editorial the impact of endocrine disruptors on endocrine ...i. woc awek-potocka et al. in their...

Hindawi Publishing CorporationInternational Journal of EndocrinologyVolume 2013, Article ID 340453, 2 pageshttp://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/340453

EditorialThe Impact of Endocrine Disruptors on Endocrine Targets

Ewa L. Gregoraszczuk1 and Radmila Kovacevic2

1 Department of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Krakow, Poland2Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, Serbia

Correspondence should be addressed to Ewa L. Gregoraszczuk; [email protected]

Received 18 June 2013; Accepted 18 June 2013

Copyright © 2013 E. L. Gregoraszczuk and R. Kovacevic. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative CommonsAttribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work isproperly cited.

The potential effect of the so-called endocrine disruptors(EDCs) or xenoestrogens on human health and the proveneffect on wildlife have got considerable attention in thescientific community. Endocrine disruption represents oneof the most controversial environmental issues despite thefact that many substances, both natural and artificial, havebeen recognized to interfere with endocrine signaling path-ways. Such interactions have been documented both inlaboratory animal studies as well as in vitro. However, inhumans there is limited evidence of endocrine disruptioncaused by EDCs. EDCs are a large group of persistentorganic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated ethers(PBDEs), chloronaphtalenes (PCNs), and bisphenol A (BPA),stable, lipophilic pollutants that affect fertility and causeserious reproductive problems. Xenoestrogens are syntheticcompounds, but there are also numerous natural moleculesin food that exhibit estrogen-mimetic activities.These naturalmolecules are mainly phytoestrogens isoflavones, and themost consumed are genistein and daidzein. Additionally,certain mushrooms or fungi can contain estrogen-like com-pounds called mycoestrogens.

Xenoestrogens activities in oocyte, ovary, placenta, andmammary gland and in the consequent serious reproductiveproblems, including ototoxic action, lack of ovulation, pre-mature ovarian failure (POF), or polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS) are discussed in the review E. Gregoraszczuk and A.Ptak “Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: some actions of POPson female reproduction.”

G. Kerdivel et al., in their paper “Assessment and molec-ular actions of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that interferewith estrogen receptor pathways” discuss different molecularactions of some of the major xenoestrogens found in foodor the environment and summarize the current modelsused to evaluate environmental estrogens. This paper isaccompanied by clinical study of Caserta et al. “Correlationof endocrine disrupting chemicals serum levels and white bloodcells gene expression of nuclear receptors in a population ofinfertile women” compares the internal exposure to bisphenolA (BPA), perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS), perfluorooc-tanoic acid (PFOA), monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), anddi(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in serum samples of 111infertile women and 44 fertile women and analyses levels ofgene expression of nuclear receptors (ER𝛼, ER𝛽, AR, AhR,PXR, and PPAR𝛾) as biomarkers of effective dose.

Two of the papers deal with aspects of alkylphenols actionas endocrine disruptors.

The paper by B. Yi et al. “Association between endocrinedisrupting phenols in colostrums and maternal and infanthealth” showed that most neonates who are exposed toBPA rather than NP or OP via colostrum are recom-mended continuous biomonitoring of the phenols to clar-ify their suspected health risk on neonates and pregnantor gestation mothers. Furthermore, A. Hejmej in theirpaper “Photoperiod-dependent effects of 4-tert-octylphenol onadherens and gap junction proteins in bank vole seminiferoustubules” evaluating in vivo and in vitro effects of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) on the expression and distribution ofadherens and gap junction proteins, N-cadherin, 𝛽-catenin,and connexin 43 (Cx43), in testes showed that long-term

2 International Journal of Endocrinology

treatment with OP resulted in the reduction of junctionproteins expressions independent of FSH indicating that OPacts directly on adherens and gap junction proteins in thetestes.

I. Wocławek-Potocka et al. in their paper “Diverse effectsof phytoestrogens on the reproductive performance: cow as amodel” review how exposure of soybean-derived phytoestro-gens can have adverse effects on reproductive performancein female adults. Authors suggest that these findings shouldbe specially taken into considerationwhen recommendationsare made regarding dietary or therapeutic phytoestrogenintake in humans. Particularly that they are commonlyrecognized as therapeutic compounds.

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are new player asendocrine disruptors. Data concerning their potency andaction on ovarian function are scarce. Dr J. Barc et al. in theirpaper “Action of halowax 1051 on enzymes of phase I (CYP1A1)and phase II (SULT1A and COMT) metabolism in the pigovary” describe local ovarian metabolism of PCNs in ovariantissue and suggest that fast activation of phase I enzymes withsimultaneous inhibition of phase II enzymes indicates thatandrogenic action of PCNs on follicular steroidogenesis maypartially result from metabolite action occurring locally inovarian follicles.

To complete the issue, B. Ayala-Garcıa et al. revise currentknowledge about the epigenetic mechanisms that underliethe effects of EDs on phenotypic variability and plasticityto stress the value of using the information derived fromexperimentswith EDs to unveil themechanisms that underliephenotypic variability and speciation through epigeneticphenotypic plasticity.

Taking into account that in this special issue have beenpublished review articles, research articles and clinical stud-ies, we hope that the information published in this specialissue enriches the knowledge of our readers and scholarsinterested in the influence of xenobiotics on human health.

Ewa L. GregoraszczukRadmila Kovacevic

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