Molecular mechanisms of endocrine disruptors: Interference with the endocrine system activity

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are an heterogeneous group of compounds able to interfere with hormonal functions by mimicking the endogenous hormones. This feature makes them able to interact with different cellular and molecular targets that affect all the biological functions of organisms. Many EDCs have a structural similarity with several endogenous hormones and this allows them to interact physically with specific receptors even though with different binding affinities each time. In this review we have collected some of the various and manifold molecular mechanisms activated by EDCs. Of these, the receptor-mediated pathway prevails; it is based on the interaction with estrogen receptors (ERs). However, this is not the only way they can use to determine endocrine interference. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the existence of non-receptor and non-genomic pathways that are much faster and trigger a number of signal transduction pathways that control multiple cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation and motility. Finally, several EDCs affect the hypothalamus-pituitary axis and the hormonal systems involved in the thyroid and the adrenal glands. Their wide presence in the environment and the multiple exposure paths to which we are constantly subjected, make EDCs a very wide health problem. Determining the specific molecular mechanisms that they are able to activate is an important step in trying to reduce the risk associated with their presence in our daily lives.