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Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023

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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 (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 11028

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hideko Sone

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Guest Editor

1. Environmental Health and Drug Department, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, 601 Matano-cho, Totsuka, Yokohama 2450066, Japan
2. National Institute for Environmental Studies, Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 3058506, Ibraki, 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 on 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, on animal and human studies, and on studies focusing on how to further investigate the effects (ex. epigenetics, 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
chemicals
human health
omics
growth
puberty
metabolism
neurodevelopment
prevention
oncogenesis

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 3002 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Short-Term Exposure to Benzo(a)Pyrene Causes Disruption of GnRH Network in Zebrafish Embryos

by Ilaria Gentile, Valeria Vezzoli, Sara Martone, Maria Grazia Totaro, Marco Bonomi, Luca Persani and Federica Marelli

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 6913; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24086913 - 7 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1368

Abstract

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is considered a common endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) with mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. In this work, we evaluated the effects of BaP on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) of zebrafish embryos. The embryos were treated with 5 and 50 nM BaP from 2.5 to 72 hours post-fertilization (hpf) and obtained data were compared with those from controls. We followed the entire development of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH3) neurons that start to proliferate from the olfactory region at 36 hpf, migrate at 48 hpf and then reach the pre-optic area and the hypothalamus at 72 hpf. Interestingly, we observed a compromised neuronal architecture of the GnRH3 network after the administration of 5 and 50 nM BaP. Given the toxicity of this compound, we evaluated the expression of genes involved in antioxidant activity, oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis and we found an upregulation of these pathways. Consequently, we performed a TUNEL assay and we confirmed an increment of cell death in brain of embryos treated with BaP. In conclusion our data reveal that short-term exposure of zebrafish embryos to BaP affects GnRH3 development likely through a neurotoxic mechanism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023)

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13 pages, 4246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developmental Exposure to DDT Disrupts Transcriptional Regulation of Postnatal Growth and Cell Renewal of Adrenal Medulla

by Nataliya V. Yaglova, Svetlana V. Nazimova, Sergey S. Obernikhin, Dibakhan A. Tsomartova, Valentin V. Yaglov, Ekaterina P. Timokhina, Elina S. Tsomartova, Elizaveta V. Chereshneva, Marina Y. Ivanova and Tatiana A. Lomanovskaya

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2774; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032774 - 1 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1380

Abstract

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is the most widespread persistent pollutant with endocrine-disrupting properties. DDT has been shown to disrupt secretory and morphogenetic processes in the adrenal cortex. The present investigation aimed to evaluate transcriptional regulation of postnatal growth of the adrenal medulla and formation of the pools necessary for self-renewal of medullary cells in rats that developed under low-dose exposure to DDT. The study was performed using male Wistar rats exposed to low doses of o,p’-DDT during prenatal and postnatal development. Light microscopy and histomorphometry revealed diminished medulla growth in the DDT-exposed rats. Evaluation of Ki-67 expression in chromaffin cells found later activation of proliferation indicative of retarded growth of the adrenal medulla. All DDT-exposed rats exhibited a gradual decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase production by adrenal chromaffin cells. Immunohistochemical evaluation of nuclear β-catenin, transcription factor Oct4, and ligand of sonic hedgehog revealed increased expression of all factors after termination of growth in the control rats. The DDT-exposed rats demonstrated diminished increases in Oct4 and sonic hedgehog expression and lower levels of canonical Wnt signaling activation. Thus, developmental exposure to the endocrine disruptor o,p’-DDT alters the transcriptional regulation of morphogenetic processes in the adrenal medulla and evokes a slowdown in its growth and in the formation of a reserve pool of cells capable of dedifferentiation and proliferation that maintain cellular homeostasis in adult adrenals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023)

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19 pages, 6484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Early-Life Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollutants Induced Anxiety-like Behaviors in Rats via Neurotransmitters and Neurotrophic Factors

by Chaw Kyi-Tha-Thu, Yuji Fujitani, Seishiro Hirano and Tin-Tin Win-Shwe

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010586 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1597

