Epidemiological research of the endocrine disruptors in wild primates as a human model in Thailand

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Capturing work of wild long-tailed macaques and rhesus macaques were carried out in the northeastern part of Thailand. Blood samples were collected from those macaque groups. As survey of the phthalate esters in blood, plasma di(n-butyl)phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate were measured. The result indicated that examined animals were polluted by those phthalate esters. This shows that the environmental pollution by the phthalate esters may have been spread over in Thailand. IGF-1 and sexual steroids (testosterone in male, estrogen and progesterone in female) were measured. Plasma level of IGF-1 in long-tailed macaques was slightly lower than that in Japanese macaques. Pregnant individuals exhibited higher levels of the hormone. Those values were within the range of IGF-1 concentrations in pregnant wild Japanese macaques. Age-related changes in testosterone showed a temporal rise in infant period and permanent rise after 5 years. These are similar to those in captive animals. However, the second (permanent) rise in wild animals was one or two years later than that in captive ones. Age-related changes in female sexual steroids were similar to those in captive animals. Histological specimens were made from gonadal organs of captive macaques by biopsy in Thailand. Histological analysis of those specimens showed no any abnormalities. This result indicated that it may be difficult to prove the influence of endocrine disrupters by this approach.An epidemiological proof of the endocrine disruption by the phthalate ester to wild macaques in Thailand was detected hi this research. Those wild macaques were evaluated as a useful epidemiological monitor for humans. However, the necessity for more precisely research cannot be undervalued.