Endocrine Abstracts

The term endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) defines a structurally diverse class of synthetic and natural compounds that possess the ability to alter various components of the endocrine system (e.g. receptors, metabolizing enzymes, transporters) and potentially induce adverse health effects in exposed individuals and populations. Particularly the family of the nuclear receptors which include steroid receptors are known to bind many of such substances. For example, the two estrogen receptors (ER-alpha and ER-beta) and the androgen receptor are rather promiscuous and bind a variety of substances mimicking or antagonizing the effects of estrogens or androgens and this may have substantial impacts for female and male fertility. Effects of EDCs on development of male genitalia and on male testicular function have been amply studied in many animal species and in humans. However, relatively little information is available about effects of EDCs on female fertility though estrogenic activities of those xenobioticts have been studied extensively in vitro. Surprisingly, exposure of pregnant rats will often not only affect the offspring directly but even multigeneration effects were reported. Furthermore, another aspect of EDCs activities which are barely investigated in mammals and in particular in the human, is the putative interference with thyroid and adrenal function and the consequence for human fertility and health. Taken together, the magnitude of any adverse effect from exposure to EDCs in the enviroment to individuals or populations remains largely unknown. Besides improved experimental techniques, mathematical approaches to model demographic effects of EDCs on male and female fertility are required to perform a reliable risk assessment.