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Synthetic pyrethroids are analogs of a natural chemical moiety pyrethrin, derived from the pyrethrum plant Chrysanthemum. The natural pyrethrin structure has been modified to be highly lipophilic and photostable, creating an effective pesticide and resulting in an increased presence in the environment. Worldwide, they are commonly used insecticides against ticks, mites, mosquitoes, and as treatment for human head lice and scabies. Therefore, human exposure to their compounds in extensive. Several studies on the effects of pyrethroids on thyroid hormone regulation, estrogen and androgen function have been reported and yet little has been done to assess their potential hormonal activities. Among humans, a pyrethroid compound was suggested to be the causal agent for gynecomastia in a group of Haitian men. The reports suggest that some pyrethroid compounds are capable of disrupting endocrine function. Therefore, we examined estrogenic/antiestrogenic potential of three pyrethroid insecticides, that is permethrin, allethrin and fenvalerate in human breast cancer cell and action mechanism mediated by the estrogen receptor. Fenvalerate showed weak estrogenic activity, but allethrin and permethrin showed no effect. In combination with high levels (10^(-10)M, 10(-11)M) of 17β-estradiol and three synthetic pyrethroids inhibited cell proliferations in MCF7-BUS cell by 17β-estradiol. Whereas, fenvalerate increased cell proliferative activity at lower level of estradiol (10^(-l2)M, 10^(-l3)M). The relative affinities to the estrogen receptor were observed by allethrin and permethrin treatment, but not by fenvalerate. These results indicated that some of pyrethroid insecticides may modulate estrogen functions in human breast cancer cell. The action mechanisms of estrogen receptor mediated antiestrogenicity by allethrin and permethrin were postulated.
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