Endocrine disrupters as environmental signallers: an introduction

After an historical overview of the endocrine damage to wildlife caused by environmental xenobiotics (to be distinguished from natural phyto-oestrogens), the most important groups of environmental pollutants endowed with endocrine activity are reviewed showing that the reproductive system is not the only apparatus affected although it is the most common target of the xeno-oestrogens. The mechanisms of action of putative endocrine disrupters are then discussed. In this hormonal context, the relationships between the latter compounds and breast cancer are discussed. The analytical approaches to identify environmental pollutants with oestrogen activity, in particular oestrogens, are also briefly reviewed. Finally, difficulties in correlating xenobiotic activity to reduced sperm counts, breast cancer and endocrine changes are highlighted.