cannot rule out that these abnormalities are linked sequelae of a mutation(s) in a founder animal, followed by transmission over many years and causing high prevalence only on the AP. However, based on lesions observed, we hypothesize that it is more likely that this testis-antler dysgenesis resulted from continuing exposure of pregnant females to an estrogenic environmental agent(s), thereby transforming testicular cells, affecting development of primordial antler pedicles, and blocking transabdominal descent of fetal testes. A browse (e.g., kelp) favored by deer in this locale might carry the putative estrogenic agent(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- D N Rao Veeramachaneni
- Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
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Oshima M, Gu Y. Pfaffia paniculata-induced changes in plasma estradiol-17beta, progesterone and testosterone levels in mice. J Reprod Dev 2004; 49:175-80. [PMID: 14967943 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.49.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study undertook chemical analysis of components of Pfaffia paniculata roots. In addition, an animal experiment was conducted in which mice had ad libitum access to water enriched with powdered P. paniculata root for 30 days. Changes in plasma concentrations of estradiol-17beta and progesterone in female mice and of testosterone in male mice were ascertained. The results revealed that P. paniculata roots contain two types of phytosteroids, beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol, in addition to other compounds such as pfaffic acid, allantoin, saponins, beta-sitosteryl-beta-D-glucoside, and stigmasteryl-beta-D-glucoside. Regarding changes in plasma concentrations of hormones, levels of the sex hormones estradiol-17beta, progesterone and testosterone were clearly higher for mice that drank P. paniculata root-enriched water than for mice that drank plain water. Powdered P. paniculata root is easily dissolved in feed or water, and as no adverse reactions were seen in mice within 30 days of oral intake, consumption of P. paniculata for long periods of time appears safe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masami Oshima
- Graduate School of Medical Imaging, Suzuka University of Medical Science, 1001-1 Kishioka-cho, Suzuka-shi, Mie 510-0293, Japan
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Hotchkiss AK, Ostby JS, Vandenbergh JG, Gray LE. An environmental antiandrogen, vinclozolin, alters the organization of play behavior. Physiol Behav 2003; 79:151-6. [PMID: 12834785 DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9384(03)00093-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During mammalian sexual differentiation, the androgens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are critical for the organization of the male phenotype. In rats, play behavior is sexually dimorphic. Administration of exogenous androgens during the perinatal period results in masculine-like play behavior of juveniles. Recently, there has been increasing concern about the potential for environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to alter sexual differentiation in mammals. One such EDC is the fungicide and androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, vinclozolin. We tested whether developmental exposure to an EDC could alter androgen-dependent behaviors such as play. To examine this possibility, neonatal male rats were injected from Postnatal Days (PND) 2 to 3 with corn oil, pharmacological antiandrogen flutamide (50 mg/kg/day) or vinclozolin (200 mg/kg/day); whereas neonatal females were treated either with corn oil or testosterone propionate (TP, 250 microg/kg/day). At PNDs 36-37, animals were observed for social play. Behaviors associated with general social activity, such as sniffing and dorsal contact, were unaffected by treatment or sex. However, play behavior in males treated with flutamide or vinclozolin was significantly reduced to near-female levels when compared to control males. Play behavior in females exposed to TP during the neonatal period was significantly increased when compared with control females. Hence, this study suggests that perinatal exposure to vinclozolin, an environmental antiandrogen, can alter androgen-dependent behavior, such as play, in the male rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Hotchkiss
- Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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Daniel V, Huber W, Bauer K, Suesal C, Conradt C, Opelz G. Associations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) 4.4 and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) 4.4 blood levels with plasma IL-4. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2002; 57:541-7. [PMID: 12696651 DOI: 10.1080/00039890209602086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) reportedly induces cancer in animals, mimics estrogen activity, induces antiandrogen effects, and impairs Natural Killer (NK) cells and T lymphocyte responses. In this study, the authors attempted to determine associations of DDT, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) blood levels with several immune parameters in patients occupationally exposed to insecticides. The study subjects were 49 patients who worked as farmers or farmhands in the former German Democratic Republic and who had been occupationally exposed to insecticides for at least 6 mo; 80% of them had been exposed for more than 20 yr. Blood levels of DDT, DDE, DDD, 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were determined, and blood lymphocyte subpopulations, in vitro responses to mitogens or pooled allogeneic stimulator cells, plasma neopterin, and cytokine and soluble cytokine receptor levels were studied. The majority of patients were contaminated with more than 1 chemical--most commonly DDE, PCBs, and HCB. Linear-regression analysis showed that interleukin-4 (IL-4) plasma levels were associated with plasma levels of DDT 4.4 (p = .0001) and DDE 4.4 (p = .001). The data in this study suggest that PCBs, PCP, HCB, HCHs, DDE, and DDD suppress TH1 cytokines, such as IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and induce TH2 cytokines, such as IL-4. The authors hypothesized that clinical symptoms, such as the frequent infections reported by many patients, could be a consequence of these immunological abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Daniel
