TY - JOUR
T1 - Estrogenic effects in vitro and in vivo of the fungicide fenarimol
AU - Andersen, Helle Raun
AU - Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva C.
AU - Nielsen, Flemming
AU - Jarfeldt, Kirsten
AU - Jayatissa, Magdalena N.
AU - Vinggaard, Anne
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The fungicide fenarimol has the potential to induce endocrine disrupting effects via several mechanisms since it possesses both estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity and inhibits aromatase activity in cell culture studies. Hence, the integrated response of fenarimol in vivo is not easy to predict. In this study, we demonstrate that fenarimol is also estrogenic in vivo. causing significantly increased uterine weight in ovariectomized female rats. In addition, mRNA levels of the estrogen responsive gene lactoferrin (LF) were decreased in uteri, serum FSH levels were increased, and T3 levels decreased in fenarimol-treated animals. To our knowledge, only two other pesticides (o.p-DDT and methoxychlor) have previously been reported to induce an estrogenic response in the rodent uterotrophic bioassay. A pronounced xenoestrogenicity in serum samples from rats treated with fenarimol and estradiol benzoate (E2B) separately or in combination was observed, demonstrating the usefulness of this approach for estimating the integrated internal exposure to xenoestrogens. The MCF-7 cell proliferation assay was used to investigate further the dose-response curves for the estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and aromatase inhibiting properties of fenarimol in vitro. The results indicates that fenarimol exhibits a dual effect being aromatase inhibitor at low concentrations and estrogenic at higher concentrations.
AB - The fungicide fenarimol has the potential to induce endocrine disrupting effects via several mechanisms since it possesses both estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity and inhibits aromatase activity in cell culture studies. Hence, the integrated response of fenarimol in vivo is not easy to predict. In this study, we demonstrate that fenarimol is also estrogenic in vivo. causing significantly increased uterine weight in ovariectomized female rats. In addition, mRNA levels of the estrogen responsive gene lactoferrin (LF) were decreased in uteri, serum FSH levels were increased, and T3 levels decreased in fenarimol-treated animals. To our knowledge, only two other pesticides (o.p-DDT and methoxychlor) have previously been reported to induce an estrogenic response in the rodent uterotrophic bioassay. A pronounced xenoestrogenicity in serum samples from rats treated with fenarimol and estradiol benzoate (E2B) separately or in combination was observed, demonstrating the usefulness of this approach for estimating the integrated internal exposure to xenoestrogens. The MCF-7 cell proliferation assay was used to investigate further the dose-response curves for the estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and aromatase inhibiting properties of fenarimol in vitro. The results indicates that fenarimol exhibits a dual effect being aromatase inhibitor at low concentrations and estrogenic at higher concentrations.
KW - fungicide
KW - MCF-7 cell proliferation
KW - gene expression
KW - estrogen agonist
KW - uterotrophic
KW - fenarimol
U2 - 10.1016/j.toxlet.2005.10.004
DO - 10.1016/j.toxlet.2005.10.004
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0378-4274
VL - 163
SP - 142
EP - 152
JO - Toxicology Letters
JF - Toxicology Letters
IS - 2
ER -