Estrogenic and androgenic activity of PCBs, their chlorinated metabolites and other endocrine disruptors estimated with two in vitro yeast assays
Abstract
In this work comparison of the estrogen screening assay based on beta-galactosidase expression and a bioluminescent estrogen screen revealed differences in the sensitivity and specificity of the two tests. With the beta-galactosidase screen a slight estrogen-like activity of Delor 103, a commercial mixture of PCB congeners, and a fungicide triclosan was measured whereas no activity was detected using the bioluminescent assay.
A bioluminescent androgen test negated previously suggested androgenic potential of triclosan. Further, this work demonstrates the androgenic activity of Delor 103, with an EC50 value of 2.29 x 10(-2) mg/L On the other hand, chlorobenzoic acids (CBAs), representing potential PCB degradation metabolites, exhibited no androgenic activity but were slightly estrogenic.
Their estrogenicity varied with their chemical structure, with 2,3-CBA, 2,3,6-CBA, 2,4,6-CBA and monochlorinated compounds exhibiting the highest activity.