Title:Bone Disruption and Environmental Pollutants
Volume: 22
Issue: 7
Author(s): Raffaele Giannattasio*, Giuseppe Lisco, Vito Angelo Giagulli, Silvio Settembrini, Giovanni De Pergola, Edoardo Guastamacchia, Gaetano Lombardi and Vincenzo Triggiani*
Affiliation:
- ASL Napoli 1 Centro, DS 29, SPS San Gennaro, Service of Endocrinology, Via San Gennaro dei Poveri 25, 80136, Naples,
Italy
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine - Section of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Endocrinology and
Rare Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Policlinico of Bari, Bari, Italy
Keywords:
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, bone turnover, bone metabolism, bisphenol A, cadmium, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorobiphenyls, polyfluoroalkyl, perfluoroalkyl, phthalates, parabens, organotins.
Abstract:
Background: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous and may significantly
contribute to environmental pollution and contamination in humans and wildlife. Ecological
pollutants could interfere with bone homeostasis through different mechanisms, including hormonal
imbalance, direct osteoblast toxicity, and enhancement of osteoclasts activity, leading to either
osteopenia or osteoporosis. Among these chemicals, bisphenols, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
polychlorobiphenyls, poly- and perfluoroalkyl, phthalates, parabens, organotins, and
cadmium may play a role in the bone disruption.
Methods: Authors searched PubMed/MEDLINE, ISI-web of knowledge, and Google scholar
databases for medical subject headings terms and free-text words related to the classes mentioned
above of chemicals and bone metabolism and remodeling for better clarifying and understanding
the main mechanisms of bone disruption.
Results: Several EDCs act as xeno-estrogens. Considering that estrogens play a significant role in
regulating bone remodeling, most of these chemicals generate hormonal imbalance with possible
detrimental consequences on bone tissue structure and its mechanical and non-mechanical properties.
Discussion: Much evidence about bone disruptors was obtained from in vitro studies or animal
models with equivocal results. Besides, a few data have been acquired from humans, and most of
these data focused on the impact of EDCs on bone mineral density without considering their influence
on long-term fracture risk. Moreover, humans may be exposed to a mixture of EDCs, and the
final effect on bone metabolism might be attributable to either synergistic or antagonist effects.
Age of first exposure, cumulative exposure over time, and the usually observed non-monotonic
dose-response curve for EDCs should be considered as other essential variables influencing bone
metabolism's final effect.
Conclusion: Given these variables, observational studies are needed to analyze this issue for ecological
purposes better and preserve bone health.