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Yu G, Luo T, Liu Y, Huo X, Mo C, Huang B, Li Y, Feng L, Sun Y, Zhang J, Zhang Z. Multi-omics reveal disturbance of glucose homeostasis in pregnant rats exposed to short-chain perfluorobutanesulfonic acid. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 278:116402. [PMID: 38728940 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), a short-chain alternative to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), is widely used in various products and is increasingly present in environmental media and human bodies. Recent epidemiological findings have raised concerns about its potential adverse health effects, although the specific toxic mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic toxicity of gestational PFBS exposure in maternal rats. Pregnant Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to three groups and administered either 3% starch gel (control), 5, or 50 mg/kg bw·d PFBS. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and lipid profiles were measured, and integrated omics analysis (transcriptomics and non-targeted metabolomics) was employed to identify changes in genes and metabolites and their relationships with metabolic phenotypes. The results revealed that rats exposed to 50 mg/kg bw·d PFBS exhibited a significant decrease in 1-h glucose levels and the area under the curve (AUC) of OGTT compared with the starch group. Transcriptomics analysis indicated significant alterations in gene expression related to cytochrome P450 exogenous metabolism, glutathione metabolism, bile acid secretion, tumor pathways, and retinol metabolism. Differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were enriched in pathways such as pyruvate metabolism, the glucagon signaling pathway, central carbon metabolism in cancer, and the citric acid cycle. Co-enrichment analysis and pairwise correlation analysis among genes, metabolites, and outcomes identified several differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including Gstm1, Kit, Adcy1, Gck, Ppp1r3c, Ppp1r3d, and DEMs such as fumaric acid, L-lactic acid, 4-hydroxynonenal, and acetylvalerenolic acid. These DEGs and DEMs may play a role in the modulation of glucolipid metabolic pathways. In conclusion, our results suggest that gestational exposure to PFBS may induce molecular perturbations in glucose homeostasis. These findings provide insights into the potential mechanisms contributing to the heightened risk of abnormal glucose tolerance associated with PFBS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqi Yu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China; Global Centre for Asian Women's Health, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117549, Singapore; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117549, Singapore
| | - Tingyu Luo
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaona Huo
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Chunbao Mo
- School of Public Health and Emergency Management, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bo Huang
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - You Li
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Liping Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yan Sun
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Zhiyong Zhang
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China; The Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposomics and Entire Lifecycle Heath, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China.
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Xie Z, Sun S, Ji H, Miao M, He W, Song X, Cao W, Wu Q, Liang H, Yuan W. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and DNA methylation in the placenta: A prospective cohort study. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132845. [PMID: 37898083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies regarding the relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and DNA methylation were limited. We investigated the associations of maternal PFAS concentrations with placental DNA methylation and examined the mediating role of methylation changes between PFAS and infant development. We measured the concentrations of 11 PFAS in maternal plasma during early pregnancy and infant development at six months of age. We analyzed genome-wide DNA methylation in 16 placental samples using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Additionally, we measured DNA methylation levels using bisulfite amplicon sequencing in 345 mother-infant pairs for five candidate genes, including carbohydrate sulfotransferase 7 (CHST7), fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13), insulin receptor substrate 4 (IRS4), paired like homeobox 2Ap (PHOX2A), and plexin domain containing 1 (PLXDC1). We found that placental DNA methylation profiles related to PFOA mainly enriched in angiogenesis and neuronal signaling pathways. PFOA was associated with hypomethylation of IRS4 and PLXDC1, and PFNA was associated with PLXDC1 hypomethylation. There were positive associations of CHST7 methylation with PFTrDA and IRS4 methylation with PFDoA and PFTrDA. PLXDC1 hypomethylation mediated the association between PFOA and suspected developmental delay in infants. Future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Xie
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of public health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Songlin Sun
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of public health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglei Ji
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Maohua Miao
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wanhong He
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiuxia Song
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wencheng Cao
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, National Reference Laboratory of Dioxin, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Qihan Wu
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Hong Liang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Wei Yuan
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
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Starling AP, Friedman C, Boyle KE, Adgate JL, Glueck DH, Allshouse WB, Calafat AM, Bloemsma LD, Dabelea D. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and early childhood adiposity and cardiometabolic health in the Healthy Start study. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:276-283. [PMID: 38042932 PMCID: PMC10872497 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01420-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Observational and experimental studies have suggested that prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can increase childhood adiposity and cardiometabolic disruption. However, most previous studies have used weight-based measures that cannot distinguish between fat mass and lean mass. We evaluated associations of prenatal PFAS exposure with precisely measured body composition and cardiometabolic biomarkers in early childhood. SUBJECTS 373 eligible mother-infant pairs in the Healthy Start longitudinal cohort. METHODS We used multiple linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression models to estimate associations between five PFAS in maternal mid-pregnancy serum, and early childhood adiposity via air displacement plethysmography. Secondary outcomes included body mass index, waist circumference, and fasting serum lipids, glucose, insulin and adipokines. Models were adjusted for potential confounders and effect modification by child sex was evaluated. RESULTS The median age of children at assessment was 4.6 years. Prenatal concentration of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was positively associated with percent fat mass (0.89% per log2-unit increase, 95% CI: 0.15, 1.64), while perfluorononanoate (PFNA) was positively associated with fat mass index and body mass index. Cardiometabolic markers in blood were generally not associated with prenatal PFAS in this population. Mixture models confirmed the importance of PFNA and PFOA in predicting percent fat mass, while PFNA was most important for fat mass index, body mass index, and waist circumference. There were no significant effects of the five PFAS as a mixture, potentially due to opposing effects of different PFAS. CONCLUSIONS Our results agree with previous studies showing that prenatal serum concentrations of certain PFAS are positively associated with early childhood adiposity. Notably, associations were stronger for measures incorporating precisely measured fat mass compared to measures of body size or weight. Early life increases in adiposity may precede the development of adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes in children exposed to PFAS during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Chloe Friedman
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kristen E Boyle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Deborah H Glueck
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - William B Allshouse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lizan D Bloemsma
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Frangione B, Birk S, Benzouak T, Rodriguez-Villamizar LA, Karim F, Dugandzic R, Villeneuve PJ. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pediatric obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:131-146. [PMID: 37907715 PMCID: PMC10824662 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01401-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially obesogenic for children. We undertook a systematic review to synthesize this literature and explore sources of heterogeneity in previously published epidemiological studies. METHODS Studies that collected individual-level PFAS and anthropometric data from children up to 12 years of age were identified by searching six databases. We excluded studies that only evaluated obesity measures at the time of birth. A full-text review and quality assessment of the studies was performed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) criteria. Forest plots were created to summarize measures of association and assess heterogeneity across studies by chemical type and exposure timing. Funnel plots were used to assess small-study effects. RESULTS We identified 24 studies, of which 19 used a cohort design. There were 13 studies included in the meta-analysis examining various chemicals and outcomes. Overall prenatal exposures to four different types of PFAS were not statistically associated with changes in body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference. In contrast, for three chemicals, postnatal exposures were inversely related to changes in BMI (i.e., per log10 increase in PFOS: BMI z-score of -0.16 (95% CI: -0.22, -0.10)). There was no substantial heterogeneity in the reported measures of association within prenatal and postnatal subgroups. We observed modest small-study effects, but correction for these effects using the Trim and Fill method did not change our summary estimate(s). CONCLUSION Our review found no evidence of a positive association between prenatal PFAS exposure and pediatric obesity, whereas an inverse association was found for postnatal exposure. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of studies. Future research that can inform on the effects of exposure mixtures, the timing of the exposure, outcome measures, and the shape of the exposure-response curve is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Frangione
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Sapriya Birk
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Tarek Benzouak
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, H3A 0G4, Montreal, Canada
| | - Laura A Rodriguez-Villamizar
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada
- Faculty of Health, Universidad Industrial de Santander, 680002, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Fatima Karim
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Paul J Villeneuve
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada.
- CHAIM Research Centre, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Canada.
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Li L, Li K, Zhou X, Knowles RL. Maximising the potential of Chinese birth cohort studies: a systematic review of mother-baby cohorts in mainland China. Public Health 2024; 227:119-130. [PMID: 38168592 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES There is now a growing interest in early-life influences on adult diseases in China. A number of birth cohorts have been established. This systematic review provided a better understanding of the development of mother-baby cohorts in China. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review. METHODS We conducted a systematic review for research or profile papers in English/Chinese that reported data from mother-baby cohorts in mainland China, with ≥1y follow-up after birth. We identified 315 papers, corresponding to 31 cohorts from 19 provinces/megacities. RESULTS All cohorts started in 1999-2017 (21 after 2010) and were set up with broad objectives or specific scientific focus. The baseline sample size varied, from <500 to >300,000 mothers. A majority of cohorts were initiated during pregnancy and followed children to <10y, only six to adolescence and none into adulthood. These cohorts mostly collected samples from mothers and babies, in addition to using interviews/questionnaires to collect information about pregnancy, birth and child health. Most cohorts were recruited from a single province/city. The large western region was understudied. CONCLUSIONS Mother-baby cohorts have developed rapidly in China, but usually with a short follow-up duration. Extending the follow-up of children and developing cross-cohort collaboration will increase the diversity, size and coverage of the sample, allow studying early influences on life-course health and identify targets for early intervention in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Li
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK.
| | - K Li
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UK.
| | - X Zhou
- Institute of Social Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China; Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China.
| | - R L Knowles
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK.
