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Review
. 2020 Feb 23;21(4):1519.
doi: 10.3390/ijms21041519.

Oestrogenic Endocrine Disruptors in the Placenta and the Fetus

Zi-Run Tang  1 , Xue-Ling Xu  1 , Shou-Long Deng  2   3 , Zheng-Xing Lian  1 , Kun Yu  1
Affiliations
Review

Oestrogenic Endocrine Disruptors in the Placenta and the Fetus

Zi-Run Tang et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous substances that interfere with the stability and regulation of the endocrine system of the body or its offspring. These substances are generally stable in chemical properties, not easy to be biodegraded, and can be enriched in organisms. In the past half century, EDCs have gradually entered the food chain, and these substances have been frequently found in maternal blood. Perinatal maternal hormone levels are unstable and vulnerable to EDCs. Some EDCs can affect embryonic development through the blood-fetal barrier and cause damage to the neuroendocrine system, liver function, and genital development. Some also effect cross-generational inheritance through epigenetic mechanisms. This article mainly elaborates the mechanism and detection methods of estrogenic endocrine disruptors, such as bisphenol A (BPA), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), diethylstilbestrol (DES) and phthalates (PAEs), and their effects on placenta and fetal health in order to raise concerns about the proper use of products containing EDCs during pregnancy and provide a reference for human health.

Keywords: estrogenic endocrine disruptors; fetus; placenta.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The transfer routes of several endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the damages to pregnant women and fetuses. Pregnant women are exposed to EDCs from the air, food, and products which damage the placenta through body fluids, thereby causing health problems.
Figure 2
Figure 2
BPA action on placental growth. The arrow facing up indicates an increase, and the arrow facing down indicates a decrease, due to BPA. Bisphenol A increases the secretion of hCG and cell apoptosis, or activates the ERK signaling pathway to reduce estradiol and progesterone hormones, and also inhibits the expression of Wnt2/β-catenin. On the other hand, BPA can increase the levels of Bcl-2 and Hsp70 and reduce the level of HIF-1α to reduce apoptosis.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A schematic illustrating the effects of phthalates on placental growth. Phthalates activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), which is associated with placental development, or modulate the combination of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways, then regulate proliferation, survival, and differentiation in the body.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms