Endocrine disrupting chemicals

The idea that xenobiotic chemicals could inappropriately modlate the endocrine system thereby causing detrimental effects n wildlife and humans was first proposed 20 years ago at the atershed Wingspread Conference [1,2]. These endocrine disruptng chemicals (EDCs) have long been controversial, with a great eal of discussion raging in the scientific literature. Much of this ontroversy has centered on the doses at which effects of EDCs an be observed and whether these doses are likely to be encounered in vivo. Perhaps not surprisingly, there is a sharp division f opinion among experts from academia (who are able to find ignificant effects at low, environmentally relevant chemical conentrations) and industry (who appear unable to demonstrate armful effects of EDCs at most any concentrations likely to be ncountered); this debate continues unabated [3]. In 2009, the ndocrine Society published a landmark Scientific Statement (the rst in their history) outlining the scientific evidence supporting he existence and detrimental effects of EDCs and underscoring hem as a significant concern for public health [4]. This position as been endorsed by the American Medical Association and the onsensus of opinion in the scientific community is that more ocused research is required to increase our understanding of the ffects of EDCs. Many aspects of EDCs have been reviewed in recent ears; therefore this special issue is focused on the latest develpments concerning pathways, targets and mechanisms for EDC ction, new insights into the effects of EDCs on key target tisues or processes and on new insights into the effects of known DCs. In industrialized countries obesity and related metabolic disases have exploded into a global epidemic in the past 20 years. xcessive consumption of unhealthy foods coupled with growng indolence are the generally accepted causes for obesity. The nvironmental obesogen hypothesis proposes that exposure to cerain EDCs during critical stages in development predisposes the xposed individual to weight gain and obesity [5]. Obesogens are hemicals that can influence obesity through a variety of potential echanisms and pathways. Prime among these is the peroxiome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR ) pathway. The inireview by Janesick and Blumberg highlights obesogens that ct through PPAR either directly, or indirectly [6]. An original esearch report from the same laboratory demonstrates that the besogen tributyltin chloride indeed exerts its adipogenic effects