Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy?
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are prevalent and ubiquitous in our environment and have substantial potential to compromise human and animal health. Amongst the chronic health conditions associated with EDC exposure, dysregulation of reproductive function in both females and males is prominen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.607539/full |
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| author | John E. Schjenken John E. Schjenken Ella S. Green Tenuis S. Overduin Chui Yan Mah Darryl L. Russell Sarah A. Robertson |
| author_facet | John E. Schjenken John E. Schjenken Ella S. Green Tenuis S. Overduin Chui Yan Mah Darryl L. Russell Sarah A. Robertson |
| author_sort | John E. Schjenken |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are prevalent and ubiquitous in our environment and have substantial potential to compromise human and animal health. Amongst the chronic health conditions associated with EDC exposure, dysregulation of reproductive function in both females and males is prominent. Human epidemiological studies demonstrate links between EDC exposure and infertility, as well as gestational disorders including miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. Animal experiments show EDCs administered during gestation, or to either parent prior to conception, can interfere with gamete quality, embryo implantation, and placental and fetal development, with consequences for offspring viability and health. It has been presumed that EDCs operate principally through disrupting hormone-regulated events in reproduction and fetal development, but EDC effects on maternal immune receptivity to pregnancy are also implicated. EDCs can modulate both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system, to alter inflammatory responses, and interfere with generation of regulatory T (Treg) cells that are critical for pregnancy tolerance. Effects of EDCs on immune cells are complex and likely exerted by both steroid hormone-dependent and hormone-independent pathways. Thus, to better understand how EDCs impact reproduction and pregnancy, it is imperative to consider how immune-mediated mechanisms are affected by EDCs. This review will describe evidence that several EDCs modify elements of the immune response relevant to pregnancy, and will discuss the potential for EDCs to disrupt immune tolerance required for robust placentation and optimal fetal development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:58:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a56eca7531943a79b6c50cf4c56a7af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2392 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:58:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a56eca7531943a79b6c50cf4c56a7af2022-12-21T20:20:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922021-04-011210.3389/fendo.2021.607539607539Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy?John E. Schjenken0John E. Schjenken1Ella S. Green2Tenuis S. Overduin3Chui Yan Mah4Darryl L. Russell5Sarah A. Robertson6Adelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaPriority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights and the University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, AustraliaAdelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAdelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAdelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAdelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAdelaide Medical School and The Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaEndocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are prevalent and ubiquitous in our environment and have substantial potential to compromise human and animal health. Amongst the chronic health conditions associated with EDC exposure, dysregulation of reproductive function in both females and males is prominent. Human epidemiological studies demonstrate links between EDC exposure and infertility, as well as gestational disorders including miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. Animal experiments show EDCs administered during gestation, or to either parent prior to conception, can interfere with gamete quality, embryo implantation, and placental and fetal development, with consequences for offspring viability and health. It has been presumed that EDCs operate principally through disrupting hormone-regulated events in reproduction and fetal development, but EDC effects on maternal immune receptivity to pregnancy are also implicated. EDCs can modulate both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system, to alter inflammatory responses, and interfere with generation of regulatory T (Treg) cells that are critical for pregnancy tolerance. Effects of EDCs on immune cells are complex and likely exerted by both steroid hormone-dependent and hormone-independent pathways. Thus, to better understand how EDCs impact reproduction and pregnancy, it is imperative to consider how immune-mediated mechanisms are affected by EDCs. This review will describe evidence that several EDCs modify elements of the immune response relevant to pregnancy, and will discuss the potential for EDCs to disrupt immune tolerance required for robust placentation and optimal fetal development.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.607539/fullendocrine disrupting compoundsreproductionreproductive immunologypregnancyfetal tolerancedevelopmental origins of health and disease |
| spellingShingle | John E. Schjenken John E. Schjenken Ella S. Green Tenuis S. Overduin Chui Yan Mah Darryl L. Russell Sarah A. Robertson Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? Frontiers in Endocrinology endocrine disrupting compounds reproduction reproductive immunology pregnancy fetal tolerance developmental origins of health and disease |
| title | Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? |
| title_full | Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? |
| title_fullStr | Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? |
| title_short | Endocrine Disruptor Compounds—A Cause of Impaired Immune Tolerance Driving Inflammatory Disorders of Pregnancy? |
| title_sort | endocrine disruptor compounds a cause of impaired immune tolerance driving inflammatory disorders of pregnancy |
| topic | endocrine disrupting compounds reproduction reproductive immunology pregnancy fetal tolerance developmental origins of health and disease |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.607539/full |
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