Svingen Terje
National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
Ann Endocrinol (Paris). 2025 Jun;86(3):101787. doi: 10.1016/j.ando.2025.101787. Epub 2025 May 17.
Sexual differentiation is highly dependent on the fetal hormonal environment, guiding sexual development and establishing the foundation for lifelong reproductive health. This short communication highlights critical windows of sex determination and differentiation, emphasizing the role of steroid sex hormones, alongside other factors, in orchestrating these processes in early life. Growing evidence suggests that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can disrupt these tightly regulated pathways, leading to developmental disturbances that manifest as reproductive disorders at birth or later in life. In males, disrupted androgen signaling during fetal development is linked to hypospadias, cryptorchidism, reduced fertility, and testicular cancer, while in females, EDC exposure may contribute to altered ovarian function, early puberty, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and infertility. By illustrating how EDCs can interfere with sexual development, this brief review underscores the need for further research and regulatory measures to mitigate their impact on human health.
性分化高度依赖于胎儿期的激素环境，它引导性发育并为终身生殖健康奠定基础。本简短通讯重点介绍了性别决定和分化的关键窗口期，强调了甾体性激素以及其他因素在早期生命中协调这些过程的作用。越来越多的证据表明，内分泌干扰化学物质（EDCs）会扰乱这些严格调控的途径，导致发育障碍，在出生时或生命后期表现为生殖系统疾病。在男性中，胎儿发育期间雄激素信号的紊乱与尿道下裂、隐睾症、生育力下降和睾丸癌有关，而在女性中，接触EDCs可能导致卵巢功能改变、性早熟、多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）和不孕。通过阐述EDCs如何干扰性发育，本简要综述强调了进一步研究和监管措施以减轻其对人类健康影响的必要性。
