Title:The Faulty Perinatal Hormonal Imprinting as Functional Teratogen
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
Author(s): G. Csaba
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Hormonal imprinting, functional teratogen, epigenetics, transgenerational, environmental contaminants,
perinatal period, perinatal treatment.
Abstract: Perinatally, the developmental window for the adjustment of hormone receptors
to their target hormones is open. The hormonal imprinting which determines the
relationship of hormones and receptors for life takes place in this period. The recognition
ability of developing receptors is not yet entirely specific, so they could be ‘cheated’ by
false imprinters such as related hormones, drugs, environmental pollutants or certain food
components and faulty imprinting may result. This causes a functional developmental
abnormality, which is then manifested, at any later time in life, as the alteration of the
binding capacity of hormone receptors. With or without the presence of other factors this
could cause problems in hormone regulated functions or may result in diseases. So it may
be stated that faulty hormonal imprinting, caused by a broad spectrum of receptor level
molecules, is acting as a functional teratogen. This means that functional maldevelopment
is not restricted to intrauterine life, but can also occur after birth, in the perinatal period.
The inclusion of faulty imprinting as maldevelopment widens both the list of functional
teratogens and the period of teratogenicity. The importance and danger of faulty imprinting
is high, especially considering its heritable (transgenerational) character. Considering the
facts, the attitudes in the present-day perinatal treatments and medical training must be
changed.