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Sun S, Xie Z, Song X, Wen S, Yuan W, Miao M, Ji H, Liang H. Prenatal exposure to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and adiposity measures of children at 4 and 6 years: A prospective birth cohort in China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 269:115751. [PMID: 38042132 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that prenatal exposure to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was associated with childhood obesity, but evidence on multiple adiposity measures including arm circumference (AC), and waist circumference (WC) among Chinese children is limited. We investigated the associations of prenatal exposure to PFAS with adiposity measures of children at 4 and 6 years of age in the Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study. A total of 573 mother-child pairs with maternal PFAS concentrations and at least one measurement of adiposity measures of children were included in the present study. Eleven PFAS were assessed in maternal fasting blood samples. Information on children's weight, height, AC, and WC was collected at follow-ups. Weight for age Z score (WAZ), body mass index for age Z score (BMIz), and children overweight were calculated based on the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards. Multivariate linear regression, Poisson regression with robust error variance, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were used to examine the associations of prenatal exposure to PFAS with children's adiposity measures. Eight PFAS with detection rates above 85 % were included in the analyses. In the multivariate linear regression models, maternal PFNA concentrations were associated with a greater AC (β = 0.29, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 0.04-0.55) in 4-year-old children and with an increase in WAZ (β = 0.26, 95 % CI: 0.06-0.46), BMIz (β = 0.31, 95 % CI: 0.09-0.53), AC (β = 0.49, 95 % CI: 0.08-0.90), and WC (β = 1.47, 95 % CI: 0.41-2.52) in 6-year-old children. We also observed the associations of maternal concentrations of PFOS, PFNA, PFUdA, and PFTrDA with the increased risk of children overweight in 6-year-old children. BKMR models further supported the findings from multivariate linear regression and Poisson regression models, and identified PFNA as the most important contributor. Moreover, the associations described above were generally more pronounced in girls. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to PFAS was associated with an increased risk of children's adiposity with a sex-specific manner, and PFNA contributed most to the associations after controlling for the effect of co-exposure to other PFAS compounds, especially among girls at 6 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songlin Sun
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhenzhen Xie
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiuxia Song
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sheng Wen
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, National Reference Laboratory of Dioxin, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Maohua Miao
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglei Ji
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Hong Liang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China.
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Qin H, Lang Y, Wang Y, Cui W, Niu Y, Luan H, Li M, Zhang H, Li S, Wang C, Liu W. Adipogenic and osteogenic effects of OBS and synergistic action with PFOS via PPARγ-RXRα heterodimers. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108354. [PMID: 38043320 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzenesulfonate (OBS) is a novel alternative to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), with environmental health risks largely unknown. The present study aims to unravel the adipogenesis effects and underlying molecular initiating events of OBS, which are crucial for understanding and predicting its adverse outcome. In undifferentiated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), exposure to 1-100 nM of OBS for 7 days stimulated reactive oxygen species production. In the subsequent multipotent differentiation, hMSCs favored adipogenesis and repressed osteogenesis. The point of departure (PoD) for cellular responses of OBS was 38.85 nM, higher than PFOS (0.39 nM). Notably, OBS/PFOS co-exposure inhibited osteogenesis and synergistically promoted adipogenesis. Consistently, the expression of adipogenic marker genes was up-regulated, while that of osteogenic marker genes was down-regulated. The decreased adiponectin and elevated tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) secretion were observed in differentiated cells exposed to the mixture of OBS and PFOS. The co-treatment of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) antagonist alleviated the adipogenic effects of PFOS and its combination with OBS. Moreover, OBS/PFOS co-exposure induced peroxisome PPARγ activation in reporter gene assays, and increased formation of PPARγ - retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) heterodimers measured by co-immunoprecipitation assays. Molecular docking showed interaction energy of OBS (-20.7 kcal/mol) with intact PPARγ-RXRα complex was lower than that of PFOS (-25.9 kcal/mol). Overall, single OBS exhibited lower potency in inducing adipogenesis but is comparable to PFOS in repressing osteogenesis, whereas OBS/PFOS co-exposure increases interaction with PPARγ-RXRα heterodimers, resulting in the synergistic activation of PPARγ, ultimately enhancing adipogenesis at the expense of osteogenic differentiation. The results indicate the potential health risks of increased obesity and decreased bone density caused by OBS and its co-exposure with PFOS, as well as other perfluorinated alkylated substances mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Qin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yueming Lang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yiteng Wang
- Central Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Sports Medicine Department, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yuxin Niu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Haiyang Luan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Minghan Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Shujing Li
- School of Bioengineering & Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Disease, Liaoning Province, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Chenxi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
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8
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Zhang M, Rifas-Shiman SL, Aris IM, Fleisch AF, Lin PID, Nichols AR, Oken E, Hivert MF. Associations of Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Exposures with Offspring Adiposity and Body Composition at 16-20 Years of Age: Project Viva. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127002. [PMID: 38054701 PMCID: PMC10699168 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Findings on the associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and offspring adiposity are inconsistent. Whether such associations may extend to adolescence is especially understudied. OBJECTIVES We investigated associations of prenatal PFAS exposures with offspring adiposity and body composition at 16-20 years of age. METHODS We studied 545 mother-child pairs in the prospective prebirth cohort Project Viva (Boston, Massachusetts). We measured six PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA) in maternal early pregnancy (median age = 9.6 wk , range: 5.7-19.6 wk) plasma samples. At the late adolescence visit (median age = 17.4 y, range: 15.9-20.0 y), we obtained anthropometric measures and assessed body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We examined associations of individual PFAS with obesity [i.e., age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95 th percentile] and adiposity and body composition using multivariable Poisson and linear regression models, respectively. We assessed PFAS mixture effects using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile g-computation. We used fractional-polynomial models to assess BMI trajectories (at 3-20 years of age) by prenatal PFAS levels. RESULTS Thirteen percent (n = 73 ) of the children had obesity in late adolescence. After multivariable adjustment, higher prenatal PFAS concentrations were associated with higher obesity risk [e.g., 1.59 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.12), 1.24 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.57), and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.99) times the obesity risk per doubling of PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA, respectively]. BKMR showed an interaction between PFOA and PFOS, where the positive association between PFOS and obesity was stronger when PFOA levels were lower. Each quartile increment of the PFAS mixture was associated with 1.52 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.25) times the obesity risk and 0.52 (95% CI: - 0.02 , 1.06) kg / m 2 higher BMI. Children with higher prenatal PFOS, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA concentrations had higher rates of BMI increase starting from 9-11 years of age. DISCUSSION Prenatal PFAS exposures may have obesogenic effects into late adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12597.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Izzuddin M. Aris
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Abby F. Fleisch
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, Maine, USA
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - Pi-I Debby Lin
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amy R. Nichols
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Dai Y, Zhang J, Wang Z, Ding J, Xu S, Zhang B, Guo J, Qi X, Chang X, Wu C, Zhou Z. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in umbilical cord serum and body mass index trajectories from birth to age 10 years: Findings from a longitudinal birth cohort (SMBCS). ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 180:108238. [PMID: 37783122 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to low birth weight but higher childhood weight and obesity. However, little is known regarding the associations between PFAS exposure and dynamic body mass index (BMI) trajectories, particularly from birth through preadolescence. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the associations of cord serum PFAS concentrations with BMI trajectories from birth to age 10 years and longitudinal BMI in different periods. METHODS Based on 887 mother-child pairs in the longitudinal prospective birth cohort, we measured 12 PFAS congeners in cord serum and calculated BMI with anthropometric indicators at 9 follow-up time points from birth to age 10 years. The BMI trajectories were identified using group-based trajectory model (GBTM). To estimate the associations of cord serum PFAS levels with BMI trajectories and longitudinal changes in BMI, logistic regression models, linear mixed models, Bayesian kernel machine regression, and quantile-based g-computation models (QGC) were used. RESULTS The median concentrations of 10 PFAS congeners included in statistical analysis ranged from 0.047 to 3.623 μg/L. Two BMI trajectory classes were identified by GBTM, characterized by high group and low group. In logistic regression models, five PFAS congeners (PFBA, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFHpS, and PFDoDA) were associated with the higher probability of being in high BMI trajectory group (odds ratio, OR: 1.21 to 1.74, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, higher PFAS mixture were related to elevated odds for the high group in both BKMR models and QGC models, with PFHpA and PFHpS being the two most important drivers jointly. In the sex-stratified analysis, the positive associations remained significant exclusively among males. In the longitudinal analysis, PFUnDA and PFDoDA were associated with increased BMI from birth to age 10 years. Furthermore, PFBS and PFHpA were negatively related to BMI throughout infancy and toddlerhood (from birth to age 3 years), whereas PFDoDA confirmed a positive association with mid-childhood (from age 6 to 10 years) BMI. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal PFAS exposure was positively associated with BMI trajectories from birth to preadolescence and longitudinal BMI in various periods. Future research could use better trajectory modeling strategies to shape more complete growth trajectories and explore the relationship between BMI trajectories and adulthood health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Dai
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Zheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiayun Ding
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sinan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Boya Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jianqiu Guo
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaojuan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China; Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 3399 Binsheng Road, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - Xiuli Chang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chunhua Wu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of National Health Commission, School of Public Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
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10
