The impact of phthalate on reproductive function in women with endometriosis

Abstract

Background Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition in which stromal or glandular epithelium is implanted in extrauterine locations. Endometriosis causes detrimental effects on the granulosa cells, and phthalate interferes with the biological and reproductive function of endometrial cells at a molecular level. Methods This article retrospectively reviewed the studies on phthalate exposure and its relationship with endometriosis. A literature search was performed for scientific articles using the keywords “phthalate and endometriosis,” “endometriosis and granulosa cells,” “phthalate and granulosa cells,” and “phthalates and endometrial cells.” Results Endometriosis can affect cytokine production, steroidogenesis, cell cycle progression, expression of estrogen receptor‐α (ER‐α)/progesterone receptor (PR), and cause endoplasmic reticulum stress, senescence, apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress in the granulosa cells. Mono‐n‐butyl phthalate (MnBP) alters the expression of cytokines, cell cycle‐associated genes, ovarian stimulation, steroidogenesis, and progesterone production. Several in vitro studies have demonstrated that phthalate caused inflammation, invasion, change in cytokines, increased oxidative stress, viability, resistance to hydrogen peroxide, and proliferation of endometrial cells. Conclusion This might provide new insights about the impact of phthalate on the pathogenesis of endometriosis and its consequences on the ovarian function.

Phthalate monoesters affect membrane fluidity and cell-cell contacts in endometrial stromal cell lines

“…Previous studies unveiled DEHP-induced increase of migratory properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human endometrial and endometriotic epithelial cells (48) and in breast cancer cell lines (49), whereas both increased migration and EMT are associated with loss of cell-cell contacts and drop in cellular adhesion. In a wider context, our findings might also explain the reported positive correlation between the phthalate exposure and endometriosis (50,51), as the latter pathological condition is linked to the abnormal migratory properties of endometrial cells, as well as association of the phthalate exposure with adverse IVF outcomes (52,53), as cell-cell adhesion is crucial for embryo implantation.…”

Emergentes ambientais: alerta à proteção da saúde

“…Os disruptores endócrinos caracterizados como xenoestrógenos são denominados desta forma por determinarem efeitos nocivos no sistema genital e por interferirem na regulação endócrina de animais e humanos por mimetizarem a ação do hormônio 17β-estradiol (E2). Estudos prévios indicam que o piriproxifeno pode apresentar efeitos estrogênicos em organismos nãoalvo, como é o caso de organismos aquáticos Janz, 2003;Brouard;Guénon;Bouraima-Lelong, 2016;Ustundag et al, 2017;Gonçalves et al, 2018;Chou;Tzeng, 2021;Maharajan et al, 2020;Oliveira et al, 2021). As estruturas químicas do piriproxifeno e dos hormônios HJ III e estradiol acima mencionados estão representadas na Figura 2.…”