Current views on the factors influencing the onset of puberty
Authors:
MUDr. Pavel Langer, DrSc.
Authors‘ workplace:
Ústav experimentálnej endokrinológie SAV
; Bratislava
; laboratórium diabetu a výživy
Published in:
Prakt Gyn 2006; 10(1): 24-27
Overview
Recent studies from several countries show that the onset of puberty under the condition of modern civilised society appears few years earlier than 100-150 years ago. It is generally accepted that the studies of the etiological factors influencing the present status should be undertaken to elucidate this process. It is recommended to evaluate especially a possible participation of nutrition, genetic and ethnical factors as well as that of environmental chemical pollutants. The early onset of puberty was found to be influence the early onset of mammary cancer, obesity etc. Several chemical pollutants showed hormonal effects in experimental animals and such effects are considered to influence also the onset of puberty which has been recently supported by several epidemiologial studies in adolescents. Other numerous studies showed the deteriorating effects of prenatal and early postnatal exposure (via breast feeding) to such pollutants on postnatal development of cognitive and psychopneuromotoric functions, immune system, gonadal and thyroid axis as well as other functions.
Key words:
puberty onset — environmental pollutants — prenatal exposure — postnatal exposure — sexual maturation
Sources
1. Anderson SE, Dallal GE, Must A. Relative weight and race influence average age at menarche: results from two nationally representative surveys of US girls studied 25 years apart. Pediatrics 2003; 111: 844-811.
2. Ayotte P, Muckle G, Jacobson JL et al. Assessment of pre- and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls: Lessons from the Inuit cohort study. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: 1253-1258.
3. Biro FM, Lucky AW, Simbartl LA et al. Pubertal maturation in girls and the relationship to anthropometric changes: pathways through puberty. J Pediat 2003, 55: 643-646.
4. Blanck HM, Marcus M, Tolbeit PE et al. Age at menarche and Tanner stage in girls exposed in utero and postnatally to polybrominated biphenyl. Epidemiology 2000; 11: 541-647.
5. Bogh HM, Christensen P, Duntzer V et al. Endocrine disrupting compounds: Effect of octylphenol on reproduction over three generations. Theoriogenology 2001; 55: 131-150.
6. Brown V. Disrupting a delicate balance: Environmental effects on the thyroid. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: A642-A649.
7. Casanova M, You L, Gaido KW et al. Developmental effects of dietary phytoestrogens in Sprague-dawly rats and interactions of genistein and daidzein with rat estrogen receptors alpha and beta in vitro. Toxicol Sci 1999; 51: 236-244.
8. Colon I, Caro D, Bourdony CJ, Rosario O. Identification of phthalate esters in the serum of young Puerto Rican girls with premature breast development. Environ Health Perspect 2000; 108: 895-900.
9. Covaci A, Jorens P, Jacqueman Y et al. Distribution of PCB and organochlorine pesticides in umbilical cord and maternal serum. Sci Total Environ 2002; 298: 45-53.
10. Danadian K, Suprasongsin C, Janosky JE, Arslanian S. Leptin in African-American children. J Pediat Endocrinol Metab 1999; 12: 639-644.
11. Darvill T, Jonky J, Reihman J et al. Prenatal exposure to PCBs and intact performance on the Fagan test of infant intelligence. Neurotoxicology 2000; 21: 1029-1038.
12. DeKoning EP, Karmaus W. PCB exposure in utero and via breast milk. A review. J Exp Anal Environ Epidemiol 2000; 10: 285-293.
13. Den Hond E, Roels K, Hoppenbrouwers K et al. Sexual maturation in relation to polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons: Sharpe and Skakkebaek's hypothesis revisited. Environ Health Perspect 2002; 110: 771-776.
14. Dewailly E, Ayotte P, Bruneau S et al. Susceptibility to infections and immune status in Inuit infants exposed to organochlorines. Environ Health Perspect 2002; 108: 205-211.