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Frigerio G, Ferrari CM, Fustinoni S. Prenatal and childhood exposure to per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and its associations with childhood overweight and/or obesity: a systematic review with meta-analyses. Environ Health 2023; 22:56. [PMID: 37580798 PMCID: PMC10424367 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic pollutants and suspected endocrine disruptors. OBJECTIVE The aim of this work was to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to summarise the associations between prenatal or childhood exposure to PFASs and childhood overweight/obesity. METHODS The search was performed on the bibliographic databases PubMed and Embase with text strings containing terms related to prenatal, breastfeeding, childhood, overweight, obesity, and PFASs. Only papers describing a biomonitoring study in pregnant women or in children up to 18 years that assessed body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), or fat mass in children were included. When the estimates of the association between a PFAS and an outcome were reported from at least 3 studies, a meta-analysis was conducted; moreover, to correctly compare the studies, we developed a method to convert the different effect estimates and made them comparable each other. Meta-analyses were performed also stratifying by sex and age, and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS In total, 484 and 779 articles were retrieved from PubMed and Embase, respectively, resulting in a total of 826 articles after merging duplicates. The papers included in this systematic review were 49: 26 evaluating prenatal exposure to PFASs, 17 childhood exposure, and 6 both. Considering a qualitative evaluation, results were conflicting, with positive, negative, and null associations. 30 papers were included in meta-analyses (19 prenatal, 7 children, and 4 both). Positive associations were evidenced between prenatal PFNA and BMI, between PFOA and BMI in children who were more than 3 years, and between prenatal PFNA and WC. Negative associations were found between prenatal PFOS and BMI in children who were 3 or less years, and between PFHxS and risk of overweight. Relatively more consistent negative associations were evidenced between childhood exposure to three PFASs (PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA) and BMI, in particular PFOS in boys. However, heterogeneity among studies was high. CONCLUSION Even though heterogeneous across studies, the pooled evidence suggests possible associations, mostly positive, between prenatal exposure to some PFASs and childhood BMI/WC; and relatively stronger evidence for negative associations between childhood exposure to PFASs and childhood BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Frigerio
- Environmental Cheminformatics, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval | House of Biomedicine II, 6 Avenue du Swing, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Matilde Ferrari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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11
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Duque-Cartagena T, Mundstock E, Dala Bernardina Dalla M, Vontobel Padoin A, Cañon-Montañez W, Mattiello R. The role of environmental pollutants in body composition: Systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115840. [PMID: 37024033 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The effects of environmental pollution are associated with higher rates of mortality, morbidity, and years of life lost. It is known that these produce alterations in the human body, including changes in body composition. Research has focused on the association between contaminants and BMI through cross-sectional studies. The objective of this study was to synthesize the evidence for the association of pollutants on different measures of body composition. The PECOS strategy was defined, in which "P": participants of any age, sex, or ethnicity, "E": a higher level of environmental pollution, "C": a lower level of environmental pollution, "O": body composition measurements and "S": longitudinal studies. Studies from the following databases were included: MEDLINE, EMBASE, SciELO, LILACS, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and gray literature from inception to January 2023.3069 studies were identified, 18 were included in the systematic review, and 13 in the meta-analysis. These studies included 8.563 people, 47 environmental contaminants, and 16 measures of body composition. The meta-analysis by subgroup found that the association between dioxins, furans, PCBs, and waist circumference was β = 1.0 (95% CI: 0.85 to 1.16; I2: 95%), and the sum of four skinfolds β = 1.02 (95% CI: 0.88 to 1.16; I2: 24%). The association between pesticides and waist circumference was β = 1.00 (95% CI: 0.68 to 1.32; I2: 98%), and the fat mass was β = 0.99 (95% CI: 0.17 to 1.81; I2: 94%). Pollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting chemicals, among which dioxins, furans, PCBs, and pesticides, are associated with changes in body composition, mainly with waist circumference and the sum of four skinfolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Duque-Cartagena
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), School of Medicine, Post-Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Mundstock
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), School of Medicine, Post-Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Education, Sport and Leisure of Canela, Canela, RS, Brazil
| | - Marcello Dala Bernardina Dalla
- Cassiano Antônio de Moraes University Hospital, Universidade Federal Do Espírito Santo (HUCAM/UFES), Vitória, ES, Brazil; Capixaba Institute for Teaching Research and Innovation of the State Health Department of Espirito Santo (ICEPI-SESA), Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Vontobel Padoin
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), School of Medicine, Post-Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Rita Mattiello
- Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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12
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Liu Y, Wosu AC, Fleisch AF, Dunlop AL, Starling AP, Ferrara A, Dabelea D, Oken E, Buckley JP, Chatzi L, Karagas MR, Romano ME, Schantz S, O’Connor TG, Woodruff TJ, Zhu Y, Hamra GB, Braun JM. Associations of Gestational Perfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure with Early Childhood BMI z-Scores and Risk of Overweight/Obesity: Results from the ECHO Cohorts. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:67001. [PMID: 37283528 PMCID: PMC10246497 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure may be associated with adiposity and increased risk of obesity among children and adolescents. However, results from epidemiological studies evaluating these associations are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES We estimated the associations of pregnancy PFAS concentrations with child body mass index (BMI) z -scores and risk of overweight/obesity in eight U.S. cohorts. METHODS We used data from 1,391 mother-child pairs who enrolled in eight Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts (enrolled: 1999-2019). We quantified concentrations of seven PFAS in maternal plasma or serum in pregnancy. We measured child weight and height between the ages of 2 and 5 y and calculated age- and sex-specific BMI z -scores; 19.6% children had more than one BMI measurement. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations of individual PFAS and their mixture with child BMI z -scores and risk of overweight/obesity using linear mixed models, modified Poisson regression models, and Bayesian approaches for mixtures. We explored whether child sex modified these associations. RESULTS We observed a pattern of subtle positive associations of PFAS concentrations in pregnancy with BMI z -scores and risk of overweight/obesity. For instance, each doubling in perfluorohexane sulfonic acid concentrations was associated with higher BMI z -scores (β = 0.07 ; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.12). Each doubling in perfluroundecanoic acid [relative risk ( RR ) = 1.10 ; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.16] and N -methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (RR = 1.06 ; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.12) was associated with increased risk of overweight/obesity, with some evidence of a monotonic dose-response relation. We observed weaker and more imprecise associations of the PFAS mixture with BMI or risk of overweight/obesity. Associations did not differ by child sex. DISCUSSION In eight U.S.-based prospective cohorts, gestational exposure to higher levels of PFAS were associated with slightly higher childhood BMI z -score and risk of overweight or obesity. Future studies should examine associations of gestational exposure to PFAS with adiposity and related cardiometabolic consequences in older children. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11545.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Adaeze C. Wosu
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Abby F. Fleisch
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center and Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center and Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anne P. Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Assiamira Ferrara
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jessie P. Buckley
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Leda Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Megan E. Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Susan Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Thomas G. O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Tracey J. Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Ghassan B. Hamra
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - and the program collaborators for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center and Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center and Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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13
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Hall AM, Braun JM. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Outcomes Related to Metabolic Syndrome: A Review of the Literature and Current Recommendations for Clinicians. Am J Lifestyle Med 2023. [DOI: 10.1177/15598276231162802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic, ubiquitous, anthropogenic chemicals known to bioaccumulate in humans. Substantial concern exists regarding the human health effects of PFAS, particularly metabolic syndrome (MetS), a precursor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. This narrative review provides an overview of the PFAS literature on 4 specific components of MetS: insulin resistance/glucose dysregulation, central adiposity, dyslipidemia, and blood pressure. We focus on prospective cohort studies as these provide the best body of evidence compared to other study designs. Available evidence suggests potential associations between some PFAS and type-2 diabetes in adults, dyslipidemia in children and adults, and blood pressure in adults. Additionally, some studies found that sex and physical activity may modify these relationships. Future studies should consider modification by sex and lifestyle factors (e.g., diet and physical activity), as well quantifying the impact of PFAS mixtures on MetS features and related clinical disease. Finally, clinicians can follow recently developed clinical guidance to screen for PFAS exposure in patients, measure PFAS levels, conduct additional clinical care based on PFAS levels, and advise on PFAS exposure reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M. Hall
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
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14
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Schillemans T, Iszatt N, Remy S, Schoeters G, Fernández MF, D'Cruz SC, Desalegn A, Haug LS, Lignell S, Lindroos AK, Fábelová L, Murinova LP, Kosjek T, Tkalec Ž, Gabriel C, Sarigiannis D, Pedraza-Díaz S, Esteban-López M, Castaño A, Rambaud L, Riou M, Pauwels S, Vanlarebeke N, Kolossa-Gehring M, Vogel N, Uhl M, Govarts E, Åkesson A. Cross-sectional associations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and body mass index among European teenagers in the HBM4EU aligned studies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120566. [PMID: 36334774 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread pollutants that may impact youth adiposity patterns. We investigated cross-sectional associations between PFAS and body mass index (BMI) in teenagers/adolescents across nine European countries within the Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) initiative. We used data from 1957 teenagers (12-18 yrs) that were part of the HBM4EU aligned studies, consisting of nine HBM studies (NEBII, Norway; Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17, Sweden; PCB cohort (follow-up), Slovakia; SLO CRP, Slovenia; CROME, Greece; BEA, Spain; ESTEBAN, France; FLEHS IV, Belgium; GerES V-sub, Germany). Twelve PFAS were measured in blood, whilst weight and height were measured by field nurse/physician or self-reported in questionnaires. We assessed associations between PFAS and age- and sex-adjusted BMI z-scores using linear and logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Random-effects meta-analysis and mixed effects models were used to pool studies. We assessed mixture effects using molar sums of exposure biomarkers with toxicological/structural similarities and quantile g-computation. In all studies, the highest concentrations of PFAS were PFOS (medians ranging from 1.34 to 2.79 μg/L). There was a tendency for negative associations with BMI z-scores for all PFAS (except for PFHxS and PFHpS), which was borderline significant for the molar sum of [PFOA and PFNA] and significant for single PFOA [β-coefficient (95% CI) per interquartile range fold change = -0.06 (-0.17, 0.00) and -0.08 (-0.15, -0.01), respectively]. Mixture assessment indicated similar negative associations of the total mixture of [PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS] with BMI z-score, but not all compounds showed associations in the same direction: whilst [PFOA, PFNA and PFOS] were negatively associated, [PFHxS] associated positively with BMI z-score. Our results indicated a tendency for associations of relatively low PFAS concentrations with lower BMI in European teenagers. More prospective research is needed to investigate this potential relationship and its implications for health later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Schillemans
