Le concept de perturbation endocrinienne et la santé humaine

Abstract

Les perturbateurs endocriniens (PE) ont été définis soit comme étant des substances étrangères à l’organisme qui induisent des effets délétères sur cet organisme ou sur sa descendance en raison d’une altération de la fonction endocrine, soit comme étant des agents exogènes qui interfèrent avec la production, la libération, le transport, le métabolisme, la liaison, l’action ou l’élimination des ligands naturels responsables du maintien de l’homéostasie et de la régulation du développement de l’organisme. Ces deux définitions indiquent que les effetsinduits par les PE sont susceptibles de mettre en jeu des mécanismes relevant, à un niveau ou à un autre, de l’homéostasie hormonale. Hormis le lien clairement établi entre le diéthylstilbestrol, les anomalies de la reproduction et les cancers, il y a très peu de certitudes quant à l’impact des PE sur la santé humaine. En raison du peu de données disponibles, l’implication éventuelle des PE dans l’augmentation de l’incidence du cancer du sein, voire de l’endométriose, et de pubertés précoces chez la fillette reste hypothétique. En revanche, la détérioration de la santé reproductive masculine est au centre des préoccupations relevant des relations PE-santé humaine. Cette revue bibliographique vise à faire l’état des lieux de la question de la perturbation endocrinienne en mettant plus particulièrement l’accent sur la problématique des contaminants alimentaires.

In Europe, endocrine disruptors (EDs) have been defined as substances foreign to the body that have deleterious effects on the individuals or their descendants, due to changes in endocrine function. In the United States, EDs have been described as exogenous agents that interfere with the production, release, transport, metabolism, binding, action or elimination of the natural ligands responsible for maintaining homeostasis and regulating body development. These two definitions are complementary, but both indicate that the effects induced by EDs probably involve mechanisms relating in some way to hormonal homeostasis and action. EDs are generally described as substances with anti-oestrogenic, oestrogenic, anti-androgenic or androgenic effects. More recently, other targets have been evidenced such as the thyroid and immune system. Many different EDs are present in the various compartments of the environment (air, water and land) and in foods (of plant and animal origin). They may originate from food packaging, combustion products, plant health treatments, detergents and the chemical industry in general. In addition to the potential effects of these compounds on adults, the sensitivity of embryos and fetuses to many of the xenobiotic compounds likely to cross the placenta has raised considerable concern and led to major research efforts. With the exception of the clearly established links between diethylstilbestrol, reproductive health abnormalities and cancers, very little is known for certain about the effects of EDs on human health. Given the lack of available data, current concerns about the possible involvement of EDs in the increase in the incidence of breast cancer, and possibly of endometriosis and early puberty in girls, remain hypothetical. Conversely, the deterioration in male reproductive health is at the heart of preoccupations and progress in analyses of the relationship between EDs and human health. This literature review aims to describe the current state of knowledge about endocrine disruption, focusing in particular on the problem of food contaminants.