Project objectives:
Ultimate goal of the EURISKED project is to determine multi-organic effects of a variety of endocrine disrupters (EDs) and these are: OMC, Nonylphenol, 4-MBC,
Bisphenol A, Dibutylphtalate, Benzophenone-2, Procymidon Linuron, Resveratrol, 8-prenylnaringenin, genistein, estradiol-benzoat, androstandiol.
The plant derived substances and the plasticisers have been shown to be uterotropic, i.e. to have estrogenic effect in the uterus, while the 2 pesticides prevented
androgen stimulated prostate growth. Since these steroids, but also thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids have profound effects in many other organs outside
the reproductive tract it is a goal of this project to study these effect outside the reproductive tract. As a control, targets within the reproductive tract
need to be incorporated in the study design as well.
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Project
Summary:
ED's with steroidal or anti-steroidal effects may be of great importance during embryonic development and later for metabolic, brain, cardiovascular, reproductive,
and bone function. The effects of UV-absorbing chemicals (4-MDC, homosalate), characterised recently as estrogenic, and of Benzophenone D, a chemical used
in cosmetics, as well as the fungicide Procymidone and the pesticide Linuron will be studied in rats and gene-targeted mice. High throughput methods to identify
ED's with (anti) estrogenic (anti) androgenic, (anti) progestational, (anti) glucocorticoid, and (anti) thyroid hormone activities will be employed.
Gene-targeted cell lines and animals, including the EU-sponsored EUROSTERONE DNA chip, will seek to quantify both ED's and their effects on gene and protein
expression in different organs. This will lead to clear concepts for clinical trials towards the end of the project.
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Prof Paul Bardos