Abstract
Phytoestrogens have been widely praised for their health-promoting effects, whereas synthetic environmental estrogens are considered a toxicological risk to human health. The aim of this study was therefore to compare in vitro the estrogenic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic profiles of three common estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals: the phytoestrogens 8-prenylnaringenine (8-PN) and genistein and the synthetic xenoestrogen tartrazine. As assessed by a yeast bioreporter assay and estrogen-dependent proliferative response in human mammary gland adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7), 8-PN showed the highest estrogen-like activity of the three compounds, followed by tartrazine and genistein. After 24-h incubation on MCF-7 cells, all three compounds exhibited low cytotoxicity in the lactate dehydrogenase assay and no genotoxicity in the micronucleus assay. These results demonstrate that 8-PN, genistein and tartrazine possess variable estrogenic activity but display little cellular toxicity in short-term tests in vitro. No difference between phytoestrogens and a synthetic xenoestrogen could be established.
Highlights
Chemicals known to interfere with the human endocrine system are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) (Roy et al 1997)
17β-estradiol, progesterone, tamoxifen, 8-PN and genistein were dissolved in ethyl alcohol (EtOH) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and the stock solutions were kept in a refrigerator for further analysis
We have evaluated the estrogenic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic profiles of selected natural and synthetic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) that are structurally similar to 17β-estradiol
Summary
Chemicals known to interfere with the human endocrine system are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) (Roy et al 1997). The structural similarity of certain categories of EDCs to estrogen allow them to act as estrogen mimics in the body, and they are called estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) (Roy et al 2009). Major EEDCs, including natural and synthetic chemicals, are present in our environment and food. Among these EEDCs, some compounds are ingredients of plants and called phytoestrogens, while others are synthetic xenoestrogens. Recent studies have revealed that beer can be a significant source of estrogenic activity to humans. This activity emanates from a prenylflavanone, 8-PN. The estrogenic activity of 8PN in vitro has proven to be greater than that of established phytoestrogens such as coumestrol, genistein, and daidzein (Matsumura et al 2005). In vitro and animal data have suggested that 8-PN has comparable binding activity to both estrogen receptor isoforms (ERα and ERβ). 8-PN can be produced from its precursor, xanthohumol, by intestinal microbial community of some, but not all, humans in large quantities, suggesting that even moderate beer consumption might be Environ Sci Pollut Res (2021) 28:27988–27997 able to induce health effects due to increased serum levels of 8-PN (Possemiers et al 2005)
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