New endocrine disruptors: their importance in pediatric population

Abstract

Changes in the environment that have taken place during the last 40 years have generated frequent contacts with natural and synthetic chemical products with potential endocrine-disrupting roles; among them: the intensive use of pesticides after the introduction of DDT, the petrochemical derivatives of the plastic industry, the synthetic medicines and the growing market of clothes, cleaning products, cosmetics and motor vehicles. In every one of these groups there are signals of an endocrine-disrupting activity, whether direct or indirect.

Initial controversy dealt with products chemically similar to estrogens and with those with antiandrogenic and antithyroid activity because of their suspected harmful activity on DNA; more recently, new substances and life conditions have been introduced in the list of endocrine disruptors; although such substances do not damage the genome, they interact in inappropriate ways with enzymes and their metabolic pathways.

Among the potential harmful effects of these substances the following should be emphasized: intrauterine abnormalities due to damage of fetal tissues, changes of genital phenotype, several clinical manifestations during adolescence and potential effects on future generations.

Finally, there are substances that can modulate the endocrine and immune expressions of individuals as well as homeostasis, reproduction, development and behavior; they have effects on reproductive tissues, both male and female, fertility, thyroid function and the central nervous system.