Abstract

Previous investigations demonstrated that methoxychlor [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane] contains estrogenic contaminants and that methoxychlor per se is not an estrogen but is a proestrogen being metabolized in vivo into estrogenic products. The present study examined structurally identified methoxychlor contaminants as to their estrogenic or proestrogenic properties. Also, the estrogenic activity of demethylated metabolites of methoxychlor and of one contaminant was determined. To examine these properties, we utilized an assay developed by us that monitors whether a given compound, incubated with isolated rat uteri, can diminish the uterine cytosolic estrogen receptor and elevate the nuclear estrogen receptor and whether metabolic intervention by hepatic microsomal monooxygenase(s) is required by the respective compound for this cellular redistribution of the receptor. Of the 15 compounds examined which constitute with methoxychlor 99.5% of total technical grade methoxychlor, two compounds, 1,1-dichloro-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethene (mono-OH-MDDE) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane (mono-OH-methoxychlor), were active per se and two compounds, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethene (MDDE) and methoxychlor, required metabolic transformation for estrogenic activity to be manifested. Subsequently, it was shown that the mono- and bis-OH metabolites of MDDE and of methoxychlor were active estrogens and that the order of activity, either by the above procedure or in terms of relative binding affinity to rat uterine cytosolic receptor, was as follows: bis-OH-MDDE much greater than bis-OH-methoxychlor greater than mono-OH-MDDE greater than mono-OH-methoxychlor. Following the in vitro observations, the activity of MDDE and bis-OH-MDDE was determined in vivo in immature rats. It appears that both compounds are estrogenic, yielding marked elevation in ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) levels and moderate increase in uterine weight. A comparison with methoxychlor and bis-OH-methoxychlor [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)ethane] demonstrates that the order of potencies is similar to that observed in the in vitro determinations. These studies demonstrate the usefulness of the in vitro assay for determining the estrogenic and proestrogenic properties of compounds of which limited quantities are available, often insufficient for in vivo determination. Also, whereas the in vitro assay is simple and rapid, a lengthy investigation might be required to determine in vivo whether a given compound is an estrogen or a proestrogen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)