Endocrine activity and developmental toxicity of cosmetic UV filters—an update

• Published in: Toxicology (Amsterdam) Vol. 205; no. 1; pp. 113 - 122
• Main Authors: Schlumpf, Margret, Schmid, Peter, Durrer, Stefan, Conscience, Marianne, Maerkel, Kirsten, Henseler, Manuel, Gruetter, Melanie, Herzog, Ingrid, Reolon, Sasha, Ceccatelli, Raffaella, Faass, Oliver, Stutz, Eva, Jarry, Hubertus, Wuttke, Wolfgang, Lichtensteiger, Walter
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.12.2004; Amsterdam Elsevier Science
• Subjects: 3-Benzylidene camphor (3-BC); 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC); Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cosmetics - toxicity; Development; Domestic and cosmetic products toxicology; Endocrine Glands - drug effects; Estrogenic; Female; Fetus - drug effects; Filtration; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Rats; Rats, Long-Evans; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Sunscreening Agents - toxicity; Toxicity; Toxicology; Ultraviolet Rays; Uterus - drug effects; Uterus - pathology; UV filters; Toxicity; Development; UV filters; Estrogenic; 3-Benzylidene camphor (3-BC); Gene expression; 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC); Cosmetic; Mimetic hormone; Endocrine gland; Biological activity; Teratogenesis; Filter; Camphor
• ISSN: 0300-483X; 1879-3185
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2004.06.043

UV filters represent a new class of endocrine active chemicals. In vitro, 8/9 chemicals showed estrogenic (MCF-7 cells), and 2/9 antiandrogenic activity (MDA-kb2 cells). Six/nine filters (benzophenone (Bp)-1, Bp-2, Bp-3, 3-benzylidene camphor (3-BC), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)) increased uterine weight in immature rats. 3-Benzylidene camphor and 4-MBC displaced 16α 125I-estradiol from human estrogen receptor (ER)β , not ERα. Developmental toxicity of 4-MBC (0.7–47 mg/kg body weight/day) and 3-BC (0.24–7 mg/kg), administered in chow was investigated in Long Evans (LE) rats. Weight gain of pregnant rats was reduced only by 3-BC, early postnatal survival rate and thymus weight by both compounds at higher doses. 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor and 3-BC delayed male puberty, and dose-dependently affected reproductive organ weights of adult male and female F1 offspring, with partly different effect patterns. Thyroid weight was increased by higher 4-MBC doses. Tissue-specific changes in mRNA levels of estrogen-regulated genes in prostate, uterus and brain regions, determined by real-time PCR, and in their response to acute estradiol challenge in adult gonadectomized offspring were observed. Lowest effective doses were 0.24 mg/kg/day for 3-BC and 7 mg/kg/day for 4-MBC. Fat tissue levels at 7 mg/kg 4-MBC (GC–MS) approached the range of UV filters in fish (Nagtegaal et al., 1997; Balmer et al., 2004).