Superfund Research Program
PCB Estrogenicity in Human Breast Cells
Project Leader: John F. Gierthy (Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health)
Grant Number: P42ES004913
Funding Period: 1995 - 2000
Project-Specific Links
- Project Summary
Project Summary (1995-2000)
The objective of this project is to evaluate the estrogenic potential of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their metabolites in human derived systems by establishment of the metabolic mechanisms involved. The working hypothesis under consideration proposes that some PCBs are estrogenic and that this estrogenicity is dependent on the specific structure of the PCB and on its P450-catalyzed metabolism to a hydroxylated metabolite. The specific aims of the project are to evaluate the in vitro estrogenicity and antiestrogenicity of PCB congeners and metabolites in a human breast cancer cell line, to investigate the metabolism in human systems of selected PCB congeners, and to characterize the PCB metabolism potentiated in microsomes prepared from PCB exposed rat tissue.