The greatest attention to endocrine disruption has been focussed on estrogenic effects, but a clear cause-effect
relationship was not established in a single case. The only exception are androgenic activities of organotin compounds
in molluscs, caused by an interference with key enzymes of steroid metabolism. These compounds affect the same
molecular targets in other taxa, including humans, so that androgenic and antiandrogenic compounds offer the unique
opportunity to study a wildlife-human connection and to identify common principles of action across taxa which will
have relevance far beyond the chosen group of compounds. The following benefits are expected from the project to
be used subsequently for the protection of human populations and the environment from AACs and other endocrine disrupters:
- Exposure quantification to AACs for humans and wildlife in Europe by analysing representative samples of human tissues,
body fluids, food products and environmental samples.
- New biological effect measures for AACs for use in environmental monitoring and chemical testing by an exposure of a
range of human-relevant models and aquatic organisms to chemicals and environmental samples to quantify biological
effects at different biological integration levels with a subsequent establishment and evaluation of dose/concentration-response
relationships.
- New sensitive test species, especially invertebrates, with established laboratory cultures and a characterisation of their baseline
endocrinology with special emphasis on the role of steroids.
- New animal models for extrapolation to human health.
- Molecular screen for genomic effects of AACs for end users.
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