15. Engelbregt MJ, Houdijk ME, Popp-Snijders C, Delamarre-van de Waal. The effect of intrauterine growth retardation and postnatal undernutrition on the onset of puberty in male and female rats. Pediat Res 2000; 47: 803-807.
16. Freedman DS, Khan LK, Serdula MK et al. Relation of age at menarche to race, time period, and anthropometric measurements. Bogalusa Heart Study Pediatrics 2002; 110: 1-7.
17. Gladen BC, Rogan WJ, Hardy P et al. Development after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane transplacentally and through human milk. J Pediat 1988; 113: 991-995.
18. Guo YL, Lai TJ, Ju YC et al. Sexual development and biological findings in Yucheng children. Organohalogen Compounds 1993; 14: 235.
19. Guvenius DM, Aronsson A, Ekman-Ordeberg G. et al. Human prenatal and postnatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, polyhydroxybiphenylols and pentachlorophenol. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: 1235-1241.
20. Hamilton AS, Mack TM. Puberty and genetic susceptibility to breast cancer in a case control study in twins. New Engl J Med 2002; 348: 2313-2322.
21. Hansen LG. Stepping backward to improve assessment of PCB congener toxicities. Environ. Health Perspect 1998; 106(Suppl 1): 171-189.
22. Hatch EE, Palmer JR, Titus Ernstoff I et al. Secondary sexual characteristics in boys: estimations from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study III, 1988-1994. Arch Pediat Adolesc Med 2001; 155: 1022-1028.
23. Heilmann C, Grandjean P, Weihe P. Decreased childhood vaccine response in children exposed to PCBs from maternal seafood diet. Organohalogen Compounds 2003; 60: 1-4.
24. Herman-Giddens ME, Wang L, Koch G. Secondary sexual characteristics in boys: estimates from the national health and nutrition examination survey III, 1988-1994. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001; 155(9): 1022-1028.
25. Hsieh CC, Trichopoulos O, Katsoyanni K, Yuassa S. Age at menarche, age at menopause, height and obesity as risk factors for breast cancer: associations and interactions in an international case-control study. Int J. Cancer 1990; 46: 798-800.
26. Huen KP, Leung SS, Lu JT et al. Secular trend in sexual maturation of southern Chinese girls. Acta Paediat 1997; 86: 1121-1124.
27. Jacobson SW, Fein GG, Jacobson JL et al. The effect of intrauterine PCB exposure in visual recognition memory. Child Dev 1985; 56: 853-860.
28. Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Humphrey HEB. Effects of in utero exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and related contaminants on cognitive functioning in young children. J Pediatr 1990; 116(1): 38-45.
29. Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Humphrey HEB. Effects of exposure to PCBs and related compounds on growth and activity. Neurotoxicol Teratol 1990 b; 12: 319-326.
30. Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Padget RJ et al. Effects of prenatal PCB exposure on cognitive processing efficiency and sustained attention. Dev Psychol 1992; 28: 297-306.
31. Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Intellectual impairment of children exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls in utero. New Engl J Med 1996; 335: 783-789.
32. Jacobson JLl, Jacobson SW. Postnatal exposure to PCBs and childhood development. Lancet 2001: 358: 1568-1569.
33. Karlberg J. Secular trends in pubertal development. Hormone Res 2002; 57(Suppl 2): 19-30.
34. Kester MHA, Bulduk S, Tibboel D et al. Potent inhibiton of estrogen sulfotransferase by hydroxylated PCB metabolites: A novel pathway explaining the estrogenic activity of PCBs. Endocrinology 2000; 141: 1897-1900.
35. Mazdai A, Dodder NG, Abernathy MP. et al. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in maternal and fetal blood samples. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: 1249-1252.
36. McGregor AJ, Mason HJ. Chronic occupational lead exposure and testicular endocrine function. Hum Exp Toxicol 1990: 9: 371-376.
