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Environmental Epigenome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
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Environmental Epigenome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2025) | Viewed by 7112

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hideko Sone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Health and Prevention Research Unite, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, 601 Matano-cho, Totsuka, Yokohama 2450066, Japan
Interests: health and disease in humans and animals; risk assessment of cancer; reproduction; child development; objective methods for epidemiology; in vivo, in vitro and in silico; mechanism sciences; exposure sciences for food and drinking; use and application of stem cells in toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Knowledge is progressively building up related to the potential harm of chemical products to human health, and some agents have been shown to be able to alter endocrine functions, affecting the timing of puberty, fertility, adipose and glucose metabolism, thyroid function, and the control of appetite. Behavior and neurodevelopment are also affected. In order to proceed with the understanding and to be able to plan actions, the contribution of a multidisciplinary approach is of utmost importance.

This Special Issue will focus on basic knowledge, animal and human studies, and studies focusing on how to further investigate the effects (especially epigenetics, or omics in general) in order to obtain a full picture. Innovations and plans are welcome. Original papers, reviews, commentaries, and papers focusing on methods and methodology are all also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Hideko Sone
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endocrine disruptors
  • epigenetics
  • environmental epigenome
  • chemicals
  • human health
  • omics
  • metabolism
  • neurodevelopment
  • prevention
  • oncogenesis

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 7842 KiB  
Article
Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Organoids as a Novel In Vitro Platform for Developmental Neurotoxicity Assessment
by Tsunehiko Hongen, Kenta Sakai, Tomohiro Ito, Xian-Yang Qin and Hideko Sone
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12523; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312523 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 2127
Abstract
There has been a recent drive to replace in vivo studies with in vitro studies in the field of toxicity testing. Therefore, instead of conventional animal or planar cell culture models, there is an urgent need for in vitro systems whose conditions can [...] Read more.
There has been a recent drive to replace in vivo studies with in vitro studies in the field of toxicity testing. Therefore, instead of conventional animal or planar cell culture models, there is an urgent need for in vitro systems whose conditions can be strictly controlled, including cell–cell interactions and sensitivity to low doses of chemicals. Neural organoids generated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a promising in vitro platform for modeling human brain development. In this study, we developed a new tool based on various iPSCs to study and predict chemical-induced toxicity in humans. The model displayed several neurodevelopmental features and showed good reproducibility, comparable to that of previously published models. The results revealed that basic fibroblast growth factor plays a key role in the formation of the embryoid body, as well as complex neural networks and higher-order structures such as layered stacking. Using organoid models, pesticide toxicities were assessed. Cells treated with low concentrations of rotenone underwent apoptosis to a greater extent than those treated with high concentrations of rotenone. Morphological changes associated with the development of neural progenitor cells were observed after exposure to low doses of chlorpyrifos. These findings suggest that the neuronal organoids developed in this study mimic the developmental processes occurring in the brain and nerves and are a useful tool for evaluating drug efficacy, safety, and toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Epigenome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals)
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19 pages, 2577 KiB  
Article
Epigenetic Regulation of CXC Chemokine Expression by Environmental Electrophiles Through DNA Methyltransferase Inhibition
by Tomoki Tsuchida, Sho Kubota, Shizuki Kamiuezono, Nobumasa Takasugi, Akihiro Ito, Yoshito Kumagai and Takashi Uehara
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(21), 11592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111592 - 29 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1491
Abstract
Ubiquitously distributed environmental electrophiles covalently modify DNA and proteins, potentially leading to adverse health effects. However, the impacts of specific electrophiles on target proteins and their physiological roles remain largely unknown. In the present study, we focused on DNA methylation, which regulates gene [...] Read more.
Ubiquitously distributed environmental electrophiles covalently modify DNA and proteins, potentially leading to adverse health effects. However, the impacts of specific electrophiles on target proteins and their physiological roles remain largely unknown. In the present study, we focused on DNA methylation, which regulates gene expression and physiological responses. A total of 45 environmental electrophiles were screened for inhibitory effects on the activity of DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B), a key enzyme in DNA methylation, and four compounds were identified. We focused on 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ), an air pollutant whose toxicity has been reported previously. Interestingly, we found that 1,2-NQ modified multiple lysine and histidine residues in DNMT3B, one of which was near the active site in DNMT3B. It was found that 1,2-NQ altered gene expression and evoked inflammatory responses in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, we found that 1,2-NQ upregulated CXCL8 expression through DNA demethylation of the distal enhancer and promoted cancer cell growth. Our study reveals novel mechanisms of epigenetic regulation by environmental electrophiles through the inhibition of DNMT3B activity and suggests their physiological impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Epigenome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals)
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Review

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15 pages, 978 KiB  
Review
The Potential Metalloestrogenic Effect of Aluminum on Breast Cancer Risk for Antiperspirant Users
by Ewa Sawicka and Natalia Wiatrowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010099 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 2850
Abstract
The etiopathogenesis of breast cancer depends on genetic conditions, but recently more attention has been paid to the dependence of BC on certain environmental factors, for example, metalloestrogens, which include aluminum (Al) contained in antiperspirants used daily. The use of Al derivatives in [...] Read more.
The etiopathogenesis of breast cancer depends on genetic conditions, but recently more attention has been paid to the dependence of BC on certain environmental factors, for example, metalloestrogens, which include aluminum (Al) contained in antiperspirants used daily. The use of Al derivatives in antiperspirants in concentrations specified by the FDA, as well as European regulations (SCCS, 2020), do not classify Al as a hazardous and carcinogenic substance for humans. However, Al used to treat excessive sweating raises concerns, as many in vitro studies indicate that it can cause gene instability, change gene expression or increase oxidative stress, and also affect the body’s hormonal balance as a metalloestrogen. The environmental reality is that the breast is constantly exposed to many different chemicals, such as Al. This article reviews the literature to determine whether Al-based products can harm the body, as there are many facts and myths on the subject. The aim of the study is to present the current state of knowledge on the use of aluminum antiperspirants and the risk of breast cancer (BC). The article is based on data from the scientific literature, published in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, as well as Science Direct, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMbase. It includes articles published in the years 2003–2023 mainly in English. Literature databases regarding human and animal studies were searched. To sum up, evaluating the effect of Al as a risk factor for breast cancer requires many studies using different research models focused on long-term exposure to Al-containing antiperspirants. Consumers are advised to limit their exposure to Al by making a conscious choice to minimize exposure to this compound. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Epigenome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals)
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