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Greet Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM) and School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Shereen Cynthia D'Cruz
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), Rennes, France
| | - Anteneh Desalegn
- Division of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | - Line S Haug
- Division of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | | | | | - Lucia Fábelová
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tina Kosjek
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Žiga Tkalec
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Catherine Gabriel
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece
| | - Denis Sarigiannis
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Center on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Balkan Center, Bldg. B, 10th Km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001, Greece; Environmental Health Engineering, Institute of Advanced Study, Palazzo Del Broletto - Piazza Della Vittoria 15, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Esteban-López
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Argelia Castaño
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Loïc Rambaud
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Santé Publique France, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Margaux Riou
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Santé Publique France, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Sara Pauwels
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nik Vanlarebeke
- Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Free University of Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Nina Vogel
- German Environment Agency, Umweltbundesamt (UBA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Uhl
- Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Agneta Åkesson
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
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15
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Zhang S, Lei X, Zhang Y, Shi R, Zhang Q, Gao Y, Yuan T, Li J, Tian Y. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and childhood adiposity at 7 years of age. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:136077. [PMID: 36002061 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have reported that prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure may increase childhood adiposity. However, limited data is available in China, and the overall effects of PFAS mixture remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of prenatal exposure to individual PFAS and their mixture with childhood adiposity at 7 years of age. METHODS A total of 206 mother-infant pairs were recruited from the Laizhou Wan (Bay) Birth Cohort in China between 2010 and 2013. Ten PFAS were measured in maternal serum. The measurements of fat mass, body fat percentage, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and overweight/obesity were used to assess adiposity in children aged 7. We fitted logistic regression, linear regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models to estimate the association of prenatal exposure to individual PFAS and their mixture with childhood adiposity. RESULTS We found negative associations of perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) exposure with adiposity measurements in all children. The result from the WQS model consistently revealed that the PFAS mixture was inversely related to adiposity measurements. Each quartile increase of the PFAS mixture was associated with a 1.14 kg decrease (95% CI: -2.27, -0.02) in fat mass and a 2.32% decrease (95% CI: -4.51, -0.14) in body fat. Moreover, significant sex differences were found. PFAS mixture was negatively associated with five adiposity measurements in boys, but positively associated with all adiposity measurements except body fat percentage in girls. PFOSA, PFHpA and perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) with weights >0.300 were the main contributors to the overall effects observed among all children, boys and girls, respectively. CONCLUSION This study suggests potential sex-specific associations of prenatal exposure to individual PFAS and their mixture with childhood adiposity, with the observed relationship being negative for boys but positive for girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanyu Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoning Lei
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong Shi
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianlong Zhang
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Yuan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiong Li
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Clinical Epidemiology-Department of Clinical Medicine, Arhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Abrahamsson D, Siddharth A, Robinson JF, Soshilov A, Elmore S, Cogliano V, Ng C, Khan E, Ashton R, Chiu WA, Fung J, Zeise L, Woodruff TJ. Modeling the transplacental transfer of small molecules using machine learning: a case study on per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:808-819. [PMID: 36207486 PMCID: PMC9742309 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00481-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite their large numbers and widespread use, very little is known about the extent to which per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can cross the placenta and expose the developing fetus. OBJECTIVE The aim of our study is to develop a computational approach that can be used to evaluate the of extend to which small molecules, and in particular PFAS, can cross to cross the placenta and partition to cord blood. METHODS We collected experimental values of the concentration ratio between cord and maternal blood (RCM) for 260 chemical compounds and calculated their physicochemical descriptors using the cheminformatics package Mordred. We used the compiled database to, train and test an artificial neural network (ANN). And then applied the best performing model to predict RCM for a large dataset of PFAS chemicals (n = 7982). We, finally, examined the calculated physicochemical descriptors of the chemicals to identify which properties correlated significantly with RCM. RESULTS We determined that 7855 compounds were within the applicability domain and 127 compounds are outside the applicability domain of our model. Our predictions of RCM for PFAS suggested that 3623 compounds had a log RCM > 0 indicating preferable partitioning to cord blood. Some examples of these compounds were bisphenol AF, 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane, and nonafluoro-tert-butyl 3-methylbutyrate. SIGNIFICANCE These observations have important public health implications as many PFAS have been shown to interfere with fetal development. In addition, as these compounds are highly persistent and many of them can readily cross the placenta, they are expected to remain in the population for a long time as they are being passed from parent to offspring. IMPACT Understanding the behavior of chemicals in the human body during pregnancy is critical in preventing harmful exposures during critical periods of development. Many chemicals can cross the placenta and expose the fetus, however, the mechanism by which this transport occurs is not well understood. In our study, we developed a machine learning model that describes the transplacental transfer of chemicals as a function of their physicochemical properties. The model was then used to make predictions for a set of 7982 per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances that are listed on EPA's CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. The model can be applied to make predictions for other chemical categories of interest, such as plasticizers and pesticides. Accurate predictions of RCM can help scientists and regulators to prioritize chemicals that have the potential to cause harm by exposing the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Abrahamsson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Adi Siddharth
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Joshua F Robinson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Anatoly Soshilov
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1001 I St, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay St, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Sarah Elmore
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1001 I St, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay St, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Vincent Cogliano
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1001 I St, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay St, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Carla Ng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Elaine Khan
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1001 I St, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay St, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Randolph Ashton
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 330 N Orchard St, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
- The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Weihsueh A Chiu
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jennifer Fung
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science and the Center of Reproductive Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2240, USA
| | - Lauren Zeise
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1001 I St, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay St, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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Huang Z, Zhang X, Wang X, Deji Z, Lee HK. Occurrence of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Ice Cream, Instant Noodles, and Bubble Tea. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:10836-10846. [PMID: 35998314 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Food consumption is a significant exposure route to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The concentrations of 27 PFAS in fast food were determined by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. In ice cream, instant noodles, and bubble tea, some PFAS were detected, among which perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluoro-n-butanoic acid, and 6:2 polyfluoroalkyl phosphate monoester showed relatively high concentrations. PFAS migrating from bubble tea cups to the food simulant of 50% ethanol aqueous solution showed a difference compared with those migrating into bubble tea matrices. The migration of 27 PFAS to bubble tea samples indicated that long storage time increased PFAS levels (up to 4.8 times) and so did high storage temperature (up to 7.3 times). The hazard ratio, defined as the ratio of the estimated daily intake and the reference dose, was calculated, and it suggests that the total PFAS exposure risk due to consumption of bubble tea should be of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Zhuoma Deji
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China
| | - Hian Kee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
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Jane L Espartero L, Yamada M, Ford J, Owens G, Prow T, Juhasz A. Health-related toxicity of emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Comparison to legacy PFOS and PFOA. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113431. [PMID: 35569538 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent, manufactured chemicals used in various manufacturing processes and found in numerous commercial products. With over 9000 compounds belonging to this chemical class, there is increasing concern regarding human exposure to these compounds due to their persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic nature. Human exposure to PFAS may occur from a variety of exposure sources, including, air, food, indoor dust, soil, water, from the transfer of PFAS from non-stick wrappers to food, use of cosmetics, and other personal care products. This critical review presents recent research on the health-related impacts of PFAS exposure, highlighting compounds other than Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluoroctane sulfonate (PFOS) that cause adverse health effects, updates the current state of knowledge on PFAS toxicity, and, where possible, elucidates cause-and-effect relationships. Recent reviews identified that exposure to PFAS was associated with adverse health impacts on female and male fertility, metabolism in pregnancy, endocrine function including pancreatic dysfunction and risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, lipid metabolism and risk of childhood adiposity, hepatic and renal function, immune function, cardiovascular health (atherosclerosis), bone health including risk for dental cavities, osteoporosis, and vitamin D deficiency, neurological function, and risk of developing breast cancer. However, while cause-and-effect relationships for many of these outcomes were not able to be clearly elucidated, it was identified that 1) the evidence derived from both animal models and humans suggested that PFAS may exert harmful impacts on both animals and humans, however extrapolating data from animal to human studies was complicated due to differences in exposure/elimination kinetics, 2) PFAS precursor kinetics and toxicity mechanism data are still limited despite ongoing exposures, and 3) studies in humans, which provide contrasting results require further investigation of the long-term-exposed population to better evaluate the biological toxicity of chronic exposure to PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore Jane L Espartero
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
| | - Miko Yamada
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
| | - Judith Ford
- University of Sydney, New South Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Owens
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tarl Prow
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia; Skin Research Centre, York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, United Kingdom
| | - Albert Juhasz
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia.
