Genetic Differences in Susceptibility to Endocrine Disruption

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

The global environment contains many natural and synthetic compounds that can mimic the effects of estrogens and other reproductive hormones. These compounds have the potential to adversely affect reproductive development and function in humans, wildlife and domestic animals. Previously, the PIs found a startling 16-fold difference among strains of laboratory mouse in their sensitivity to endocrine disruption. The resistance is proposed to have evolved inadvertently, while the strains were being selected for large litter size in the presence of estrogenic compounds. This project will characterize the physiological mechanisms mediating genetic variation in susceptibility to endocrine disruption by estrogenic agents in laboratory and wild strains of mice. The proposed work will also help determine the suitability of animal models for detecting endocrine disruption by estrogenic agents, and is designed to enhance the development of more sensitive bioassays for detecting endocrine disruption.