Abstract
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Tidsskrift | Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| Vol/bind | 64 |
| Udgave nummer | 10 |
| Sider (fra-til) | 708-714 |
| Antal sider | 7 |
| ISSN | 1351-0711 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - okt. 2007 |
Fingeraftryk
Dyk ned i forskningsemnerne om 'Xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum as marker of occupational pesticide exposure'. Sammen danner de et unikt fingeraftryk.Citationsformater
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver
}
I: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bind 64, Nr. 10, 10.2007, s. 708-714.
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum as marker of occupational pesticide exposure
AU - Andersen, Helle Raun
AU - Nielsen, Flemming
AU - Nielsen, Jesper Bo
AU - Kjaerstad, Mia Birkhoej
AU - Baelum, Jesper
AU - Grandjean, Philippe
PY - 2007/10
Y1 - 2007/10
N2 - Background: An increasing number of currently used pesticides are reported to possess oestrogen-like properties or to disturb the endocrine system in other ways. Objectives: To investigate if xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum can be used as a biomarker of the combined exposure to pesticides with oestrogen-like properties in an occupational setting. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from two separate cohorts representing non-pregnant and pregnant female greenhouse workers in Denmark. Serum samples from 270 non-pregnant women and 173 pregnant women were analysed for xeno-oestrogenic activity. A fraction containing major xeno-oestrogens but without pharmaceutical and endogenously produced oestrogens was isolated from each serum sample by solid-phase extraction and tested for oestrogenic response in a MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. The pesticide exposure for each woman was categorised as low, medium or high based on information collected by detailed interviews of the women and the employers. Results: In both cohorts, an exposure-associated increase in the xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was demonstrated. Among the pregnant women, the association between pesticide exposure and xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was statistically significant for women who had been at work within the last week, while no association was observed for women who had not been at work during the most recent week. Conclusions: The study illustrates the usefulness of this biomarker for qualitative assessment of the combined exposure to mixtures of oestrogen-like pesticides. Although the individual pesticides responsible for the xeno-oestrogenic response were not identified, the study demonstrates that, even within highly-controlled greenhouse operations, occupational exposure to oestrogen-like pesticides can result in detectable impacts on hormonal activity in the blood. Abbreviations: HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; E2, 17ß-oestradiol; PPE, personal protective equipment; RPE, relative proliferative effect; XE fraction, xeno-oestrogen fraction Exposure situations are often complex and involve several potentially interacting chemicals. Compounds with the same mode of action are likely to be additive.1-3 Development and use of exposure biomarkers is a valuable tool in environmental epidemiology, and a promising approach to complex exposures is to use biomarkers that integrate the response from several substances that affect the same target. Based on strong evidence from studies in wildlife and laboratory animals, there is increasing concern that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals may impair reproductive capability, disturb fetal development, and promote carcinogenesis in humans.4-6 A biomarker assessing the total exposure to xeno-oestrogens in serum samples was initially developed by Soto and Sonnenschein7 8 and this methodology has since been refined and used for measurement of the xeno-oestrogenic response in adipose tissue9 or in serum samples10-12 from populations with increased exposure to persistent, lipophilic pollutants. The approach used in this biomarker assay includes extraction of oestrogens from serum samples followed by separation of xeno-oestrogens from endogenous oestrogens, and the oestrogenic activity of the xeno-oestrogen fraction (XE fraction) is then determined in vitro. The focus so far has been on lipophilic, non-polar pollutants that are easily separated from the endogenous and pharmaceutical oestrogens. However, several polar substances, including some of the currently used pesticides, are also thought to possess oestrogenic properties in vitro13-15 and in vivo.16 The aim of this study was to investigate whether the biomarker approach for serum xeno-oestrogenic activity could be used to assess the mixed exposure to potentially oestrogenic pesticides in an occupational setting. We chose to examine female greenhouse workers in Denmark, where exposures generally are well controlled, although current safety procedures are not specifically aimed at preventing exposures to endocrine disruptors.
AB - Background: An increasing number of currently used pesticides are reported to possess oestrogen-like properties or to disturb the endocrine system in other ways. Objectives: To investigate if xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum can be used as a biomarker of the combined exposure to pesticides with oestrogen-like properties in an occupational setting. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from two separate cohorts representing non-pregnant and pregnant female greenhouse workers in Denmark. Serum samples from 270 non-pregnant women and 173 pregnant women were analysed for xeno-oestrogenic activity. A fraction containing major xeno-oestrogens but without pharmaceutical and endogenously produced oestrogens was isolated from each serum sample by solid-phase extraction and tested for oestrogenic response in a MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. The pesticide exposure for each woman was categorised as low, medium or high based on information collected by detailed interviews of the women and the employers. Results: In both cohorts, an exposure-associated increase in the xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was demonstrated. Among the pregnant women, the association between pesticide exposure and xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was statistically significant for women who had been at work within the last week, while no association was observed for women who had not been at work during the most recent week. Conclusions: The study illustrates the usefulness of this biomarker for qualitative assessment of the combined exposure to mixtures of oestrogen-like pesticides. Although the individual pesticides responsible for the xeno-oestrogenic response were not identified, the study demonstrates that, even within highly-controlled greenhouse operations, occupational exposure to oestrogen-like pesticides can result in detectable impacts on hormonal activity in the blood. Abbreviations: HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; E2, 17ß-oestradiol; PPE, personal protective equipment; RPE, relative proliferative effect; XE fraction, xeno-oestrogen fraction Exposure situations are often complex and involve several potentially interacting chemicals. Compounds with the same mode of action are likely to be additive.1-3 Development and use of exposure biomarkers is a valuable tool in environmental epidemiology, and a promising approach to complex exposures is to use biomarkers that integrate the response from several substances that affect the same target. Based on strong evidence from studies in wildlife and laboratory animals, there is increasing concern that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals may impair reproductive capability, disturb fetal development, and promote carcinogenesis in humans.4-6 A biomarker assessing the total exposure to xeno-oestrogens in serum samples was initially developed by Soto and Sonnenschein7 8 and this methodology has since been refined and used for measurement of the xeno-oestrogenic response in adipose tissue9 or in serum samples10-12 from populations with increased exposure to persistent, lipophilic pollutants. The approach used in this biomarker assay includes extraction of oestrogens from serum samples followed by separation of xeno-oestrogens from endogenous oestrogens, and the oestrogenic activity of the xeno-oestrogen fraction (XE fraction) is then determined in vitro. The focus so far has been on lipophilic, non-polar pollutants that are easily separated from the endogenous and pharmaceutical oestrogens. However, several polar substances, including some of the currently used pesticides, are also thought to possess oestrogenic properties in vitro13-15 and in vivo.16 The aim of this study was to investigate whether the biomarker approach for serum xeno-oestrogenic activity could be used to assess the mixed exposure to potentially oestrogenic pesticides in an occupational setting. We chose to examine female greenhouse workers in Denmark, where exposures generally are well controlled, although current safety procedures are not specifically aimed at preventing exposures to endocrine disruptors.
KW - HPLC
KW - high performance liquid chromatography
KW - PPE, personal protective equipment
KW - RPE, relative proliferative effect
KW - XE fraction, xeno-oestrogen fraction
U2 - 10.1136/oem.2006.031070
DO - 10.1136/oem.2006.031070
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 17478572
SN - 1351-0711
VL - 64
SP - 708
EP - 714
JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 10
ER -