Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
This article has been retracted

Science 7 June 1996:
Vol. 272. no. 5267, pp. 1489 - 1492
DOI: 10.1126/science.272.5267.1489
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Synergistic Activation of Estrogen Receptor with Combinations of Environmental Chemicals

Steven F. Arnold, Diane M. Klotz, Bridgette M. Collins, Peter M. Vonier, Louis J. Guillette Jr., John A. McLachlan *

Certain chemicals in the environment are estrogenic. The low potencies of these compounds, when studied singly, suggest that they may have little effect on biological systems. The estrogenic potencies of combinations of such chemicals were screened in a simple yeast estrogen system (YES) containing human estrogen receptor (hER). Combinations of two weak environmental estrogens, such as dieldrin, endosulfan, or toxaphene, were 1000 times as potent in hER-mediated transactivation as any chemical alone. Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls shown previously to synergistically alter sexual development in turtles also synergized in the YES. The synergistic interaction of chemical mixtures with the estrogen receptor may have profound environmental implications. These results may represent a previously uncharacterized level of regulation of estrogen-associated responses.

S. F. Arnold, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1501 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA and Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
D. M. Klotz, B. M. Collins, P. M. Vonier, Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Tulane University Medical Center, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA and Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
L. J. Guillette Jr., Department of Zoology, University of Florida, 223 Bartam Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA and Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
J. A. McLachlan, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1501 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University Medical Center, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; and Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed at Tulane-Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. E-mail: jmclach{at}mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Empirical developments in retraction.
B K Redman, H N Yarandi, and J F Merz (2008)
J. Med. Ethics 34, 807-809
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Cooked Meat Derived Genotoxic Carcinogen 2-Amino-3-Methylimidazo[4,5-b]Pyridine Has Potent Hormone-Like Activity: Mechanistic Support for a Role in Breast Cancer.
S. N. Lauber and N. J. Gooderham (2007)
Cancer Res. 67, 9597-9602
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Endocrine and Reproductive System: Adverse Effects of Hormonally Active Substances?.
H. A. Greim (2004)
Pediatrics 113, 1070-1075
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effect of Organochlorine Pesticides on Maturation of Starfish and Mouse Oocytes.
A. Picard, G. Palavan, S. Robert, D. Pesando, and B. Ciapa (2003)
Toxicol. Sci. 73, 141-148
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Impaired Maturation, Fertilization, and Embryonic Development of Porcine Oocytes Following Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Organochlorine Mixture.
C. Campagna, M.-A. Sirard, P. Ayotte, and J. L. Bailey (2001)
Biol Reprod 65, 554-560
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Endocrine Modulators in the Environment: An Introduction to Endocrine Modulators.
M. J. Iatropoulos (2000)
Toxicol Pathol 28, 415-417
   Abstract »    PDF »
Endocrine Modulators in the Food Chain and Environment.
R. Nilsson (2000)
Toxicol Pathol 28, 420-431
   Abstract »    PDF »
Endocrine-Modulating Chemicals as a Case Study of Science in the Courtroom.
P. C. Chrostowski, J. L. Durda, and H. Estreicher (1999)
International Journal of Toxicology 18, 201-207
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Estrogen-like Effect of Herbicides: A Patient Report.
R. J. Barnard and G. Heuser (1998)
Clinical Pediatrics 37, 633-634
   PDF »
Modelling Synergy using Manifest Categorical Variables.
A. von Eye, C. Schuster, and W. M. Rogers (1998)
International Journal of Behavioral Development 22, 537-557
   Abstract »    PDF »
Endocrine Modulation and the Federal Government.
D. M. Byrd III and M. L. Roegner (1998)
International Journal of Toxicology 17, 111-128
   Abstract »    PDF »
Endocrine-Modulating Substances in the Environment: Estrogenic Effects of Pharmaceutical Products.
L. D. Arcand-Hoy, A. C. Nimrod, and W. H. Benson (1998)
International Journal of Toxicology 17, 139-158
   Abstract »    PDF »
Steroid-induced Conformational Changes at Ends of the Hormone-binding Domain in the Rat Glucocorticoid Receptor Are Independent of Agonist Versus Antagonist Activity.
K. J. Modarress, J. Opoku, M. Xu, N. J. Sarlis, and S. S. Simons Jr. (1997)
J. Biol. Chem. 272, 23986-23994
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Editorial: Estrogens from Plastic--Are We Being Exposed?.
D. Feldman M.D. (1997)
Endocrinology 138, 1777-1779
   Full Text »    PDF »
The Environmental Estrogen Bisphenol A Stimulates Prolactin Release in Vitro and in Vivo.
R. Steinmetz, N. G. Brown, D. L. Allen, R. M. Bigsby, and N. Ben-Jonathan (1997)
Endocrinology 138, 1780-1786
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Estrogenic Activity of a Dieldrin/Toxaphene Mixture in the Mouse Uterus, MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells, and Yeast-Based Estrogen Receptor Assays: No Apparent Synergism.
K. Ramamoorthy, F. Wang, I-C. Chen, J. D. Norris, D. P. McDonnell, L. S. Leonard, K. W. Gaido, W. P. Bocchinfuso, K. S. Korach, and S. Safe (1997)
Endocrinology 138, 1520-1527
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Comparison of the Ligand Binding Specificity and Transcript Tissue Distribution of Estrogen Receptors {alpha} and {beta}.
G. G. J. M. Kuiper, B. Carlsson, K. Grandien, E. Enmark, J. Haggblad, S. Nilsson, and J.-A. Gustafsson (1997)
Endocrinology 138, 863-870
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Environmental Estrogens: Disease Agents?.
(1996)
Journal Watch Women's Health 1996, 21
   Full Text »
Evidence of Danger from Environmental Estrogens.
(1996)
Journal Watch Women's Health 1996, 24
   Full Text »
EVIDENCE OF DANGER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ESTROGENIC CHEMICALS.
(1996)
Journal Watch (General) 1996, 2
   Full Text »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)