Strengths and weaknesses of in vitro assays for estrogenic and androgenic activity.
The endocrine and reproductive effects of xenobiotics are believed to be due to (1) their mimicking the effects of endogenous hormones; (2) their antagonizing the effects of endogenous hormones; (3) their altering the pattern of synthesis and metabolism of natural hormones; and (4) their modifying hormone receptor levels. It has been suggested that endocrine disruptors may play a role in the decrease in human semen quantity and quality, an increase in the anomalies of male genital tract, and an increase in the testicular and breast cancer incidence during the last 50 years. Testing these hypotheses will require: (1) identifying estrogen and androgen agonists and antagonists among the chemicals present in the environment; (2) assessing the interactions among the endocrine disruptors to which humans are exposed; and (3) finding markers of estrogen (and androgen) exposure. The development of fast and sensitive bioassays is central to the achievement of these three goals.
Soto
Ana M
AM
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA. ana.soto@tufts.edu
Maffini
Maricel V
MV
Schaeberle
Cheryl M
CM
Sonnenschein
Carlos
C
D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000819:agonists / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000819:agonists
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen