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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
09:43
Methods to Test Endocrine Disruption in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: July 3, 2019
Endocrine Disruption and Male Fertility
Gurugowtham Ulaganathan1,2, Susan K Murphy3,4,5
1Duke Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, US.
Current Environmental Health Reports
|June 3, 2026
Summary
Paternal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals impairs male fertility and impacts offspring health across generations. Further research is crucial to understand and mitigate these intergenerational effects.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Reproductive Toxicology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants affecting human health.
- While female exposure effects are well-studied, male preconception exposure is an emerging concern for reproductive outcomes.
- EDCs can interfere with male reproductive function and impact subsequent generations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how major EDCs impair male fertility endpoints.
- To describe the downstream effects on fertilization and offspring health.
- To highlight the need for further research on intergenerational impacts.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on EDC effects on male reproductive health.
- Analysis of research on paternal EDC exposure and subsequent generations.
- Synthesis of findings on mechanisms of EDC action in males.
Main Results:
- EDCs (e.g., PCBs, PBDEs, PFAS, bisphenols, phthalates, parabens) disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and male reproductive system.
- Observed effects include reduced sperm quality, impaired spermatogenesis, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and epigenetic alterations.
- Paternal EDC exposure is linked to adverse outcomes in offspring, including fertility issues in F1/F2 generations and increased risks of low birth weight and congenital heart disease in humans.
Conclusions:
- Paternal preconception exposure to EDCs has significant implications for male fertility and offspring health.
- Evidence suggests intergenerational and transgenerational effects, warranting further investigation.
- Mitigation strategies are needed due to the widespread presence of EDCs.
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