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Translocation, bioaccumulation, and distribution of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in plants. iScience 2022; 25:104061. [PMID: 35345465 PMCID: PMC8957016 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent in the environment and have been detected in a variety of plants such as vegetables, cereals, and fruits. Increasing evidence shows that plants are at a risk of being adversely affected by PFASs. This review concludes that PFASs are predominantly absorbed by roots from sources in the soil; besides, the review also discusses several factors such as soil properties and the species of PFASs and plants. In addition, following uptake by root, long-chain PFASs (C ≥ 7 for PFCA and C ≥ 6 for PFSA) were preferentially retained within the root, whereas the short-chain PFASs were distributed across tissues above the ground — according to the studies. The bioaccumulation potential of PFASs within various plant structures are further expressed by calculating bioaccumulation factor (BAF) across various plant species. The results show that PFASs have a wide range of BAF values within root tissue, followed by straw, and then grain. Furthermore, owing to its high water solubility than other PFASs, PFOA is the predominant compound accumulated in both the soil itself and within the plant tissues. Among different plant groups, the potential BAF values rank from highest to lowest as follows: leaf vegetables > root vegetables > flower vegetables > shoot vegetables. Several PFAS groups such as PFOA, PFBA, and PFOS, may have an increased public health risk based on the daily intake rate (ID). Finally, future research is suggested on the possible PFASs degradation occurring in plant tissues and the explanations at genetic-level for the metabolite changes that occur under PFASs stress. Long-chain PFASs are preferentially retained in the roots BAF values were ranked as root > straw > grain in one plant PFOA is the main compound in soil and within plant tissues PFOA, PFBA, and PFOS have a potential risk to humans through dietary exposure
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Gao Y, Luo J, Zhang Y, Pan C, Ren Y, Zhang J, Tian Y. Prenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Child Growth Trajectories in the First Two Years. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:37006. [PMID: 35285689 PMCID: PMC8919954 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnant women are ubiquitously exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Prenatal exposure to PFAS has been associated with lower birth weight but also with excess adiposity and higher weight in childhood. These mixed findings warrant investigation of the relationship between PFAS and dynamic offspring growth. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and early-life growth trajectories during the first 2 y. METHODS Pregnant women (n=3,426) were recruited from 2013 to 2016 from the Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC) Study, and their children were followed up from birth to 2 y of age. Seven PFAS congeners were quantified in pregnant women's serum during the first trimester. Our study population was restricted to 1,350 children who had five repeated measurements for at least one anthropometric measure. Four anthropometric measures, including weight, length/height, weight-for-length, and head circumference, were evaluated at birth, 42 d, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months, and standardized into z-scores using the World Health Organization reference. Trajectories of each measure were classified into five groups using group-based trajectory modeling. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for trajectory groups according to log2-transformed PFAS concentrations, and the moderate-stable group was selected as the reference group for all measures. RESULTS Higher prenatal exposure to PFAS was associated with elevated odds for the low-rising weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) trajectory, and the high-rising length-for-age z-score (LAZ) trajectory. Meanwhile, PFAS levels were associated with decreased odds for the low-rising and high-rising weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) trajectories. In addition, the associations of PFAS with growth trajectory groups differed by sex, where males had greater odds for the low-rising and low-stable WAZ trajectories and for the high-stable and low-rising WLZ trajectories. In contrast, inverse associations were consistently observed with trajectories of the high-stable, low-stable, and low-rising head-circumference-for-age z-score (HCZ) in relation to most individual PFAS congeners. PFAS mixtures analysis further confirmed the above findings. DISCUSSION Trajectory analysis approach provided insight into the complex associations between PFAS exposure and offspring growth. Future studies are warranted to confirm the present findings with trajectory modeling strategies and understand the clinical significance of these trajectory groups. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9875.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gao
- Ministry of Education – Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Luo
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyu Pan
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunjie Ren
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education – Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Tian
- Ministry of Education – Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Stratakis N, Rock S, La Merrill MA, Saez M, Robinson O, Fecht D, Vrijheid M, Valvi D, Conti DV, McConnell R, Chatzi VL. Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies. Obes Rev 2022; 23 Suppl 1:e13383. [PMID: 34766696 PMCID: PMC9512275 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and childhood obesity. We focused on organochlorines (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT], dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [DDE], hexachlorobenzene [HCB], and polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) that are the POPs more widely studied in environmental birth cohorts so far. We search two databases (PubMed and Embase) through July/09/2021 and identified 33 studies reporting associations with prenatal organochlorine exposure, 21 studies reporting associations with prenatal PFAS, and five studies reporting associations with prenatal PBDEs. We conducted a qualitative review. Additionally, we performed random-effects meta-analyses of POP exposures, with data estimates from at least three prospective studies, and BMI-z. Prenatal DDE and HCB levels were associated with higher BMI z-score in childhood (beta: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21; I2 : 28.1% per study-specific log increase of DDE and beta: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.53; I2 : 31.9% per study-specific log increase of HCB). No significant associations between PCB-153, PFOA, PFOS, or pentaPBDEs with childhood BMI were found in meta-analyses. In individual studies, there was inconclusive evidence that POP levels were positively associated with other obesity indicators (e.g., waist circumference).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Stratakis
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sarah Rock
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michele A La Merrill
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Marc Saez
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oliver Robinson
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Daniela Fecht
- UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.,ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David V Conti
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Vaia Lida Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Bloom MS, Commodore S, Ferguson PL, Neelon B, Pearce JL, Baumer A, Newman RB, Grobman W, Tita A, Roberts J, Skupski D, Palomares K, Nageotte M, Kannan K, Zhang C, Wapner R, Vena JE, Hunt KJ. Association between gestational PFAS exposure and Children's adiposity in a diverse population. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111820. [PMID: 34343551 PMCID: PMC8616804 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely distributed suspected obesogens that cross the placenta. However, few data are available to assess potential fetal effects of PFAS exposure on children's adiposity in diverse populations. To address the data gap, we estimated associations between gestational PFAS concentrations and childhood adiposity in a diverse mother-child cohort. We considered 6 PFAS in first trimester blood plasma, measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, collected from non-smoking women with low-risk singleton pregnancies (n = 803). Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fat mass, fat-free mass, and % body fat were ascertained in 4-8 year old children as measures of adiposity. We estimated associations of individual gestational PFAS with children's adiposity and overweight/obesity, adjusted for confounders. There were more non-Hispanic Black (31.7 %) and Hispanic (42.6 %) children with overweight/obesity, than non-Hispanic white (18.2 %) and Asian/Pacific Islander (16.4 %) children (p < 0.0001). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; 5.3 ng/mL) and perfluorooctanoic acid (2.0 ng/mL) had the highest median concentrations in maternal blood. Among women without obesity (n = 667), greater perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) was associated with their children having higher WC z-score (β = 0.08, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.14; p = 0.02), fat mass (β = 0.55 kg, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.90; p = 0.002), and % body fat (β = 0.01 %; 95%CI: 0.003, 0.01; p = 0.004), although the association of PFUnDA with fat mass attenuated at the highest concentrations. Among women without obesity, the associations of PFAS and their children's adiposity varied significantly by self-reported race-ethnicity, although the direction of the associations was inconsistent. In contrast, among the children of women with obesity, greater, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid concentrations were associated with less adiposity (n = 136). Our results suggest that specific PFAS may be developmental obesogens, and that maternal race-ethnicity may be an important modifier of the associations among women without obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bloom
- Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
| | - Sarah Commodore
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Pamela L Ferguson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Brian Neelon
