Hygiena 2012, 57(1):27-29

Exposure to Xenobiotics of the Endocrine Disruptors Family and Related Health Risks

Vladimír Bencko

Univerzita Karlova v Praze, 1. lékařská fakulta, Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze

Industrial emissions contain a wide spectrum of xenobiotics threatening human and animal health including endocrine disruptors which interfere with signalling systems of cells. This group of xenobiotics cause damage to health not only to present generation but constitutes a potential risk to health of generations to come. The first group of that xenobiotics discovered were those influencinng signalling pathways of estrogens. Up today it has been proven experience that some of the family of xenobiotics have adverse effects on signalling pathways of steroidsteroid hormons and thyroideal ones. Endocrine disruptors can act on several etages of the signalling pathways including alterations at the level of endocrine glands producing hormons, by influencing homeostase regulating enzymes or by the modification of transcription of responses induced by hormones themselves in target organs or tissues. The lines follows are a substantially condensed information about the present state of research on endocrine distuptors and outline of the potential chances and obstacles in this research field.

Keywords: endocrine disruptors (ECD), exposure to xenobiotics, health risks

Received: September 2011; Accepted: October 13, 2011; Published: March 1, 2012  Show citation