phthalates, 2,4-D & TCE: human peroxisome proliferators

[ttweed@wildrockies.org (Tony Tweedale)]

Youssef & Badr 'Biology of Senescent Liver Peroxisomes: role n
hepatocellular aging'  _Env. Health Perspectives_ 107:10:791-7 ('99)

peroxisomes are organelles in most life forms, sespecially abundant in
liver & kidneys of animals, which play a big role in respiration (ie
energy), antioxidation, and many other functions.  Various exogenous or
abnormal conditions cause them to proliferate, as well as induce
peroxisomal enzymes and hepatomegaly (<-- epinomious?).

Though primate peroxisomes are generally insensitive or less sensitive to
p. proliferating chem's, the conclusion empahsizes that it was premature to
dismiss potnetial risk, as signal transduction pathways linked to
peroxisomes are involved in a myriad of extra-peroxisomal effects, incl.
adipocyte differentiation, glucose homeostasis, macrophage and angiognesis
inhibition and monocyte activation.

However, Table 2 lists four known human peroxisome proliferators, listing
typical human body burdens and observed human toxicity (<--I think these
are general toxic effects, not neccessarily linked to peroxisome
proliferation):

diethyl-hexyl-phthalate (plasticizer, lubricating oils, cosmetics, insect
repellent)
dibutyl-phthalate (plasticizer, solvent, solid rocket propelant, insect
repellent)
trichlorethene (solvent, refrigerant, intermediary)
2,4-D (chlorophenoxy herbicide, other agric. use)

Tony Tweedale

Causality is a concept not subject to empirical demonstration. -David Hume
(1711-'76)

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