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REVIEW article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Reproduction
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1435121

Which is the current knowledge on man-made endocrine-disrupting chemicals in follicular fluid? An overview of effects on ovarian function and reproductive health

Provisionally accepted
Anna-Mariia Shulhai Anna-Mariia Shulhai 1Valentina Bianco Valentina Bianco 1Valentina Donini Valentina Donini 2Susanna M. Esposito Susanna M. Esposito 3Maria E. Street Maria E. Street 3*
  • 1 University of Parma, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
  • 2 University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
  • 3 Unit of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University and University Hospital of Parma,, Parma, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The increase in female reproductive disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and diminished ovarian reserve that lead to subfertility and infertility, has encouraged researchers to search and discover their underlying causes and risk factors. One of the crucial factors that may influence the increasing number of reproductive issues is environmental pollution, particularly exposure to man-made endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can interfere with the ovarian microenvironment, impacting not only granulosa cell function but also other surrounding ovarian cells and follicular fluid (FF), which all play essential roles for oocyte development, maturation, and overall reproductive function. FF surrounds developing oocytes within an ovarian follicle and represents a dynamic milieu. EDCs are usually found in biological fluids, and FF is therefore of interest in this respect. This narrative review examines the current knowledge on specific classes of EDCs, including industrial chemicals, pesticides, and plasticizers, and their known effects on hormonal signaling pathways, gene expression, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress induction, and inflammation in FF. We describe the impact of EDCs on the development of reproductive disorders, oocyte quality, menstrual cycle regulation, and their effect on assisted reproductive technique outcomes. The potential transgenerational effects of EDCs on offspring through animal and first-human studies has been considered also. While significant progress has been made, the current understanding of EDCs' effects on ovarian function, particularly in humans, remains limited, underscoring the need for further research to clarify actions and effects of EDCs in the ovary.

    Keywords: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, EDCs, Follicular Fluid, Female fertility, Ovary, Oocytes

    Received: 19 May 2024; Accepted: 11 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Shulhai, Bianco, Donini, Esposito and Street. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Maria E. Street, Unit of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University and University Hospital of Parma,, Parma, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.