(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A toxic chemical may be contributing to the worldwide obesity epidemic.

Scientists recently observed that tributyltin -- a chemical used in certain types of boat paints, as a pesticide, and as a wood and textile preservative -- causes the growth of extra fatty tissue in newborn mice when they are exposed to it in utero. They also found the chemical impairs reproduction in water fleas.

Tributyltin affects organisms by activating receptors called RXRs, which can switch on genes that cause the growth of fat storage cells. RXRs can also regulate body metabolism. The effects the chemical has on similar receptors may be widespread throughout the animal kingdom, scientists say.

In the past, scientists have found tributyltin causes female mollusks to develop male sexual characteristics and bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish.

SOURCE: BioScience, 2008;58:1061-1067

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