Abstract

Recent epidemiological studies have reported significantly increasing hospital admission rates for mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents, indicating more research is needed for evaluation of the etiology and possible reduction and prevention of these disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between perinatal exposure to traffic-related air pollutants and anxiety-like behaviors and alterations in neurological and immunological markers in adulthood using a rat model. Sprague Dawley pregnant rats were exposed to clean air (control), diesel exhaust (DE) 101 ± 9 μg/m³ or diesel exhaust origin secondary organic aerosol (DE-SOA) 118 ± 23 μg/m³ from gestational day 14 to postnatal day 21. Anxiety-related behavioral tests including open field tests, elevated plus maze, light/dark transition tests and novelty-induced hypophagia were performed on 10-week-old rats. The hippocampal expression of neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, and inflammatory molecular markers was examined by real-time RT-PCR. Anxiety-like behaviors were observed in both male and female rat offspring exposed to DE or DE-SOA. Moreover, serotonin receptor (5HT1A), dopamine receptor (Drd2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor A mRNAs were significantly decreased, whereas interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, heme oxygenase-1 mRNAs and microglial activation were significantly increased in both male and female rats. These findings indicate that brain developmental period exposure to traffic-related air pollutants may induce anxiety-like behaviors via modulation of neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, and immunological molecular markers, triggering neuroinflammation and microglia activation in rats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023)

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Review

Jump to: Research

27 pages, 2376 KiB

Open AccessReview

Human Exposure to Bisphenols, Parabens, and Benzophenones, and Its Relationship with the Inflammatory Response: A Systematic Review

by Francisco Manuel Peinado, Luz María Iribarne-Durán and Francisco Artacho-Cordón

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087325 - 15 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1812

Abstract

Bisphenols, parabens (PBs), and benzophenones (BPs) are widely used environmental chemicals that have been linked to several adverse health effects due to their endocrine disrupting properties. However, the cellular pathways through which these chemicals lead to adverse outcomes in humans are still unclear, suggesting some evidence that inflammation might play a key role. Thus, the aim of this study was to summarize the current evidence on the relationship between human exposure to these chemicals and levels of inflammatory biomarkers. A systematic review of peer-reviewed original research studies published up to February 2023 was conducted using the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. A total of 20 articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Most of the reviewed studies reported significant associations between any of the selected chemicals (mainly bisphenol A) and some pro-inflammatory biomarkers (including C-reactive protein and interleukin 6, among others). Taken together, this systematic review has identified consistent positive associations between human exposure to some chemicals and levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, with very few studies exploring the associations between PBs and/or BPs and inflammation. Therefore, a larger number of studies are required to get a better understanding on the mechanisms of action underlying bisphenols, PBs, and BPs and the critical role that inflammation could play. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023)

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64 pages, 1589 KiB

Open AccessReview

Application of In Vitro Models for Studying the Mechanisms Underlying the Obesogenic Action of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) as Food Contaminants—A Review

by Monika Kowalczyk, Jakub P. Piwowarski, Artur Wardaszka, Paulina Średnicka, Michał Wójcicki and Edyta Juszczuk-Kubiak

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(2), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021083 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4025

Abstract

Obesogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) belong to the group of environmental contaminants, which can adversely affect human health. A growing body of evidence supports that chronic exposure to EDCs can contribute to a rapid increase in obesity among adults and children, especially in wealthy industrialized countries with a high production of widely used industrial chemicals such as plasticizers (bisphenols and phthalates), parabens, flame retardants, and pesticides. The main source of human exposure to obesogenic EDCs is through diet, particularly with the consumption of contaminated food such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, milk, and dairy products. EDCs can promote obesity by stimulating adipo- and lipogenesis of target cells such as adipocytes and hepatocytes, disrupting glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, and impacting hormonal appetite/satiety regulation. In vitro models still play an essential role in investigating potential environmental obesogens. The review aimed to provide information on currently available two-dimensional (2D) in vitro animal and human cell models applied for studying the mechanisms of obesogenic action of various industrial chemicals such as food contaminants. The advantages and limitations of in vitro models representing the crucial endocrine tissue (adipose tissue) and organs (liver and pancreas) involved in the etiology of obesity and metabolic diseases, which are applied to evaluate the effects of obesogenic EDCs and their disruption activity, were thoroughly and critically discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2023)

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