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - John L Pearce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Anna Baumer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Roger B Newman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - William Grobman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alan Tita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James Roberts
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Daniel Skupski
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Queens, New York, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristy Palomares
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Nageotte
- Department of Perinatology, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cuilin Zhang
- Division of Intramural Population Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ronald Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - John E Vena
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Kelly J Hunt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Annunziato KM, Marin M, Liang W, Conlin SM, Qi W, Doherty J, Lee J, Clark JM, Park Y, Timme-Laragy AR. The Nrf2a pathway impacts zebrafish offspring development with maternal preconception exposure to perfluorobutanesulfonic acid. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132121. [PMID: 34509758 PMCID: PMC8765597 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Since the voluntary phaseout of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), smaller congeners, such as perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) have served as industrial replacements and been detected in contaminated aquifers. This study sought to examine the effects of a maternal preconception PFBS exposure on the development of eggs and healthy offspring. Adult female zebrafish received a one-week waterborne exposure of 0.08, 0.14, and 0.25 mg/L PFBS. After which, females were bred with non-exposed males and embryos collected over 5 successful breeding events. PFBS concentrations were detected in levels ranging from 99 to 253 pg/embryo in the first collection but were below the limit of quantitation by fourth and fifth clutches. Therefore, data were subsequently binned into early collection embryos in which PFBS was detected and late collections, in which PFBS was below quantitation. In the early collection, embryo 24 h survival was significantly reduced. In the late collection, embryo development was impacted with unique patterns emerging between Nrf2a wildtype and mutant larvae. Additionally, the impact of nutrient loading into the embryos was assessed through measurement of fatty acid profiles, total cholesterol, and triglyceride content. There were no clear dose-dependent effects, but again unique patterns were observed between the genotypes. Preconception PFBS exposures were found to alter egg and embryo development, which is mediated by direct toxicant loading in the eggs, nutrient loading into eggs, and the function of Nrf2a. These findings provide insight into the reproductive and developmental effects of PFBS and identify maternal preconception as a novel critical window of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Annunziato
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Marjorie Marin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA; Biotechnology Training Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Wenle Liang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Sarah M Conlin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Weipeng Qi
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jeffery Doherty
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jonghwa Lee
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - John M Clark
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Yeonhwa Park
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Alicia R Timme-Laragy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
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24
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Ghassabian A, Vandenberg L, Kannan K, Trasande L. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Child Health. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2021; 62:573-594. [PMID: 34555290 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-021921-093352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
While definitions vary, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have two fundamental features: their disruption of hormone function and their contribution to disease and disability. The unique vulnerability of children to low-level EDC exposures has eroded the notion that only the dose makes the thing a poison, requiring a paradigm shift in scientific and policy practice. In this review, we discuss the unique vulnerability of children as early as fetal life and provide an overview of epidemiological studies on programming effects of EDCs on neuronal, metabolic, and immune pathways as well as on endocrine, reproductive, and renal systems. Building on this accumulating evidence, we dispel and address existing myths about the health effects of EDCs with examples from child health research. Finally, we provide a list of effective actions to reduce exposure, and subsequent harm that are applicable to individuals, communities, and policy-makers. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Volume 62 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhgar Ghassabian
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Laura Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Wagner School of Public Service and College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
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25
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Thomsen ML, Henriksen LS, Tinggaard J, Nielsen F, Jensen TK, Main KM. Associations between exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and body fat evaluated by DXA and MRI in 109 adolescent boys. Environ Health 2021; 20:73. [PMID: 34187491 PMCID: PMC8244201 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been associated with changes in body mass index and adiposity, but evidence is inconsistent as study design, population age, follow-up periods and exposure levels vary between studies. We investigated associations between PFAS exposure and body fat in a cross-sectional study of healthy boys. METHODS In 109 boys (10-14 years old), magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were performed to evaluate abdominal, visceral fat, total body, android, gynoid, android/gynoid ratio, and total fat percentage standard deviation score. Serum was analysed for perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid using liquid chromatography and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Data were analysed by multivariate linear regression. RESULTS Serum concentrations of PFASs were low. Generally, no clear associations between PFAS exposure and body fat measures were found; however, PFOS was negatively associated with abdominal fat (β = -0.18, P = 0.046), android fat (β = -0.34, P = 0.022), android/gynoid ratio (β = -0.21, P = 0.004), as well as total body fat (β = -0.21, P = 0.079) when adjusting for Tanner stage. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we found no consistent associations between PFAS exposure and body fat. This could be due to our cross-sectional study design. Furthermore, we assessed PFAS exposure in adolescence and not in utero, which is considered a more vulnerable time window of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Lolk Thomsen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise Scheutz Henriksen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jeanette Tinggaard
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Katharina M. Main
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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26
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Jain RB. Associations between perfluoroalkyl acids in serum and lead and mercury in whole blood among US children aged 3-11 years. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:31933-31940. [PMID: 33616824 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13042-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Data for 639 US children aged 3-11 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2013-2014 were analyzed by fitting regression models with log10-transformed values of blood lead and methyl and total mercury as dependent variables and log10-transformed values of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) as one of the independent variables. PFAAs considered were 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (MPAH), linear isomer of perfluorooctanoic acid (NPFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), linear isomer of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (NPFOS), and monomethyl branch isomer of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (MPFOS). Adjusted regression slopes (β) indicating associations between the concentrations of PFAAs with blood lead and mercury were estimated. Statistically significant associations between concentrations of each PFAA and blood lead were observed. For 10% increases in concentrations of MPAH, NPFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS, NPFOS, and MPFOS, percent increases in the concentrations of blood lead were 0.45%, 1.59%, 0.78%, 0.32%, 0.65%, 1.32%, and 0.89% respectively. For 10% increases in concentrations of MPAH, PFNA, PFDA, and NPFOS, percent increases in the concentrations of total mercury in the blood were 1.62%, 1.44%, and 3.24% respectively. For 10% increases in concentrations of PFDA and NPFOS, percent increases in the concentrations of methyl mercury in the blood were 2.07% and 4.57% respectively. While concentrations of each of the seven PFAAs were positively associated with the concentrations of blood lead, concentrations of only PFDA and NPFOS were positively associated with increases in total and methyl mercury. PFAAs having positive associations with lead and mercury imply co-exposure and/or co-existence of high concentrations of PFAAs and lead/mercury. Since PFAAs as well as lead/mercury are known to be neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, and endocrine disruptors, their co-existence/co-exposure may lead to neurodevelopmental deficits that are additive/synergistic than neurodevelopmental deficits associated with exposures to PFAAs and lead/mercury alone. Future studies are needed to investigate additive/synergistic neurodevelopmental deficits associated with co-exposures to PFAAs and lead/mercury.
