Exposure to chemicals may lead to early puberty in girls

Neuroscience News

Summary: New research reveals that girls exposed to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may experience early puberty, which is linked to various health risks.
These chemicals, including musk ambrette found in personal care products, can stimulate key receptors in the brain that control puberty.
Key Facts: EDCs like musk ambrette may trigger early puberty in girls.
Early puberty is linked to higher risks of obesity, diabetes, and breast cancer.
Musk ambrette is still found in some personal care products despite safety concerns.
Source: The Endocrine Society Girls exposed to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be more likely to start puberty early, according to new research published in Endocrinology, the flagship basic science journal of the Endocrine Society.
There has been an alarming trend toward early puberty in girls, suggesting the influence of chemicals in our environment.
Early puberty is associated with an increased risk of psychosocial problems, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer.
“Identification of Environmental Compounds That May Trigger Early Female Puberty by Activating Human GnRHR and KISS1R” by Natalie Shaw et al.
Endocrinology Abstract Identification of Environmental Compounds That May Trigger Early Female Puberty by Activating Human GnRHR and KISS1R There has been an alarming trend toward earlier puberty in girls, suggesting the influence of an environmental factor(s).

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According to recent research, girls who are exposed to specific endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may go through early puberty, which has been connected to a number of health risks. These substances can activate important brain receptors that regulate puberty, such as musk ambrette, which is present in personal care products.

According to the study, children who are exposed to these substances may experience an early activation of their reproductive system. To safeguard children’s health, researchers advise caution when using products containing unregulated chemicals.

Important Information:.

Girls may go through early puberty when exposed to EDCs like musk ambrette.

Higher risks of obesity, diabetes, and breast cancer are associated with early puberty.

Notwithstanding safety concerns, Musk ambrette is still present in certain personal hygiene products.

Endocrine Society is the source.

According to recent research published in Endocrinology, the premier basic science journal of the Endocrine Society, girls exposed to specific endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be more likely to experience an early onset of puberty. The endocrine system of the body is regulated by hormones, which EDCs either mimic, block, or interfere with.

Girls are showing an unsettling tendency toward early puberty, which may be related to chemicals in our surroundings. An increased risk of psychological issues, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer is linked to early puberty.

“Our team used human brain cells that control the reproductive axis to conduct a comprehensive screen of 10,000 environmental compounds with extensive follow-up studies. We identified several substances that may contribute to early puberty in girls,” stated Natalie Shaw, M.D, the study’s author. M. m. Sc. , of Durham, New Hampshire’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). C.

These substances include a class of drugs known as cholinergic agonists and musk ambrette, a fragrance found in some detergents, perfumes, and personal care products.

Shaw stated, “More research is needed to confirm our findings.”. However, there is a chance that exposure could cause children’s reproductive systems to become prematurely activated due to these compounds’ capacity to stimulate two important hypothalamic receptors: the kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R) and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR). “.

The study team states that because musk ambrette is present in personal care products and certain rat studies have indicated that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, it may be of concern. In their everyday lives, children are less likely to come into contact with cholinergic agonists.

Because musk ambrette can be toxic, use is restricted by regulations in Canada and Europe, while the U.S. S. The fragrance was taken off the Food and Drug Administration’s list of products that are “generally recognized as safe.”. Yet some personal care products still carry it on the market.

“This study indicates that it’s crucial for parents to use only federally regulated personal care products for their children out of an abundance of caution,” Shaw said.

The research team used a human cell line that overexpressed GnRHR or KISS1R to test a 10,000-compound library of approved medications, environmental pollutants, and dietary supplements that were part of the Tox21 screening protocol.

Using zebrafish and human hypothalamic neurons for follow-up analysis, they discovered that musk ambrette boosted the number of GnRH neurons and GnRH expression.

“Zebrafish and human hypothalamic neurons provide an effective model for identifying environmental substances that stimulate the KISS1R and GnRHR,” said co-author Menghang Xia, Ph.D. C. originated from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) in Bethesda, Maryland.

This study, which was the result of a multidisciplinary team effort, demonstrated how effectively we can cut the time and expense associated with evaluating environmental chemicals for potential health risks to humans. “.

In addition to Kamal Khan and Erica Davis of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, other study authors are Shu Yang, Li Zhang, Jameson Travers, Ruili Huang, Vukasin Jovanovic, Rithvik Veeramacheni, Srilatha Sakamuru, Carlos Tristan, Carleen Klumpp Thomas, and Anton Simeonov of NCATS. ; as well as Kristine Witt from the NIEHS Translational Toxicology Division.

Funding for the study was provided by NCATS and NIEHS.

pertaining to this news on endocrinology and neurodevelopment.

Colleen Williams wrote this.

The Endocrine Society is the source.

For contact, see The Endocrine Society’s Colleen Williams.

Picture: Neuroscience News is credited with this picture.

Original Study: Disclosed under open access.

Natalie Shaw and colleagues identified “Identification of Environmental Compounds That May Trigger Early Female Puberty by Activating Human GnRHR and KISS1R.”. Endocrinology.

Inabst.

Finding Environmental Substances That May Induce Early Female Puberty by Turning on Human GnRHR and KISS1R.

A worrying trend that suggests the influence of environmental factor(s) is the earlier onset of puberty in girls. Since gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin are hypothalamic neuropeptides thought to mediate the reactivation of the reproductive axis during puberty, we investigated whether an environmental compound might activate the GnRH receptor (GnRHR) or kisspeptin (KISS1R).

To screen the Tox21 10K compound library, a collection of pharmaceutical and environmental compounds, for GnRHR and KISS1R activation, we used HEK293 cells expressing GnRHR or KISS1R.

Phosphorylated extracellularly regulated kinase (p-ERK) detection assays and Ca2+ flux were used to identify antagonists. Molecular docking simulation and appropriate mouse or human cell lines were used for follow-up investigations, which involved measuring genes known to be upregulated upon receptor activation.

Once musk ambrette was administered to developing zebrafish larvae, it expanded the GnRH neuronal area and enhanced the expression of Gnrh1 in human and murine hypothalamic cells. Musk ambrette was discovered to be a KISS1R agonist. Musk ambrette interacts with the His309, Gln122, and Gln123 residues of the KISS1R, as shown by molecular docking.

GnRHR agonists are a class of cholinergic agonists that share structural similarities with methacholine. These agonists upregulated Fos, Jun, and/or Egr1 when administered to murine gonadotrope cells. A possible interaction between GnRHR and five agonists was discovered through molecular docking, and the most conservative GnRHR binding site is Asn305.

To sum up, we have discovered new environmental agents that might activate the human KISS1R or GnRHR by combining a Tox21 10K compound library screen with cellular, molecular, and structural biology methods.

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