Li Zixuan, Robaire Bernard
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Endocrinology. 2025 Feb 27;166(4). doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqaf045.
The adrenal glands play crucial roles in regulating metabolism, blood pressure, immune system function, and response to stress through the secretion of hormones. Despite their critical functions, the adrenal glands are often overlooked in studies on the effects of potential toxicants. Research across human, animal, and in vitro studies has identified more than 60 compounds that can induce adrenocortical toxicity. These compounds, known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are natural or synthetic substances that interfere with the endocrine system. This review aims to provide an overview of the effects of 4 major families of EDCs-flame retardants, bisphenols, phthalates, and microplastics-on the function of the adrenal glands. The PubMed database was searched for studies reporting the effects of the chemicals in these 4 families on the adrenal glands. There is clear evidence that the morphology and function of the adrenal gland are affected, particularly through disrupting the steroidogenic pathway. Additionally, some EDCs have been shown to exert transgenerational effects, raising further concerns about their long-term effect. However, most EDCs have not been thoroughly evaluated for their effects on the function of the adrenal glands, especially in human studies. Thus, developing regulatory testing guideline to include the adrenal glands in the screening of EDCs is urgently needed.
肾上腺通过分泌激素在调节新陈代谢、血压、免疫系统功能以及对应激的反应中发挥关键作用。尽管肾上腺功能至关重要，但在潜在毒物影响的研究中，肾上腺常常被忽视。跨越人类、动物和体外研究已经确定了60多种可诱导肾上腺皮质毒性的化合物。这些化合物被称为内分泌干扰化学物质（EDCs），是干扰内分泌系统的天然或合成物质。本综述旨在概述4大类EDCs——阻燃剂、双酚、邻苯二甲酸盐和微塑料——对肾上腺功能的影响。在PubMed数据库中搜索了报告这4类化学物质对肾上腺影响的研究。有明确证据表明肾上腺的形态和功能受到影响，特别是通过干扰类固醇生成途径。此外，一些EDCs已被证明具有跨代效应，这引发了对其长期影响的进一步担忧。然而，大多数EDCs对肾上腺功能的影响尚未得到充分评估，尤其是在人体研究中。因此，迫切需要制定监管测试指南，将肾上腺纳入EDCs的筛查中。
