title: How can chemical compounds alter human fertility?
abstract: The effects of environmental toxins, such as pesticides, solvents and industrial waste, on human and animal health have caused much public fear. The suggested mechanism of action for these xenobiotics is their capacity to interact with steroid hormones receptors, in particular those for estrogens and androgens. Concern was reinforced by the "historical" example of diethylstilbestrol, an estradiol mimetic causing genital cancer in girls exposed in utero. The real harm of these environmental xenobiotics is controversial. Some authors estimate that they do not reach sufficiently high concentrations to do damage and much experimental work has been done. In this review, we summarise the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of action of three environmental toxicants, xenohormones, dioxin and glycol ethers and compare animal and cell experimental model data with epidemiological studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Fécondation in vitro, Pavillon Jean d'Alsace, Antoine Béclère hospital, 157 rue de la porte de Trivaux, 92141, Clamart, France. massaad@kb.inserm.fr
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massaad
authors.forename: Frida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Entezami
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massade
authors.forename: Mouhamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benahmed
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olivennes
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barouki
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamamah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004147:Dioxins / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000009:adverse effects; D006728:Hormones / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000139:chemically induced*; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000009:adverse effects; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000187:drug effects; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006728:Hormones; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D015262:Xenobiotics; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D019855:Ethylene Glycol