Endocrine disrupters — testing strategies to assess human hazard

Endocrine disrupting compounds and other emerging contaminants in the environment: A survey on new monitoring strategies and occurrence data

“…These in vitro assays enable assessment of total biological activity of a sample integrating possible interactions among chemicals that act through the same mode of action and therefore offer the possibility of providing an early screen prior to targeted chemical analysis. Several review papers give summary of in vitro assays used for the assessment of the estrogenic potential of natural and synthetic estrogens and xenoestrogens, including details on mechanisms, performances, applications, advantages and limitations [14,15,16,17]. In most cases these in vitro assays were used to assess the estrogenic/antiestrogenic potential of pure compounds and less often for the analysis of real environmental samples.…”

“…A comparison study showed that the relative estrogenic potency of complex environmental mixtures determined with different assays having a different end point might vary greatly [15], not predicting reliably the outcome of in vivo testing due to differences in metabolic capabilities of the test systems. Therefore, a battery of tests, including both in vitro and in vivo assays that assess both receptor and non-receptor mediated mechanisms of action, seems the most appropriate way to assess the potential of EDCs in complex environmental samples [17].…”

Comparative study of estrogenic potencies of estradiol, tamoxifen, bisphenol-A and resveratrol with two in vitro bioassays

“…In vitro bioassays can provide valuable insights on mechanisms of action but their capacity to mimic whole animal uptake, metabolism, distribution and targeting of estrogens is restricted. However, as a first estimate or/and a first screen to indicate the potential estrogenic/anti-estrogenic activity of the chemicals, in vitro tests are cost effective and useful, especially for large numbers of environmental samples (Zacharewski, 1997(Zacharewski, , 1998Ankley et al, 1998;Baker, 2001). In 1998, EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC) included a number of in vitro assays as possible components of the Tier 1 screening (T1S) battery to identify substances capable of interacting with endocrine system (USEPA, 1998a,b).…”

Development of Standardized in Vitro Assay System for Estrogen Receptors and Species Specificity of Binding Ability of 4-Nonylphenol and p-Octylphenol

“…oecd.org/home/). 6) For this purpose, a cheap and easy screening method was required. However, the competitive assay system using radiolabeled estrogen needs special equipment and regulation for handling.…”