37. Nikaido Y, Yoshizawa K, Danbara N et al. Effects of maternal xenoestrogen exposure on development of the reproductive tract and mammary gland in female CD-1 mouse offspring. Reprod Toxicol 2004; 18: 803-811.
38. Parent AS, Teilmann G, Juul A et al. The timing of normal puberty and the age of limits of sexual precocity: variations around the world, secular trends, and changes after migration. Endocr Rev 2003; 24: 668-693.
39. Patandin S, Koopman-Esseboom C, De Ridder MAJ et al. Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins on cognitive abilities in Dutch children at 42 months of age. J Pediat 1998; 134: 33-41.
40. Porterfield SP. Vulnerability of the developing brain to thyroid abnormalities: Environmental insults on the thyroid system. Environ. Health Perspect 1994; 102: 125-130.
41. Rodamilian M, Osaba MJ, To-Figueras J et al. Lead toxicity on endocrine testicular function in an occupationally exposed population. Hum Toxicol 1988; 7: 125-128.
42. Rayner JL, Wood C, Fenton SE. Exposure parameters necessary for delayed puberty and mammary gland development in Long-Evans rats exposed in utero to atrazine. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2001; 195: 23-24.
43. Ribas-Fitó N, Sala M, Kogevinas M, Sunyer J. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and neurological development in children: a systematic review. J Epidemiol Community Health 2001; 55: 537-546.
44. Richthoff J, Rylander L, Jönsson BAG et al. Serum levels of 1.1',4.4',5.5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) in relation to markers of reproductive function in young males from the general Swedish population. Environ. Health Perspect 2002; 111: 409-413.
45. Rogan WJ, Gladen BC. PCBs, DDE, and child development at 18 and 24 months. Ann Epidemiol 1991; 1: 409-413.
46. Sala M, Ribas-Fito N, Cardo E et al. Levels of hexachlorbenzene and other organochlorine compounds in cord blood exposure across the placenta. Chemosphere 2001; 43: 895-901.
47. Schantz SL, Widholm JJ, Rice DC. Effects of PCB exposure on neuropsychological function in children. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: 357-376.
48. Selevan SG, Rice BC, Hogan KA et al. Blood lead concentration and delayed puberty in girls. New Engl J Med 2003; 348: 1527-1538.
49. Smithells RW, Newman CB. Recognition of thalidomide defects. J Med Genet 1992; 29: 716-723.
50. Sun SS, Schubert C, Chumlea WC et al. National estimates of the timing of sexual maturation an racial difference among US children. Pediatrics 2002; 110: 911-919.
51. Vivoli G, Fantuzzi G, Bergomi M et al. Relationship between low lead exposure and somatic growth in adolescents. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 1993; 3(Suppl 1): 201-209.
52. Walkowiak J, Wiener JA, Fastabend A et al. Environmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and quality of the home environment: effects on psychodevelopment in early childhood. Lancet 2001; 358: 1602-1607.
53. Wright C, Evans AC, Evans NP et al. Effect of maternal exposure to the environmental estrogen, octylphenol, during fetal and/or postnatal life on the onset of puberty, endocrine status, and ovarian follicular dynamics in ewe lambs. Biol Reprod 2002; 5: 1734-1740.
54. Wu T, Buck GM, Mendola P. Blood lead level and sexual maturation in US girls: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988-1994. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: 737-741.
55. Zoeller RT. Thyroid toxicology and brain development: Should we think differently? Guest editorial Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111: A628.
Labels
Paediatric gynaecology Gynaecology and obstetrics Reproduction medicineArticle was published in
Practical Gynecology
2006 Issue 1
Most read in this issue
- Hymen atresia and the syndrome of incomplete doubling of uterus in 15-years-old girl
- Hormone replacement therapy in women with history of endometriosis
- Current views on the factors influencing the onset of puberty
- Sentinel lymph node micrometastasis of breast cancer: currently controversis