Critical evaluation of observed adverse effects of endocrine active
substances on reproduction and development, the immune system, and the
nervous system
J. C. O'Connor and R. E. Chapin
DuPont Haskell Laboratory for Health and Environmental
Sciences, P.O.Box 50, Elkton Road, Newark, DE 19714, USA; Pfizer, Inc.,
Drug Safety Evaluation, MS 8274-1336, Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT
06340-8014, USA
Abstract: The last 40 years have seen many reports that man-made
chemicals and environmental pollutants cause adverse effects in humans
and wildlife; however, actually linking an exposure with a mechanism
and an effect has yet to be done for endocrine disruption. Certainly,
studies in experimental animals have shown that sufficient doses of
select compounds can disrupt the endocrine system and produce the attendant
adverse outcomes. The purpose of this contribution is to evaluate some
of the recent reports of the adverse effects on reproduction and development,
the immune system, and the nervous system that have been observed in
experimental animals after treatment with man-made chemicals and environmental
pollutants. Space limitations prevent us from presenting a comprehensive
review of all reported endocrine active chemicals and their effects.
Instead, we have focused on drawing conclusions as to the scope and
etiology of the adverse effects in experimental animals using examples
from the scientific literature, and on suggesting a path forward for
further work.
*Report from a SCOPE/IUPAC project: Implication of
Endocrine Active Substances for Human and Wildlife (J. Miyamoto and
J.Burger, editors). Other reports are published in this issue,
pp. 1617-2615.
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