Endocrine disruptor article withdrawn...

[asagady@sojourn.com]

  Synergistic Effect of Environmental Estrogens: Report Withdrawn 
  
  I write to formally withdraw the report "Synergistic activation of 
  estrogen receptor with combinations of environmental chemicals" (7 
  June 1996, p. 1489) (1), for which I was corresponding author. 
  
  We have conducted experiments duplicating the conditions of our 
  earlier work, but have not been able to replicate our initial 
  results.
  
  Also, since our publication in Science (1), others have been unable 
  to reproduce the results we reported (2). Meanwhile, people in many 
  walks of life have, on their own, put great weight on this report 
  as the basis for much discussion, thought, and even public policy.
  
  Whatever merit this publication contained, and despite the 
  enthusiasm it generated, it is clear that any conclusions drawn 
  from this paper must be suspended until such time, if ever, the 
  data can be substantiated.
  
  In our laboratory, for the last 6 months, we have conducted 
  experiments to elucidate the mechanisms to explain the phenomenon 
  of synergy between estrogenic chemicals. These studies have been 
  directed toward understanding the roles that estrogen receptor 
  levels (3), the difference between monomer and dimer conditions of 
  the estrogen receptor (4), and chemical transport across the cell 
  membrane (5) play in the action of weak estrogens. None have 
  provided a satisfactory mechanism to explain our earlier findings. 
  Taken together, it seems evident that there must have been a 
  fundamental flaw in the design of our original experiment. As a 
  consequence of our efforts and those of others, and considering the 
  impact our report has had in so many quarters, we have decided to 
  formally withdraw the paper and its finding. We take this step in 
  recognition of the reliance so many have placed on our work. 
  
  Our laboratory will continue to aggressively conduct research on 
  environmental endocrinology. We believe there are important and 
  verifiable discoveries to be made. 
  
  The co-authors have concurred in writing with this decision.
  
  
  John A. McLachlan 
  Tulane-Xavier Center for 
  Bioenvironmental Research, 
  Tulane University,1430 Tulane Avenue, 
  New Orleans, LA 70112, USA 
  
  REFERENCES
  
  
  
  1.S. F. Arnold, D. M. Klotz, B. M. Collins, P. M. Vonier, 
  L. J. Guillette Jr., J. A. McLachlan, Science 272 1489 (1996). 2.K. 
  Ramamoorthy, et al., ibid. 275, 405 (1997). 3.D. Q. Tran et al., 
  Steroids, in press. 4.S. F. Arnold et al., in preparation; 
  P. M. Vonier, J. A. McLachlan, in preparation. 5.S. F. Arnold et 
  al., in preparation; D. Q. Tran , et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. 
  Comm. 235, 669 (1997) . 
  
  
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  Volume 277, Number 5325, Issue of 25 July 1997, pp. 459-463.
  ©1997 by The American Association for the Advancement of Science.