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Do endocrine disruptors cause hypospadias?
Sisir Botta1, Gerald R Cunha1, Laurence S Baskin1
1Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Translational Andrology and Urology
|January 28, 2016
Summary
Environmental endocrine disruptors may contribute to hypospadias development. While no definitive causal link exists, these agents are implicated as a factor in a multifactorial model for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Endocrine disruptors are environmental agents that interfere with the endocrine system, causing adverse effects in humans and animals.
- Historically noted with agents like diethylstilbestrol (DES) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), the term "endocrine disruptor" is recent.
- These agents can exhibit estrogenic or anti-androgenic activities, with a focus on estrogenic disruptors and hypospadias.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent literature on the potential role of exogenous estrogenic endocrine disruptors in causing hypospadias.
- To assess the clinical concern regarding the reported increased incidence of hypospadias.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted for human and animal studies.
- Studies published within the last five years were reviewed and categorized.
- Included basic science, clinical science, epidemiologic, and review studies.
Main Results:
- Forty-three scientific articles and relevant sentinel articles were identified and reviewed.
- No studies definitively concluded that endocrine disruptors cause hypospadias.
- Multiple studies suggested endocrine disruptors are a component in a multifactorial model for hypospadias.
Conclusions:
- Endocrine disruption is proposed as a potential critical step in aberrant development leading to hypospadias.
- The findings suggest a complex etiology for hypospadias, involving multiple contributing factors.
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