Associations between mycoestrogen exposure and sex steroid hormone concentrations in maternal serum and cord blood in the UPSIDE pregnancy cohort.

ABSTRACT: Zearalenone (ZEN) is a fungal-derived toxin found in global food supplies including cereal grains and processed foods, impacting populations worldwide through diet. Because the chemical structure of ZEN and metabolites closely resembles 17β-estradiol (E2), they interact with estrogen receptors α/β earning their designation as 'mycoestrogens'. In animal models, gestational exposure to mycoestrogens disrupts estrogen activity and impairs fetal growth. Here, our objective was to evaluate relationships between mycoestrogen exposure and sex steroid hormone concentrations in maternal circulation and cord blood for the first time in humans. In each trimester, pregnant participants in the UPSIDE study (n = 297) provided urine for mycoestrogen analysis and serum for hormone analysis. At birth, plac

SUBMITTER: Kinkade CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11441442 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature