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    Identification of putative steroid receptor antagonists in bottled water : combining bioassays and high-resolution mass spectrometry

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    Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are man-made compounds interfering with hormone signaling and thereby adversely affecting human health. Recent reports provide evidence for the presence of EDCs in commercially available bottled water, including steroid receptor agonists and antagonists. However, since these findings are based on biological data the causative chemicals remain unidentified and, therefore, inaccessible for toxicological evaluation. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic activity of bottled water and to identify the causative steroid receptor antagonists. We evaluated the antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic activity of 18 bottled water products in reporter gene assays for human estrogen receptor alpha and androgen receptor. Using nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap Velos), we acquired corresponding analytical data. We combined the biological and chemical information to determine the exact mass of the tentative steroid receptor antagonist. Further MS(n) experiments elucidated the molecule's structure and enabled its identification. We detected significant antiestrogenicity in 13 of 18 products. 16 samples were antiandrogenic inhibiting the androgen receptor by up to 90%. Nontarget chemical analysis revealed that out of 24520 candidates present in bottled water one was consistently correlated with the antagonistic activity. By combining experimental and in silico MS(n) data we identified this compound as di(2-ethylhexyl) fumarate (DEHF). We confirmed the identity and biological activity of DEHF and additional isomers of dioctyl fumarate and maleate using authentic standards. Since DEHF is antiestrogenic but not antiandrogenic we conclude that additional, yet unidentified EDCs must contribute to the antagonistic effect of bottled water. Applying a novel approach to combine biological and chemical analysis this is the first study to identify so far unknown EDCs in bottled water. Notably, dioctyl fumarates and maleates have been overlooked by science and regulation to date. This illustrates the need to identify novel toxicologically relevant compounds to establish a more holistic picture of the human exposome

    Steroid Hormones and Endocrine Disruptors: Recent Advances in Receptor–Mediated Actions

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    It has been accepted that receptor-mediated action of steroid hormones depends on both the receptor and the hormonal level. The mechanism of transcription by steroid receptors is mediated by cofactors, which function as co-activators or co-repressors, while their non-genomic actions depend on receptors localized to the cell membrane. Recently, a number of environmental chemicals, which are now termed as endocrine disruptors, have been identified, and their unwanted effects on our lives have become serious problems all over the world. Their adverse effects on endocrine systems in animals, mostly estrogenic or anti-estrogenic, have resulted in reproductive malfunction and developmental disorders. Although aryl hydrocarbons exhibit estrogenic or anti- estrogenic activity through specific interaction with aryl hydrocarbon receptors, other chemicals seem to interact directly with estrogen receptors, α and β forms. In this paper, we surveyed the most recent understanding of endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. We suggest two potential mechanisms of action for endocrine disruptors. Endocrine distruptors i) directly associate with steroid receptor systems and/or ii) associate with the growth factor or the neurotransmitter receptor systems, and then upregulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades, leading to the ligand-independent activation of steroid receptor systems. Using these steroid receptor-dependent mechanisms, it appears that endocrine disruptors disorder our endocrine systems. We have proposed future suggestions to further understand endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. Key words: endocrine disruptors; receptor-mediated actions; steroid hormone

    Steroid Hormones and Endocrine Disruptors: Recent Advances in Receptor–Mediated Actions

    Get PDF
    It has been accepted that receptor-mediated action of steroid hormones depends on both the receptor and the hormonal level. The mechanism of transcription by steroid receptors is mediated by cofactors, which function as co-activators or co-repressors, while their non-genomic actions depend on receptors localized to the cell membrane. Recently, a number of environmental chemicals, which are now termed as endocrine disruptors, have been identified, and their unwanted effects on our lives have become serious problems all over the world. Their adverse effects on endocrine systems in animals, mostly estrogenic or anti-estrogenic, have resulted in reproductive malfunction and developmental disorders. Although aryl hydrocarbons exhibit estrogenic or anti- estrogenic activity through specific interaction with aryl hydrocarbon receptors, other chemicals seem to interact directly with estrogen receptors, α and β forms. In this paper, we surveyed the most recent understanding of endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. We suggest two potential mechanisms of action for endocrine disruptors. Endocrine distruptors i) directly associate with steroid receptor systems and/or ii) associate with the growth factor or the neurotransmitter receptor systems, and then upregulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades, leading to the ligand-independent activation of steroid receptor systems. Using these steroid receptor-dependent mechanisms, it appears that endocrine disruptors disorder our endocrine systems. We have proposed future suggestions to further understand endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. Key words: endocrine disruptors; receptor-mediated actions; steroid hormone
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