Please read Dr. Barrett’s article in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health titled, “Associations between mycoestrogen exposure and sex steroid hormone concentrations in maternal serum and cord blood in the UPSIDE pregnancy cohort.“
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds (fungi) that grow on crops, thus these naturally occurring toxins contaminate food. Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin common in the food supply that has been linked to adverse impacts on female reproduction. Exposure to the mycotoxin ZEN has been detected in populations worldwide with levels varying by matrix and population, though few studies have examined exposure during pregnancy. Recent studies indicate that exposure to ZEN is primarily through consumption of commodity crops such as corn and wheat, as well as animal products. A synthetic derivative of ZEN known as zeranol (ZER, Ralgro®), moreover, is administered to livestock as a growth promoter in the U.S., making meat consumption an additional source of human dietary exposure. Studies estimating exposure indicate that most groups are not exposed to overtly toxic levels, however some studies indicate children may exceed the tolerable daily intake (TDI; 0.25 μg/kg body weight). Dietary contamination with mycotoxins is expected to increase with climate change as increasingly warm and moist conditions promote fungal growth. As a result, study of these mycotoxins is a priority of the World Health Organization and the United Nations.
Sex steroid hormones, particularly estrogens, are critical to pregnancy and fetal development. During pregnancy, estrogens are produced by and regulate the placenta. Specifically they play a role in angiogenesis, inducing connexin 43 mRNA expression, and stimulating gap junction formation in the myometrium. ZEN and metabolites are considered ‘mycoestrogens’ because their chemical structure closely resembles sex steroid hormones, including 17β-estradiol. That structure allows them to bind estrogen receptor (ER) α and ß, resulting in greater estrogenic potency than more commonly studied endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A and phthalates. To read the full article.
Associations between mycoestrogen exposure and sex steroid hormone concentrations in maternal serum and cord blood in the UPSIDE pregnancy cohort. Kinkade CW, Aleksunes LM, Brinker A, Buckley B, Brunner J, Wang C, Miller RK, O’Connor TG, Rivera-Núñez Z, Barrett ES. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2024 Jul;260:114405. PMID: 38878407 PMCID: PMC11441442 DOI: 1016/j.ijheh.2024.114405