Abstract
Xenoestrogens (XEs) are substances that imitate endogenous estrogens to affect the physiologic functions of humans or other animals. As endocrine disruptors, they can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds derived from diet, pesticides, cosmetics, plastics, plants, industrial byproducts, metals, and medications. By mimicking the chemical structure that is naturally occurring estrogen compounds, synthetic XEs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bisphenol A (BPA), and diethylstilbestrol (DES), are considered the focus of a group of exogenous chemical. On the other hand, nature phytoestrogens in soybeans can also serve as XEs to exert estrogenic activities. In contrast, some XEs are not similar to estrogens in structure and can affect the physiologic functions in ways other than ER-ERE ligand routes. Studies have confirmed that even the weakly active compounds could interfere with the hormonal balance with persistency or high concentrations of XEs, thus possibly being associated with the occurrence of the reproductive tract or neuroendocrine disorders and congenital malformations. However, XEs are most likely to exert tissue-specific and non-genomic actions when estrogen concentrations are relatively low. Current research has reported that there is not only one factor affected by XEs, but opposite directions are also found on several occasions, or even different components stem from the identical endocrine pathway; thus, it is more challenging and unpredictable of the physical health. This review provides a summary of the identification, detection, metabolism, and action of XEs. However, many details of the underlying mechanisms remain unknown and warrant further investigation.
Highlights
As endocrine disruptors, xenoestrogens (XEs) are substances that imitate endogenous estrogens to affect the physiologic functions of humans or other animals
1 male: 1 female, suggesting that exposure of zebrafish to estrogenic chemicals during sexual differentiation and early gametogenesis did not irreversibly alter phenotypic sex. These results suggest that functional reproductive capacity may be more sensitive than gross morphological endpoints in adult zebrafish exposed to XEs during sexual differentiation and early gametogenesis [173]
XEs can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds derived from sources, including diet, pesticides, cosmetics, plastics, plants, industrial byproducts, metals, and medications
Summary
Xenoestrogens (XEs) are substances that imitate endogenous estrogens to affect the physiologic functions of humans or other animals. 2021, 22, 4013 naturally occurring estrogen compounds, some XEs are considered the focus of a group plastics, plants, which fumes,can industrial byproducts, medications as oral of some exogenous chemical, be derived from the metals sourcesand as follows: diet, (such pesticides, contraceptives). An in vitro- in vivo model has been developed to demonstrate the carcinogenicity of natural estrogen 17β-estradiol and xenoestrogenic substances in human breast epithelial cells MCF-10F. In this model, hypermethylation of NRG1, STXBP6, BMP6, SS3, SPRY1, and SNIP were found at different progression phases. This overview provides a summary of the identification, detection, metabolism, and action of XEs
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