Endocrine Disruption and In Vitro Ecotoxicology: Recent Advances and Approaches.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are man-made compounds interfering with hormone signaling. Omnipresent in the environment, they can cause adverse effects in a wide range of wildlife. Accordingly, Endocrine Disruption is one focal area of ecotoxicology. Because EDCs induce complex response patterns in vivo via a wide range of mechanisms of action, in vitro techniques have been developed to reduce and understand endocrine toxicity. In this review we revisit the evidence for endocrine disruption in diverse species and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Based on this, we examine the battery of in vitro bioassays currently in use in ecotoxicological research and discuss the following key questions. Why do we use in vitro techniques? What endpoints are we looking at? Which applications are we using in vitro bioassays for? How can we put in vitro data into a broader context? And finally, what is the practical relevance of in vitro data? In critically examining these questions, we review the current state-of-the-art of in vitro (eco)toxicology, highlight important limitations and challenges, and discuss emerging trends and future research needs.
Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, 60438, Germany. wagner@bio.uni-frankfurt.de.
Martin
M
Wagner
Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Eawag-EPFL, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Cornelia
C
Kienle
Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Eawag-EPFL, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Etiënne L M
ELM
Vermeirssen
Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, 60438, Germany.
Jörg
J
Oehlmann
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D023421:Models, Animal; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors
Bioanalytical tools; Bioassay; Effect-directed analysis; Endocrine-disrupting chemical; Mechanism of action; Risk assessment