During the last decade, the issue of health-related endocrine disruptors (ED) has been extended to the toxicity of mixtures. The objective of this study was to define the effects of lifelong exposure to ED mixtures, at low doses defined as "non-harmful" by the authorities. In this aim, the effects of mixtures combining genistein, vinclozolin and bisphenol A, have been investigated in the rat by using an integrative and multi-generational experimental approach which takes into account maternal behavior, feeding behavior and development. Our results show that these mixtures could: a) reduce maternal behavior, b) change taste preferences (sweet, salty), c) affect the development from the in utero period (birth defects) up to adulthood (body overweight) d) disrupt the metabolic balance (females) and the salivary gland expression of genes encoding proteins involved in gustation, and e) generate epigenetic effects on the unexposed F2 generation.An in vitro study confirms that Genistein and / or Vinclozolin, introduced at the step of the induction of adipocyte differentiation affect the development and endocrine activity (leptin, triglycerides) of 3T3-L1 cells and reveals that Vinclozolin potentiates the anti-adipogenic effect of Genistein. To conclude, this study shows that exposure to PE mixtures could affect behavior and development, and could predispose the body to develop metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, but the own hormonal properties of component could not be used to predict the cocktails toxicity
