Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Disease Endpoints

Abstract

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have significant impacts on biological systems, and have been shown to interfere with physiological systems, especially by disrupting the hormone balance. During the last few decades, EDCs have been shown to affect reproductive, neurological, and metabolic development and function and even stimulate tumor growth. EDC exposure during development can disrupt normal development patterns and alter susceptibility to disease. Many chemicals have endocrine-disrupting properties, including bisphenol A, organochlorines, polybrominated flame retardants, alkylphenols, and phthalates. These compounds have gradually been elucidated as risk factors for many diseases, such as reproductive, neural, and metabolic diseases and cancers. Endocrine disruption has been spread to wildlife and species that are connected to the food chains. Dietary uptake represents an important source of EDC exposure. Although EDCs represent a significant public health concern, the relationship and specific mechanism between EDCs and diseases remain unclear. This review focuses on the disease-EDC relationship and the disease endpoints associated with endocrine disruption for a better understanding of the relationship between EDCs-disease and elucidates the development of new prevention/treatment opportunities and screening methods.

Keywords: endocrine disrupting chemical; endocrine system; endocrine-related diseases.

Figure 1

Schematic overview of endpoints of diseases affected by Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Exposure to EDCs contributes significantly to the onset and progression of organ development and disorders such as reproductive, metabolic, neurologic, cardiovascular disease, and cancers; these EDCs include Bisphenol A (BPA), octylphenol (OP), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), ioxynil (IOX), diethylstilbestrol (DES), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).