title: Disruption of sex hormones and oxidative homeostasis in parturient women and their matching fetuses at an e-waste recycling site in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic waste (e-waste) disposal poses a major health concern in developing countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether prenatal exposure to e-waste pollutants affects sex hormones and oxidative status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parturient women living in an e-waste recycling site (exposed subjects, n = 46) and a reference site (referents, n = 44) were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with referents, the levels of sex hormones estradiol and progesterone were significantly elevated in exposed subjects (P<0.05); a significant increase in the mRNA levels of estrogen receptor alpha and beta, and a significant decrease in the mRNA levels of progesterone receptor were detected in exposed subjects (P<0.05); a significant increase in malondialdehyde, and suppression of the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (P<0.05) were observed in exposed subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results revealed that sex hormones and oxidative homeostasis were disrupted in pregnant women and their fetuses at the e-waste recycling site.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Kedi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003906:Developing Countries; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics; D012037:Refuse Disposal
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol