The Effects of the Endocrine Disruptors Dithiocarbamates on the Mammalian Ovary with Particular Regard to Mancozeb

Abstract

Many human-made chemicals are called endocrine disruptors (EDs) because they have the potential to disrupt endocrine functions in exposed organisms. Many EDs can disrupt hormonal homeostasis by interfering with hormone receptor recognition, binding and activation, while others act by still unknown mechanisms. Among the EDs specifically affecting the female reproductive system, those with steroidogenic/antisteroidogenic effects have been extensively studied and the mechanisms of toxicity clarified also at molecular level. For many others, information is restricted to few epidemiological data and in vivo/in vitro experiments with animal models. This is the case of the dithiocarbamates, and in particular of the fungicide mancozeb, an ethylenedithiocarbamate widely used to protect fruit and vegetables, ginseng included, because of its low acute toxicity in humans. Although the mechanism(s) by which mancozeb may specifically act on female reproductive organs are largely unknown, data on experimental animals in vivo have demonstrated that the fungicide can induce several disturbances on estrus cycle. When used in vitro at concentrations considered too low to cause human health injuries, the fungicide impairs mouse embryo development and meiotic spindle assembly. The possibility that the female germ cell (the oocyte) could be a specific target of mancozeb suggests a role for this fungicide as probable inductor of infertility also in exposed human populations.

Gender-linked haematopoietic and metabolic disturbances induced by a pesticide mixture administered at low dose to mice

“…Moreover a receptor-mediated effect of androgens on lymphoid cell development has also been observed (Olsen and Kovacs, 2001). It is noteworthy that many pesticides display hormonal activities and have thus been classified as endocrine disruptors (Klotz et al, 1996;Okubo et al, 2004;Schulze and Shivdasani, 2005;Manabe et al, 2006;Cecconi et al, 2007). One can suppose that these compounds interact in this way on haematopoiesis.…”

Protective effects of resveratrol against mancozeb induced apoptosis damage in mouse oocytes

“…Previous studies have associated mancozeb with decreased female reproductive competency, with the evidence of increase in the number of atretic follicles [31], a general impairment of estrus cycle [32] , pathological changes in the gonads and uterus [14], and disruption of oocyte maturation [9]. In this study, we investigated more details about the toxic effects of mancozeb on reproductive performance via apoptotic relative events.…”

Technologies for the Production of Fertilizable Mammalian Oocytes

“…Pesticides may also exert a pivotal role in compromising female infertility. For example, mancozeb and lindane, two endocrine disruptors widely used in agriculture, are able to dramatically jeopardize the production of fertilizable oocytes [19][20][21][22][23].…”