Effects of TCC, a Novel Environmental Endocrine Disruptor, on Reproductive Health

Principal Investigator: Professor Bill Lasley, PhD
Co-Investigator: Professor Antoni Duleba, M.D.
Funding for the project: UC Davis Superfund Basic Research Program

Adverse effects of endocrine disrupting substance (EDS) have been a subject of increasing concern to the public, public health departments, governmental agencies and medical societies on a global scale. The primary objective of this project is to investigate the effects and mechanism(s) of a newly identified endocrine disruptor: 3,4,4'-triclocarban (TCC) on androgen regulated reproductive tissues/organs. TCC has been extensively used as a topical antimicrobial ingredient in personal care products (such as soaps) for more than 50 years. A growing body of literature suggests that one million pounds per year of TCC is not completely removed during wastewater treatment and therefore may persist in the environment, in biosolids used in agriculture, and accumulate in the food chain. We have shown that TCC enhances the signal transduction pathways that are under control of androgens, estrogens and glucocorticoids in vitro. Subsequently, in experiments on the male rodent model, we found that addition of TCC to the diet results in a potent amplification of the effects of testosterone on sex accessory organs weights. We propose to evaluate effects of TCC on female and male reproductive system using in vivo animal model and cell cultures of reproductive tissues. This novel exploratory project is designed to study effects of TCC on reproductive organs and their function in male and female.