Work

Inhibition of human and rat 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 by parabens: Mechanistic insights into cortisol metabolism disruption and structure-activity relationship and in silico docking

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Parabens are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. However, their endocrine-disrupting potential, particularly their impact on 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), remains unclear. This study evaluated 9 parabens for their inhibitory potency against human placental and rat renal 11β-HSD2, mode of action, structure-activity relationship (SAR), molecular interactions (via in silico docking) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) binding analysis, and effects on HSD11B2 expression and cortisol metabolism in human placental BeWo cells. Nonyl paraben was the most potent inhibitor in both species, with the lowest IC 50 (human: 15.24 μM, rat: 10.79 μM) and strongest binding affinity ( KD : human 3.38 × 10 −5 M; ΔG: human: −6.43 kcal/mol, rat: −6.37 kcal/mol). Short-chain parabens (

Source: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.119174