background: vitamin d plays a critical role in the regulation of growth and differentiation of squamous epithelium. the pleiotropic effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin d3 [1,25(oh)2d3], include proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and pro-differentiation effects on numerous cell types. although 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin d3 is involved in the regulation and differentiation of epithelium, there is no data in t...

The prevalence of autoimmune diseases has significantly increased over the recent years. It has been proposed that this epidemiological evidence could be in part attributable to environmental estrogens, compounds that display estrogen-like activity and are ubiquitously present in the environment. Environmental estrogens can be found in a wide variety of foods: phytoestrogens occur in plants suc...

The estrogenic equivalent analysis that Dr. Safe presented recently in EHP (103:346-351) is a welcome addition to the literature , and development of this toxicologic approach is an important step in evaluating new endpoints for environmental agents (1,2). The hormonal potential of chemical contaminants offers many opportunities for further research, including study of the environmental etiolog...

The removal mechanisms and extent of degradation 28 chemicals (triclosan, fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, four estrogens, eight polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners) in different biological treatment systems [activated sludge, up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) waste stabilization pond (WSP)] was investigated to provide insights into the limits engineered systems. This...

In order to clarify the mechanism of antiatherogenic action of several steroids such as estrogens, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dexamethasone, we investigated the effects of various steroids on the copper (Cu2+)-catalyzed oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) in 0.15 M NaCl by measuring thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). At a concentrati...

In this article we report a simple and efficient method for detecting nonsteroidal estrogens in a biologic sample. This method uses polyclonal antibodies to estradiol (E2) to immunoprecipitate these major biologically active steroidal estrogens, leaving behind the nonsteroidal estrogens, which are then detected in a cell-based transcriptional activation bioassay for estrogen receptor agonist. T...

Estrogens are clearly carcinogenic in humans and rodents but the mechanisms by which these hormones induce cancer are only partially understood. Stimulation of cell proliferation and gene expression by binding to the estrogen receptor is one important mechanism in hormonal carcinogenesis; however, estrogenicity is not sufficient to explain the carcinogenic activity of all estrogens because some...

The involvement of estrogens in carcinogenic processes within estrogen-responsive tissues has been recognized for a number of years. Classically, mitogenicity associated with estrogen receptor-mediated cellular events was believed to be the mechanism by which estrogens contributed to carcinogenesis. Recently, the possibility that estrogens might contribute directly to mutagenesis resulting from...

Andrew Glasnapp, RPh, FIACP, PharmD Professional Compounding Centers of America, Inc. 9901 S. Wilcrest, Houston, TX 77099 The average age of women at menopause has remained approximately 50.4 years for centuries.1 Thus, women today may spend 30% of their lives with reduced ovarian hormonal concentrations. It is estimated that 75% to 85% may develop symptoms secondary to this hormonal decline th...

Several chronic liver diseases are characterized by a clear gender disparity. Among them, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows significantly higher incidence rates in men than women. The different epidemiological distribution of risk factors for disease and HCC only partially accounts these differences. In fact, the is an organ with recognized sexual dysmorphism extremely sensitive to action an...