Evaluation of Endocrine Related Adverse Effects of Non-Endocrine Targeted Pharmaceuticals in Cellular Systems

Prenatal period is a critical developmental phase that is sensitive to hormonal disruption by natural and/or exogenous hormones. Some pharmaceuticals frequently prescribed and used safely during pregnancy are shown to interact with the developmental programming of fetus, resulting in endocrine-related adverse effects.

In this research, we aimed to determine the endocrine disrupting potential of paracetamol, indomethacin, alpha-methyldopa and pantoprazole which are frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals during pregnancy.

In vitro aromatase inhibitory, estrogen receptor (ER) agonist/antagonist (E-Screen assay) and hormone biosynthesis modulatory effects (H295R steroidogenesis assay) of the selected pharmaceuticals were evaluated. Furthermore, their effects on viability of MCF-7/BUS and H295R cells were also evaluated by MTT assay.

None of the pharmaceuticals affected H295R cell viability. Only indomethacin reduced MCF- 7/BUS cell viability at 100μM and 300μM. Among the tested pharmaceuticals, only paracetamol and indomethacin showed aromatase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 14.7 x 10^-5 M and 57.6 x 10^-5 M, respectively. Moreover, indomethacin displayed a biphasic ER agonist effect. ER antagonist effects of indomethacin and pantoprazole were confirmed by performing two stepped E-Screen assay. After the partial validation of the H295R steroidogenesis assay with forskolin and prochloraz, the effects of pharmaceuticals on synthesis of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels were tested. Alpha-methyldopa increased E2 at all tested concentrations and T at 1.48 and 4.4μM. Contrarily other tested pharmaceuticals did not affect steroidogenesis.

Present data suggest that all tested pharmaceuticals may have potential endocrine disrupting effect, which should be considered when used in pregnancy.