title: Evaluation of estrogenicity of major heavy metals.
abstract: We have employed an estrogen receptor dependent transcriptional expression assay and E-Screen assay systems to evaluate the estrogenicity of various heavy metals and their species. Using the former, the following estrogenicity ranking was measured: bis(tri-n-butyltin)>cadmium chloride>antimony chloride>barium chloride=chromium chloride>lithium hydroxide>sodium selenate=lead acetate>stannous chloride. Using the latter, the following estrogenicity ranking was measured: bis(tri-n-butyltin)>cadmium chloride>antimony chloride>lithium hydroxide>barium chloride>sodium selenate>chromium chloride. Especially, bis(tri-n-butyltin), cadmium chloride, antimony chloride, lithium hydroxide, barium chloride, and chromium chloride showed estrogenicity in both assay systems. Recent studies suggesting that bis(tri-n-butyltin), cadmium chloride, and lithium hydroxide have estrogenicities are compatible with the present findings. Furthermore, our studies are the first to suggest that antimony, barium, chromium may be estrogenic. A range of estrogenicity was observed for different species of the same heavy metal. The results demonstrate that an estrogen receptor dependent transcriptional expression assay and the E-Screen assay systems could serve as a useful method to assess the estrogenicity of heavy metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Suck-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: So-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hae-Gyoung
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Younghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yangho
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000494:pharmacology; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects*; D012016:Reference Values; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D008156:Luciferases