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27
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Ramskov Tetzlaff CN, Ramhøj L, Lardenois A, Axelstad M, Evrard B, Chalmel F, Taxvig C, Svingen T. Adult female rats perinatally exposed to perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and a mixture of endocrine disruptors display increased body/fat weights without a transcriptional footprint in fat cells. Toxicol Lett 2021; 339:78-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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28
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Szilagyi JT, Avula V, Fry RC. Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Their Effects on the Placenta, Pregnancy, and Child Development: a Potential Mechanistic Role for Placental Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs). Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 7:222-230. [PMID: 32812200 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-020-00279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes studies highlighting perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their effects on the placenta, pregnancy outcomes, and child health. It highlights human population-based associations as well as in vitro-based experimental data to inform an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these health effects. Among the mechanisms by which PFAS may induce toxicity is via their interaction with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), nuclear receptors that regulate lipid metabolism and placental functions important to healthy pregnancies, as well as fetal and child development. RECENT FINDINGS In utero exposure to prevalent environmental contaminants such as PFAS is associated with negative health outcomes during pregnancy, birth outcomes, and later in life. Specifically, PFAS have been associated with increased incidence of gestational diabetes, childhood obesity, preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction. In terms of placental molecular mechanisms underlying these associations, studies demonstrate that PFAS interfere with trophoblast lipid homeostasis, inflammation, and invasion. Moreover these effects could be mediated in part by the interaction between PFAS and PPARs, as well as other biological mechanisms. This review summarizes how PFAS, critical environmental contaminants, may contribute to diseases of pregnancy as well as early and later child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Szilagyi
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Vennela Avula
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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29
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Mohanto NC, Ito Y, Kato S, Kamijima M. Life-Time Environmental Chemical Exposure and Obesity: Review of Epidemiological Studies Using Human Biomonitoring Methods. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:778737. [PMID: 34858347 PMCID: PMC8632231 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.778737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The exponential global increase in the incidence of obesity may be partly attributable to environmental chemical (EC) exposure. Humans are constantly exposed to ECs, primarily through environmental components. This review compiled human epidemiological study findings of associations between blood and/or urinary exposure levels of ECs and anthropometric overweight and obesity indices. The findings reveal research gaps that should be addressed. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed) for full text English articles published in 2006-2020 using the keywords "environmental exposure" and "obesity". A total of 821 articles were retrieved; 102 reported relationships between environmental exposure and obesity indices. ECs were the predominantly studied environmental exposure compounds. The ECs were grouped into phenols, phthalates, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to evaluate obesogenic roles. In total, 106 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were summarized after an additional search by each group of EC combined with obesity in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Dose-dependent positive associations between bisphenol A (BPA) and various obesity indices were revealed. Both individual and summed di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and non-DEHP metabolites showed inconsistent associations with overweight and obesity indices, although mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) seem to have obesogenic roles in adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Maternal exposure levels of individual POP metabolites or congeners showed inconsistent associations, whereas dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were positively associated with obesity indices. There was insufficient evidence of associations between early childhood EC exposure and the subsequent development of overweight and obesity in late childhood. Overall, human evidence explicitly reveals the consistent obesogenic roles of BPA, DDE, and PFOA, but inconsistent roles of phthalate metabolites and other POPs. Further prospective studies may yield deeper insights into the overall scenario.
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30
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Lee YJ, Jung HW, Kim HY, Choi YJ, Lee YA. Early-Life Exposure to Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Alkyl Substances and Growth, Adiposity, and Puberty in Children: A Systematic Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:683297. [PMID: 34566884 PMCID: PMC8458955 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.683297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of synthetic polyfluorinated compounds, are widely used in consumer products. Ubiquitous exposures to PFAS, in consideration of their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicities have led to concerns regarding possible harmful effects during critical periods of development in early-life and long-term consequences on health. The potential effects of PFAS depend on various factors including the type of PFAS and the timing and level of exposure. We performed a systematic review of the epidemiologic literature to assess the effects of early-life PFAS exposure on prenatal and postnatal growth, adiposity, and puberty in children and adolescents. For birth size, most studies indicated that prenatal PFAS exposure, in particular long-chain PFAS, may impair fetal growth, albeit some reports of null associations with maternal PFAS. For growth within 2 years of age, prenatal PFAS exposure showed no associations with height and either null or negative associations with weight. However, postnatal PFAS exposures were inversely related to height and weight at 2 years in a cross-sectional study. For postnatal adiposity, prenatal PFAS may mostly have negative associations with body mass index in the first 2 years of life, but positive relationships with adiposity in childhood and adolescence, although some studies showed null associations. For puberty, the evidence for associations between early-life PFAS exposure and pubertal development or sex hormone levels were limited and inconclusive. From experimental studies, plausible mechanisms through which PFAS may affect early-life growth and puberty include PFAS-induced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, alterations of thyroid or steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, and their weak estrogenic or anti-androgenic properties. Although the published literature suggests possible effects of PFAS exposures on early-life growth, adiposity, and puberty, current human evidence is limited in establishing PFAS-induced effects on early-life physical development. Further investigation is warranted to clarify PFAS-induced effects on growth and physical development in consideration of the critical time-window of exposure, concomitant exposure to chemical mixtures including various PFAS types, and possible non-monotonic dose-response relationship for growth and adiposity trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Jeong Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hae Woon Jung
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hwa Young Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon-Jung Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Environmental Health Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Ah Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Young Ah Lee,
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31
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Pham A, Zhang J, Feng L. Exposure to perfluorobutane sulfonate and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid disrupts the production of angiogenesis factors and stress responses in human placental syncytiotrophoblast. Reprod Toxicol 2020; 98:269-277. [PMID: 33144174 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have attracted widespread attention in recent years due to their bioaccumulation, toxicity, and ubiquitous nature. We and others have reported that maternal exposure to PFAS is associated with adverse birth outcomes due to altered placental functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of two major PFAS compounds, perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), on the regulation of the production of angiogenic factors and stress response in placental multinucleated syncytial BeWo cells using qRT-PCR and ELISA. Using this in vitro model, we showed that 1) PFOS or PFBS treatment did not seem to interrupt BeWo cell fusion through syncytins; 2) Exposure to PFOS at 10 μM decreased a potent angiogenic factor PlGF gene expression, which is implicated in preeclampsia; 3) Exposure to either PFOS or PFBS significantly decreased the production of CGB7 and hCG except hCG secretion in PFOS (10 nM) and PFBS (100 nM) treatment groups; 4) Exposure to PFOS (10 μM) increased the gene expression of the stress response molecules CRH while neither PFOS nor PFBS treatment affected a stress mitigation factor 11β-HSD2 expression. Our results demonstrate that exposure to PFOS or PFBS impacts several key pathways involved in placental cell functions. PFOS seems more potent than PFBS. These novel findings provide a potential explanation for the adverse reproductive complications associated with prenatal exposure to PFOS or PFBS, including preeclampsia and contribute to our knowledge of the reproductive toxicity of PFAS, specifically PFOS and PFBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Pham
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jun Zhang
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States; MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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32
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Zhou J, Shu R, Yu C, Xiong Z, Xiao Q, Li Z, Xie X, Fu Z. Exposure to low concentration of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid induces the disorders of liver lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in mice. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 258:127255. [PMID: 32554004 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS) is the shortest chain perfluorinated compound. Recently, it has been identified as a persistent and mobile organic chemical with a maximum concentration of 1 μg/L in the environment. However, its toxicological mechanism remains unclear. In this study, to evaluate the liver and intestinal toxicity of TFMS in mammals, male mice were orally exposed to 0, 1, 10 and 100 μg/kg for 12 weeks. Our results showed that TFMS exposure reduced the epididymal fat weight in mice, caused the decrease of serum and liver triglyceride (TG) level and the increase of serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) level. Also, we observed the inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver of mice exposed to 10 μg/kg and 100 μg/kg TFMS, which was coupled with the increased mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors such as COX2, TNF-α, IL-1β in the liver. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes (PPAR-α, ACOX, SCD1, PPAR-γ, etc.) were significantly decreased in the liver of mice after exposure to both doses of TFMS. We also found TFMS exposure caused the imbalance of cecal gut microbiota and change of cecal microbiota diversity. KEGG pathway predictions showed that the exposure of 100 μg/kg TFMS changed the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, benzoate degradation and several other metabolic pathways. Our findings indicated that TFMS exposure disturbed the liver lipid metabolism possibly via altering the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Zhou
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Ruonan Shu
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Chunan Yu
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Ze Xiong
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Qingfeng Xiao
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Zezhi Li
- Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Xiaoxian Xie
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China.
| | - Zhengwei Fu
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China.
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33
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Xu H, Zhou Q, Zhang J, Chen X, Zhao H, Lu H, Ma B, Wang Z, Wu C, Ying C, Xiong Y, Zhou Z, Li X. Exposure to elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in early pregnancy is related to increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A nested case-control study in Shanghai, China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105952. [PMID: 32717645 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and their short-chain alternatives have been produced and used extensively in China. However, it is unclear whether these compounds contribute to the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women residing in contaminated areas. OBJECTIVE The study was performed to explore the association between PFASs varying in chain length and the risk of developing GDM. METHOD A nested case-control study was conducted in a prospective cohort of 2,460 pregnant women between July 1, 2017, and January 31, 2019 in Shanghai, China. Twelve PFASs of interest were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS) in the sera of pregnant women at 16-20 weeks. GDM was diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test administered over 24-28 gestational weeks. The cases and controls were matched by maternal age. The relationship between maternal serum PFAS level and GDM risk was determined by conditional logistic and linear regression analyses. RESULTS A total of 165 GDM cases and 330 controls were enrolled in the study cohort. The frequencies of detection of PFHpA, PFDS, and PFOSA were all ≤80%. Hence, they were excluded from any further risk analysis. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected at relatively high serum levels (medians 6.57 ng/mL and 8.07 ng/mL, respectively). The serum levels of perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) were significantly higher in the GDM group than they were in the control group (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively) according to a nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. A quartile analysis showed that the odds ratio of GDM would significantly increase at the highest PFBS and PFDoA levels. In the core model, the adjusted ORs were 2.02 (95% CI = 1.04-3.79) and 13.00 (95% CI = 4.74-24.59), respectively, after adjusting for maternal age, sampling time, parity and body mass index [BMI]). CONCLUSION Elevated maternal serum PFBS and PFDoA levels in early pregnancy may be associated with a substantially higher GDM risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huangfang Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiongjie Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiming Zhang
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinning Chen
- Women's Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huanqiang Zhao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiqing Lu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Ma
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunhua Wu
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunmei Ying
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- School of Public Health, the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotian Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; The Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.
