Effects of Early Endocrine Disruptor Exposures (Faulty Hormonal Imprinting) on Immunity

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Endocrinedisruptors are (mainly steroid-) hormone-like molecules, which binding to the hormone receptors disturb the endocrine functions, causing troubles (diseases) in human adults. Perinatally (in fetal, neonatal, and early postnatal period), the developing immune system is touched by them, causing faulty hormonal imprinting, consequently late and life-long failures of immunity. In addition to the perinatal period there are other critical periods, as weaning and adolescence, in which faulty immune-imprinting can be provoked and this are also taking place in continously dividing and differentiating cells during the whole life however, the perinatal period has the determining role. Thephysiological hormonal imprinting is specific however, the faulty imprinting can be overlapping to not related hormones. Stressors can execute faulty imprinting-like effects by mobilizing stress hormones. The broad spectrum of faulty imprinting causing factors (endocrine disruptors) makes unavoidable the meeting with them. The alterations, caused by the endocrine disruptors are epigenetically inherited, so it can be supposed that the present state of human immunity had been formed by earlyer (natural) endocrine disruptors as e.g phytoestrogens, aromatic hydrocarbons, metals etc. “Endocrine disruptors” are a new category, but endocrine disruption has been present and influenced the development of the immune system since millions of years. However, the disruptors’ number and amount enormously increasing, so the future changes in the immune system caused by man-made endocrine disruptors must be attended. At present these changes seem to be harmful however, the chance for positive changes (transformation of human endocrine system) could be -after long time- possible. It is also worth to study the faulty hormonal imprinting effect of endocrine disruptors, as they seem responsible for numerous immune alterations (consequently diseases) manifested in adult age.

TheEndocrine Disuptors (EDs) are such molecules of our environment, which are similar to hormones (first of all steroid hormones) or can influence the effect of these hormones, by binding to the hormone-specific receptors or disturbing the transmission process betwen the receptor-hormone complex and the response by the cell. EDs can act to the endocrine system at any time of life however, the consequences are different, depending on the developmental period. From this point of view, the early stages of development seem to be rather critical, as in this periods (late prenatal, early postnatal, named perinatal) the further fate of the endocrine system (consequently the organs and systems regulated by it) is determined by hormonal imprinting.