User:HannahEmeline/Health effects of pesticides

Mechanism of Action
Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms and vary in their mechanisms of action, depending on their class. The major classes of pesticides are organochlorines (OCPs) or persistent organic pollutants (POPs), organophosphates, carbamates, phyrethroids, and triazines. While all pesticides have been shown to have effects on human health, OCPs are notable for significant risk for adverse effects as they dissolve in fatty tissues and can, thus, accumulate to harmful levels in these tissues. For example, some OCPs are structurally similar to estrogen and can mimic the effects of endogenous estrogen via binding to the estrogen receptors. These pesticides exhibit their toxic effects by interfering with hormonal homeostasis, resulting in hormonal dysregulation. This promotes abnormal growth and development of reproductive tissues and can lead to cancer or harmful effects on reproductive health. OCPs or POPs, which were used in agricultural practices in the 1950s, have now been banned in most countries. However, their breakdown products are persistent and can still be found in soil.

Pesticides can also exert their adverse effects on human health by acting on cell receptors and ion channels, suppressing key signal pathways in cells, and by affecting DNA methylation and histone modifications, thus resulting in changes in gene expression and cellular function.