Abstract
For long, natural organic matter (NOM) composed mainly of humic substances (HS) were regarded as inert in the ecosystems with respect to their possible chemical interaction with exposed organisms. However recently, NOM have been shown to elicit various adverse effects generally attributed to synthetic xenobiotics, including estrogenic effects translating into shifts of the gender ratios in populations. However, the anti/androgenic pathway was not yet evaluated. Here, we applied an anti/androgenic sensitive cell line MDA stably transfected with the firefly luciferase gene under transcriptional control of the androgen responsive element. With five out of twelve tested NOM preparations, particularly with soil and coal isolates, we identified a relatively high, concentration-dependent antiandrogenic effect. This appears to be the first study to show this endocrine disrupting pathway for a ubiquitous biogeochemical matrix, a potential activity which should not be neglected in forthcoming studies on synthetic endocrine disruptors in the environment.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.