ABSTRACT Unrecognizable exposure to estrogenic substance may cause estrogen-dependent diseases, endometriosis and cancer. Pregnant mice (ICR/Jcl, CLEA) were exposed to 0.01 mg ethinyl estradiol (EE2)/kg per day or vehicle (olive oil) through oral intubation from day 11 to 17 of gestation. They delivered their offspring and raised them. When the experimental female F1 mice were at 8 weeks of age, they were not exposed to EE2 or to the same dose of EE2 or to vehicle twice a week until 20 weeks of age. The control female F1 mice were exposed to the same dose of EE2 or vehicle alone, similarly. All mice were killed at 28 weeks of age. The resected uteri and ovaries were processed for microscopic examinations and for determination of the aromatase mRNA levels and aromatase protein through quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Adenomyosis and adenocarcinomatous changes were significantly discernible in the EE2-exposed uteri, and incidence of ectopic glands and serous cysts were significantly increased in the prenatally EE2-exposed ovaries as compared with respective controls. Significant upregulation of the aromatase mRNA was seen in the prenatally EE2-exposed uteri and in the EE2-exposed ovaries. The aromatase protein was identified in all ovaries examined, and in EE2 exposed uteri but not in controls and confirmed its localization in eutopic and ectopic glands, abnormally proliferated lesions and the lining of the cysts. Taken together, continuous EE2 exposure may cause endometriotic and precancerous lesions due to excessive estrogen synthesis in both target organs.

Eiji Koike1, Yoshiko Yasuda1, Mitsuru Shiota1, Masao Shimaoka1, Mitsuhiro Tsuritani1, Hiroyoshi Konishi3, Harufumi Yamasaki1, Katsumi Okumoto2, and Hiroshi Hoshiai1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and 2Life Science Research Institute, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osakasayama, and 3Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shijonawate Gakuen University, Daitou, Osaka, Japan

Gli Estrogeni dei contraccettivi sono dannosi

L’esposizione all’ethynilestradiolo nella vita prenatale e o dopo la maturità sessuale,nel modello animale, può causare l’endometriosi e lesioni precancerose all’utero ed alle ovaie dovute ad una eccessiva sintesi di estrogeni in questi organi bersaglio.