- Department of Transplantation Immunology, Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Sex hormones originating from different livestock production systems: fate and potential disrupting activity in the environment. Anal Chim Acta 2002. [DOI: 10.1016/s0003-2670(02)00748-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Feige E, Chen A, Motro B. Nurit, a novel leucine-zipper protein, expressed uniquely in the spermatid flower-like structure. Mech Dev 2002; 117:369-77. [PMID: 12204287 DOI: 10.1016/s0925-4773(02)00217-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Spermatozoa formation involves drastic morphological and cellular reconstructions. However, the molecular mechanisms driving this process remain elusive. We describe the cloning of a novel murine spermatid-specific gene, designated nurit, identified in a two-hybrid screen for proteins that binds the Nek1 kinase. Nurit protein harbors a leucine-zipper motif, and two additional coiled-coil regions. The C-terminal coiled-coil domain mediates homodimerization of the protein. Nurit homologues are found in primates, pig and rodents. nurit is transcribed through the elongation stage of the spermatids, but is absent from mature spermatozoa. Interestingly, immunogold electron microscopy revealed that the protein is restricted, from its first detectable appearance, to a unique spermatid organelle called the 'flower-like structure'. The function of this structure is unknown, though it may be involved in transporting proteins designated to be discarded via the residual bodies. Nurit is the first marker of the flower-like structure, and its study may provide an excellent opportunity to dissect the function of this organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erez Feige
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Barlow SM, Greig JB, Bridges JW, Carere A, Carpy AJM, Galli CL, Kleiner J, Knudsen I, Koëter HBWM, Levy LS, Madsen C, Mayer S, Narbonne JF, Pfannkuch F, Prodanchuk MG, Smith MR, Steinberg P. Hazard identification by methods of animal-based toxicology. Food Chem Toxicol 2002; 40:145-91. [PMID: 11893397 DOI: 10.1016/s0278-6915(01)00117-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
This paper is one of several prepared under the project "Food Safety In Europe: Risk Assessment of Chemicals in Food and Diet" (FOSIE), a European Commission Concerted Action Programme, organised by the International Life Sciences Institute, Europe (ILSI). The aim of the FOSIE project is to review the current state of the science of risk assessment of chemicals in food and diet, by consideration of the four stages of risk assessment, that is, hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. The contribution of animal-based methods in toxicology to hazard identification of chemicals in food and diet is discussed. The importance of first applying existing technical and chemical knowledge to the design of safety testing programs for food chemicals is emphasised. There is consideration of the presently available and commonly used toxicity testing approaches and methodologies, including acute and repeated dose toxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, immunotoxicity and food allergy. They are considered from the perspective of whether they are appropriate for assessing food chemicals and whether they are adequate to detect currently known or anticipated hazards from food. Gaps in knowledge and future research needs are identified; research on these could lead to improvements in the methods of hazard identification for food chemicals. The potential impact of some emerging techniques and toxicological issues on hazard identification for food chemicals, such as new measurement techniques, the use of transgenic animals, assessment of hormone balance and the possibilities for conducting studies in which common human diseases have been modelled, is also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Barlow
- MRC Institute for Environment and Health, University of Leicester, 94 Regent Road, LE1 7DD, Leicester, UK
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Veeramachaneni D, Palmer J, Amann R. Long-term effects on male reproduction of early exposure to common chemical contaminants in drinking water. APMIS 2001. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2001.tb05782.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Veeramachaneni DN, Palmer JS, Amann RP. Long-term effects on male reproduction of early exposure to common chemical contaminants in drinking water. Hum Reprod 2001; 16:979-87. [PMID: 11331649 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/16.5.979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluated sequelae to early exposure of male rabbits to drinking water containing chemicals typical of ground water near hazardous waste sites. The mixture (p.p.m. at 1x) was 7.75 arsenic, 1.75 chromium, 9.25 lead, 12.5 benzene, 3.75 chloroform, 8.5 phenol and 9.5 trichloroethylene. Dutch-Belted does received mixture at 0x (deionized water; control), 1x or 3x as drinking water from day 20 pregnancy through weaning. Exposure of individual males (7-9/treatment) continued until 15 weeks (adolescence); then, all males received deionized water. At 57-61 weeks of age, ejaculatory capability and seminal, testicular, epididymal and endocrine characteristics were evaluated. At 10 opportunities with a female teaser, all seven control males ejaculated every time, but 12 of the 17 treated males failed to express interest, achieve erection and/or ejaculate on one to five occasions; four of the 12 accomplished ejaculation with a second male teaser. Total spermatozoa/ejaculate and daily sperm production were unaffected. However, treatment caused (P < 0.03) acrosomal dysgenesis and nuclear malformations. Baseline serum concentrations of LH were lower, but with borderline significance (P = 0.05). Testosterone secretion after exogenous human chorionic gonadotrophin (P < 0.04) was low. Thus, even at 45 weeks after last exposure to drinking water pollutants, mating desire/ability, sperm quality, and Leydig cell function were subnormal.
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Affiliation(s)
- D N Veeramachaneni
- Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1683, USA.
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