Serum hormone levels in humans with low serum concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD.
We measured current serum hormone and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) concentrations in 37 men who sprayed 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) in the State of Victoria, Australia. TCDD levels were consistently significantly inversely related to prolactin levels in all analyses. In correlation analyses, TCDD levels were also inversely related to triiodothyronine (T3), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and testosterone levels, and positively associated with glucagon levels. The mean serum TCDD concentration in these sprayers was between 2.6 and 8.1 parts per trillion (ppt). Since such TCDD levels are commonly found in the general population in countries such as the US, the results could suggest that background levels of TCDD in the general population could have an effect on hormone levels. The findings are preliminary and need to be replicated in order to evaluate their full public health significance.
Johnson
E
E
Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA. meatjoh@tulane.edu
Shorter
C
C
Bestervelt
L
L
Patterson
D
D
Needham
L
L
Piper
W
W
Lucier
G
G
Nolan
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D011634:Public Health; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D005934:Glucagon