About this Research Topic
Endocrine disruptors or endocrine disrupting chemicals are chemicals, natural or man-made, that interfere with endocrine function. Some of these disruptors are present in the ecosystem, as pollutants in the environment, or as a part of commonplace products. It is important to understand the impact of chemicals on our health, particularly within commonplace products that most of the population will come into contact with during their daily routines. As humans are typically exposed to multiple disruptors at the same time, assessing the effects on public health can be challenging.
This collection aims to present the advances and new findings on endocrine disrupting chemicals in Molecular and Structural Endocrinology. Impacts may be as a result of general lifetime exposure or exposure within a critical window of development e.g. early development or pregnancy. As endocrine function involves very small changes in hormone levels, even small amounts of endocrine disruptors can cause significant effects or dysfunction.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals with common or everyday use and potential for endocrine disruption include: pesticides, BPA in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins; Dioxins; PFAS in some textile coatings and cookware; phthalates to make food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, children’s toys, and medical devices; and PBDE in the flame-retardant treatment of furniture and carpet. We can be exposed to endocrine disruptors through our diet, the air, in water, or through our skin.
The editors welcome original research, reviews, and other accepted article types.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following:
• Novel signaling pathways for endocrine disruptors;
• Structural protein changes as a result of general exposure to endocrine disruptors;
• Detection methods for exposure to endocrine disruptors;
• Results of combined exposure to multiple endocrine disruptors;
• Changes in signaling pathways caused by endocrine disruptors exposure;
• Development of models to evaluate or identify endocrine disruptors.
This collection aims to present the advances and new findings on endocrine disrupting chemicals in Molecular and Structural Endocrinology. Impacts may be as a result of general lifetime exposure or exposure within a critical window of development e.g. early development or pregnancy. As endocrine function involves very small changes in hormone levels, even small amounts of endocrine disruptors can cause significant effects or dysfunction.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals with common or everyday use and potential for endocrine disruption include: pesticides, BPA in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins; Dioxins; PFAS in some textile coatings and cookware; phthalates to make food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, children’s toys, and medical devices; and PBDE in the flame-retardant treatment of furniture and carpet. We can be exposed to endocrine disruptors through our diet, the air, in water, or through our skin.
The editors welcome original research, reviews, and other accepted article types.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following:
• Novel signaling pathways for endocrine disruptors;
• Structural protein changes as a result of general exposure to endocrine disruptors;
• Detection methods for exposure to endocrine disruptors;
• Results of combined exposure to multiple endocrine disruptors;
• Changes in signaling pathways caused by endocrine disruptors exposure;
• Development of models to evaluate or identify endocrine disruptors.
Keywords: endocrine disruptors, molecular pathways, detection methods, exposure, EDC, signaling pathways
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
