Exposure to endocrine disrupters and nuclear receptor gene expression in infertile and fertile women from different Italian areas

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Sep 29;11(10):10146-64. doi: 10.3390/ijerph111010146.

Abstract

Within the PREVIENI project, infertile and fertile women were enrolled from metropolitan, urban and rural Italian areas. Blood/serum levels of several endocrine disrupters (EDs) (perfluorooctane sulfonate, PFOS; perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA; di-2-ethylhexyl-phthalate, DEHP; mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, MEHP; bisphenol A, BPA) were evaluated concurrently with nuclear receptors (NRs) gene expression levels (ERa, ERb, AR, AhR, PPARg, PXR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Infertile women from the metropolitan area displayed significantly higher levels of: BPA compared to fertile women (14.9 vs. 0.5 ng/mL serum); BPA and MEHP compared to infertile women from urban and rural areas; enhanced expression levels of NRs, except PPARg. Infertile women from urban and rural areas had PFOA levels significantly higher than those from metropolitan areas. Our study indicates the relevance of the living environment when investigating the exposure to EDs and the modulation of the NR panel in PBMC as a suitable biomarker of the effect, to assess the EDs impact on reproductive health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / blood
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / toxicity
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cities
  • Diethylhexyl Phthalate / blood
  • Diethylhexyl Phthalate / toxicity
  • Endocrine Disruptors / blood*
  • Endocrine Disruptors / toxicity
  • Environmental Exposure / analysis
  • Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
  • Environmental Pollutants / blood*
  • Environmental Pollutants / toxicity
  • Female
  • Fluorocarbons / blood*
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Female / chemically induced*
  • Infertility, Female / epidemiology
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Phenols / blood
  • Phenols / toxicity
  • Phthalic Acids / blood
  • Phthalic Acids / toxicity
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / blood
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Rural Population

Substances

  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Biomarkers
  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Fluorocarbons
  • Phenols
  • Phthalic Acids
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • phthalic acid
  • Diethylhexyl Phthalate
  • bisphenol A