Human exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: effects on the male and female reproductive systems. 2017

Stavros Sifakis, and Vasilis P Androutsopoulos, and Aristeidis M Tsatsakis, and Demetrios A Spandidos
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Crete, Medical School, Heraklion, GR 71003, Greece.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) comprise a group of chemical compounds that have been examined extensively due to the potential harmful effects in the health of human populations. During the past decades, particular focus has been given to the harmful effects of EDCs to the reproductive system. The estimation of human exposure to EDCs can be broadly categorized into occupational and environmental exposure, and has been a major challenge due to the structural diversity of the chemicals that are derived by many different sources at doses below the limit of detection used by conventional methodologies. Animal and in vitro studies have supported the conclusion that endocrine disrupting chemicals affect the hormone dependent pathways responsible for male and female gonadal development, either through direct interaction with hormone receptors or via epigenetic and cell-cycle regulatory modes of action. In human populations, the majority of the studies point towards an association between exposure to EDCs and male and/or female reproduction system disorders, such as infertility, endometriosis, breast cancer, testicular cancer, poor sperm quality and/or function. Despite promising discoveries, a causal relationship between the reproductive disorders and exposure to specific toxicants is yet to be established, due to the complexity of the clinical protocols used, the degree of occupational or environmental exposure, the determination of the variables measured and the sample size of the subjects examined. Future studies should focus on a uniform system of examining human populations with regard to the exposure to specific EDCs and the direct effect on the reproductive system.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010575 Pesticides Chemicals used to destroy pests of any sort. The concept includes fungicides (FUNGICIDES, INDUSTRIAL); INSECTICIDES; RODENTICIDES; etc. Pesticide
D010636 Phenols Benzene derivatives that include one or more hydroxyl groups attached to the ring structure.
D012098 Reproduction The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed) Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D004781 Environmental Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals. Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001559 Benzhydryl Compounds Compounds which contain the methyl radical substituted with two benzene rings. Permitted are any substituents, but ring fusion to any of the benzene rings is not allowed. Diphenylmethyl Compounds,Compounds, Benzhydryl,Compounds, Diphenylmethyl
D015394 Molecular Structure The location of the atoms, groups or ions relative to one another in a molecule, as well as the number, type and location of covalent bonds. Structure, Molecular,Molecular Structures,Structures, Molecular
D052244 Endocrine Disruptors Exogenous agents, synthetic and naturally occurring, which are capable of disrupting the functions of the ENDOCRINE SYSTEM including the maintenance of HOMEOSTASIS and the regulation of developmental processes. Endocrine disruptors are compounds that can mimic HORMONES, or enhance or block the binding of hormones to their receptors, or otherwise lead to activating or inhibiting the endocrine signaling pathways and hormone metabolism. Endocrine Disrupting Chemical,Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals,Endocrine Disruptor,Endocrine Disruptor Effect,Endocrine Disruptor Effects,Chemical, Endocrine Disrupting,Chemicals, Endocrine Disrupting,Disrupting Chemical, Endocrine,Disruptor Effect, Endocrine,Disruptor Effects, Endocrine,Disruptor, Endocrine,Disruptors, Endocrine,Effect, Endocrine Disruptor,Effects, Endocrine Disruptor

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