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Bao J, Li CL, Liu Y, Wang X, Yu WJ, Liu ZQ, Shao LX, Jin YH. Bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl substances in greenhouse vegetables with long-term groundwater irrigation near fluorochemical plants in Fuxin, China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 188:109751. [PMID: 32531525 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been growing progressively in the groundwater beneath a fluorochemical industrial park (FIP) in Fuxin of China recently, however, little information is available about whether long-term irrigation with local groundwater could have a potential effect on the bioaccumulation of PFASs in greenhouse vegetables near the FIP. In the present study, groundwater, soil, and vegetable samples were collected from Fuxin with five sampling campaigns during a period of 40 days, and ten target analytes of PFASs in all the samples were analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). As the dominant PFAS contaminants, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) in groundwater samples were determined with the maximum levels of 2.47 and 32.4 μg L-1, respectively. Furthermore, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), PFOA, and PFBS were the major PFASs in greenhouse samples of soil (up to 6.1, 6.8, and 46 ng g dry weight (dw)-1), tomato (up to 87, 1.7, and 13 ng g dw-1), and cucumber (up to 63, 2.6, and 15 ng g dw-1), which were significantly correlated with those in groundwater samples, indicating PFAS contaminations could be introduced into soil and vegetables in the greenhouse through long-term groundwater irrigation. In addition, all the levels of three main PFAS analytes in soil and vegetables presented an overall increasing trend over the period of vegetable growth. The bioaccumulation efficiencies for PFAS contaminants from soil to vegetables were negatively associated with the carbon chain length in PFASs. According to the reference dose (RfD) for PFBA, PFOA, and PFBS from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), daily intakes of those three analytes by rural residents in Fuxin were lower than the respective RfD via consumption of greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers so far. However, long-term surveillance would be focused on greenhouse vegetables near the Fuxin FIP to prevent potential health risks of local residents from increasing PFAS contaminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Bao
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China.
| | - Cheng-Long Li
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Wen-Jing Yu
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Zhi-Qun Liu
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Li-Xin Shao
- School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, China
| | - Yi-He Jin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
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Kahn LG, Philippat C, Nakayama SF, Slama R, Trasande L. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: implications for human health. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2020; 8:703-718. [PMID: 32707118 PMCID: PMC7437820 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(20)30129-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 315] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Since reports published in 2015 and 2016 identified 15 probable exposure-outcome associations, there has been an increase in studies in humans of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and a deepened understanding of their effects on human health. In this Series paper, we have reviewed subsequent additions to the literature and identified new exposure-outcome associations with substantial human evidence. Evidence is particularly strong for relations between perfluoroalkyl substances and child and adult obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, gestational diabetes, reduced birthweight, reduced semen quality, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, and breast cancer. Evidence also exists for relations between bisphenols and adult diabetes, reduced semen quality, and polycystic ovarian syndrome; phthalates and prematurity, reduced anogenital distance in boys, childhood obesity, and impaired glucose tolerance; organophosphate pesticides and reduced semen quality; and occupational exposure to pesticides and prostate cancer. Greater evidence has accumulated than was previously identified for cognitive deficits and attention-deficit disorder in children following prenatal exposure to bisphenol A, organophosphate pesticides, and polybrominated flame retardants. Although systematic evaluation is needed of the probability and strength of these exposure-outcome relations, the growing evidence supports urgent action to reduce exposure to EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda G Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claire Philippat
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Shoji F Nakayama
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Rémy Slama
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, and Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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Nian M, Luo K, Luo F, Aimuzi R, Huo X, Chen Q, Tian Y, Zhang J. Association between Prenatal Exposure to PFAS and Fetal Sex Hormones: Are the Short-Chain PFAS Safer? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:8291-8299. [PMID: 32525661 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence regarding the effects of in utero exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), particularly short-chain PFAS, on fetal reproductive hormones is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the relationship between maternal PFAS exposure and fetal reproductive hormones. A total of 752 mother-infant pairs who were recruited in the Shanghai Birth Cohort Study between 2013 and 2016 were selected. We quantified 10 PFAS, including two short-chain PFAS congeners (perfluorobutanesulfonate, PFBS and perfluoroheptanoic acid, PFHpA), in maternal blood plasma in early pregnancy. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and total testosterone (TT) were measured in the umbilical cord blood using chemiluminescence kits. Free androgen index (FAI) was calculated by TT divided by SHBG. Multiple linear regression found that one ln-unit increase in maternal PFBS was associated with decreases in FSH (-0.159; 95% CI: -0.290, -0.029), LH (-0.113; 95% CI: -0.221, -0.004), and FAI (-0.009; 95% CI: -0.017, -0.001). In addition, PFHpA showed negative associations with LH (-0.154; 95% CI: -0.297, -0.011) and FAI (-0.008; 95% CI: -0.014, -0.002). When PFAS were analyzed in quartiles, significant negative associations were observed between PFBS and FSH, and between PFHpA and FAI. Overall, prenatal exposure to PFBS and PFHpA was associated with the disturbance of fetal gonadotropins as well as free androgen level in this prospective cohort, suggesting that the reproductive toxicity of short-chain PFAS may not be neglected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Nian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Kai Luo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Fei Luo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ruxianguli Aimuzi
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xiaona Huo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ying Tian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
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37
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Sheriff I, Debela SA, Kabia OA, Ntoutoume CE, Turay MJ. The phase out of and restrictions on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Time for a rethink. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 251:126313. [PMID: 32143075 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Industrial manufacture boom in the past decades had resulted in the release of new chemicals to the environment. A group of manmade chemicals called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are among these chemicals that have gained traction in recent years which are used in myriad consumer and industrial products worldwide. Since some PFASs are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic in nature, series of programs and regulatory initiatives have been introduced to end their production; and gradually replacing them with short chain alternatives. However, concerns have been expressed in the scientific literature about the characteristics and effects of some of these short chain alternatives on environmental and living systems. Here, we suggest that professional scientific bodies should be part of the review process of alternatives short chain PFASs, owing to their immeasurable contribution to knowledge and understanding of these chemicals. Per and poly fluoroalkyl substances are understudied and poorly regulated in developing countries. Therefore, in order for these countries to contribute meaningfully to the global regulatory initiatives on PFASs, transfer of technology and capacity building must be explicitly considered, given the developed competencies, technical expertise and skills that are required for evidence-based policy development and implementation. Furthermore, the issue of transparency of the production and use of PFASs which some companies consider as confidential business information (CBI) must be closely paid attention to by regulators. Confidential business information if not properly addressed may undermine regulatory and risk reduction measures as it may limit most of the relevant information pertaining to PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishmail Sheriff
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Shihu Campus, 215011, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Sisay Abebe Debela
- School of Public and Environmental Health, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Science, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
| | - Osman Alhaji Kabia
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Makeni Campus, Sierra Leone.
| | - Charles Evrard Ntoutoume
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Shihu Campus, 215011, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Matthew James Turay
- School of Economics, Beijing Technology and Business University, Haidain Province, People's Republic of China.
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38
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Averina M, Hervig T, Huber S, Kjær M, Kristoffersen EK, Bolann B. Environmental pollutants in blood donors: The multicentre Norwegian donor study. Transfus Med 2020; 30:201-209. [DOI: 10.1111/tme.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Averina
- Department of Laboratory MedicineUniversity Hospital of North Norway Tromsø Norway
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health SciencesUiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway
| | - Tor Hervig
- Department of Clinical ScienceUniversity of Bergen, Norway
- Laboratory of Immunology and Transfusion MedicineHaugesund Hospital Haugesund Norway
| | - Sandra Huber
- Department of Laboratory MedicineUniversity Hospital of North Norway Tromsø Norway
| | | | - Einar K. Kristoffersen
- Department of Clinical ScienceUniversity of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Immunology and Transfusion MedicineHaukeland University Hospital Bergen Norway
| | - Bjørn Bolann
- Department of Clinical ScienceUniversity of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and PharmacologyHaukeland University Hospital Bergen Norway
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