Veterinary session

4-methylbenzilidene-camphor (MBC) is a terpenoid molecule, produced by different plant species in Asia, such like evergreen trees, rosemary, and some trees in the laurel family. The substance is widely used by the cosmetics industry, the medical industry, and as a preservative. It can act as an endocrine disruptor, an environmental substance which can interfere with the mammalian neuroendocrine system, mainly by influencing the thyroid, and estrogen hormone signaling pathways.

The neuroendocrine system, with the production of the endocrine hormones, can control the physiology of the organism as a slow but persistent regulator of the homeostasis. The thyroid and estrogen hormones are core regulators in the aforementioned system, and their receptors (thyriod receptors; TRs and estrogen receptors; ERs) are main targets of endocrine disruption.

In our experiment we examined the effect of MBC on the expression of ERß, TRα and TRß receptors, in a steroid free primer cerebellar cell culture, a generally accepted universal model for the neuronal development of the central nervous system.

Our results show that the ED can significally alter the expression of the receptors on the cerebellar cells, and the level of expression depend on the individual, as well as combined presence of E2 and THs. These observations suggest that MBC may influence the physiology of the nerve cells, and can alter the cerebellar development.