PCBs as environmental estrogens: Turtle sex determination as a biomarker of environmental contamination

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.94102780· OSTI ID:6640659

Bergeron, J M; Crews, D ^[1]; McLachlan, J A ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
2. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread, low-level environmental pollutants associated with adverse health effects such as immune suppression and teratogenicity. There is increasing evidence that some PCB compounds are capable of disrupting reproductive and endocrine function in fish, birds, and mammals, including humans, particularly during development. Research on the mechanism through which these compounds act to alter reproductive function indicates estrogenic activity, whereby the compounds may be altering sexual differentiation. Here we demonstrate the estrogenic effect of some PCBs by reversing gonadal sex in a reptile species that exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination. 17 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6640659
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States) Vol. 102:9; ISSN EVHPAZ; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900 -- Pathology
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BODY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ESTROGENS
GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HORMONES
ONTOGENESIS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS
REPTILES
SEX
STEROID HORMONES
TOXICITY
TURTLES
VERTEBRATES