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Golding J, Iles-Caven Y, Northstone K, Fraser A, Heron J. Measures of puberty in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) offspring cohort. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 8:453. [PMID: 38716046 PMCID: PMC11075130 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19793.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background When studying the development of children through the preteen years into adolescence, it is often important to link features of their physical and mental health to the stage of puberty at the time. This is complex since individuals vary substantially in the ages at which they reach different pubertal milestones. Methods The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is an ongoing longitudinal cohort study based in southwest England that recruited over 14000 women in pregnancy, with expected dates of delivery between April 1991 and December 1992. From 1999, information on puberty was collected using a number of different methods : (a) A series of annual questionnaires were administered when the index children were aged between eight and 17 years; these were mainly concerned with the physical changes associated with puberty; (b) identification of the age at peak height growth using the SITAR methodology; and (c) retrospective information from the girls on their age at onset of menstruation (menarche). Results The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed. Conclusions The data are available for analysis by interested researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Golding
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Kate Northstone
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Abigail Fraser
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jon Heron
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
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Pavan A, Cendron L, Di Nisio A, Pedrucci F, Sabovic I, Scarso A, Ferlin A, Angelini A, Foresta C, De Toni L. In vitro binding analysis of legacy-linear and new generation-cyclic perfluoro-alkyl substances on sex hormone binding globulin and albumin, suggests low impact on serum hormone kinetics of testosterone. Toxicology 2023; 500:153664. [PMID: 37931871 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153664] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
In humans, serum testosterone (T) is largely bound to the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and human serum albumin (hSA), resulting in a 2-3 % of unbound or "free" active quote (FT). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS), are recognized to interfere with the hormonal axes, but the possible impact on the FT quote has not been addressed so far. Here we investigated the possible competition of two acknowledged PFAS molecules on T binding to SHBG and hSA. In particular, perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and acetic acid, 2,2-difluoro-2-((2,2,4,5-tetrafluoro-5(trifluoromethoxy)-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)oxy)-ammonium salt (1:1) (C6O4) were used as, respectively, legacy-linear and new-generation-cyclic PFASs. Human recombinant SHBG 30-234 domain (SHBG30-234), produced in HEK293-F cells, and delipidated recombinant hSA were used as in vitro protein models. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and tryptophan fluorescence quencing (TFQ) were used to evaluate the binding modes of T and PFAS to SHBG30-234 and hSA. ITC revealed the binding of T to SHBG30-234 with a Kd of 44 ± 2 nM whilst both PFOA and C6O4 showed no binding activity. Results were confirmed by TFQ, since only T modified the fluorescence profile of SHBG30-234. In hSA, TFQ confirmed the binding of T on FA6 site of the protein. A similar binding mode was observed for PFOA but not for C6O4, as further verified by displacement experiments with T. Although both PFASs were previously shown to bind hSA, only PFOA is predicted to possibly compete with T for the binding to hSA. However, on the base of the binding stoichiometry and affinity of PFOA for hSA, this appears unlikely at the blood concentrations of the chemical documented to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Pavan
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Laura Cendron
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Nisio
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Federica Pedrucci
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Iva Sabovic
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Scarso
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Venezia, Italy
| | - Alberto Ferlin
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Venezia, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Venice, Italy
| | - Carlo Foresta
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Luca De Toni
- Deparment of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Lan H, Hu Z, Gan H, Wu L, Xie S, Jiang Y, Ye D, Ye X. Association between exposure to persistent organic pollutants and pubertal timing in boys and girls: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 265:115540. [PMID: 37801753 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115540] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the phenomenon of abnormal pubertal timing in children has become increasingly common worldwide. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may be one of the risk factors contributing to this phenomenon, but the relationship between them is unclear based on current evidence. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of POPs exposure with pubertal timing in girls and boys by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed and Embase databases for studies before June 1, 2023. Meta-analysis was performed by pooling relative risk (RR) or odds ratio (OR) or prevalence ratio (PR) or hazard ratio (HR) estimates with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analysis, publication bias assessment and sensitivity analysis were also carried out. A total of 21 studies were included, involving 2479 boys and 8718 girls. The results of meta-analysis showed that exposure to POPs was significantly associated with delayed pubertal timing in girls (RR: 0.85; 95 % CI: 0.79-0.91; p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant association between exposure to POPs and pubertal timing in boys (RR: 1.18; 95 % CI: 0.99-1.40; p = 0.070). Subgroup analysis showed that there may be gender differences in the effects of exposure to POPs on pubertal timing. Our results suggested that exposure to POPs could delay pubertal timing in girls. However, based on current evidence, no significant association was found between POPs exposure and pubertal timing in boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huili Lan
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Zhiqin Hu
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Hongya Gan
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Lixiang Wu
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Shushu Xie
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Ding Ye
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xiaoqing Ye
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
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4
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Liu Y, Calafat AM, Chen A, Lanphear BP, Jones NHY, Cecil KM, Rose SR, Yolton K, Buckley JP, Braun JM. Associations of prenatal and postnatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances with pubertal development and reproductive hormones in females and males: The HOME study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 890:164353. [PMID: 37225096 PMCID: PMC10330798 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164353] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal and childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be associated with lower reproductive hormones and later puberty, but epidemiological studies evaluating these associations are scarce. OBJECTIVES We examined associations of PFAS concentrations assessed from pregnancy to adolescence with pubertal development and reproductive hormones at age 12 years. METHODS We studied 200 mother-child pairs from the HOME Study in Cincinnati, OH (enrolled: 2003-2006). We quantified serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) in pregnant women and their children at age 3, 8 and 12 years. At age 12 years, children self-assessed pubertal development using Tanner staging of pubic hair growth (males and females) and breast growth (females), and age at menarche. We quantified serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in both sexes; estradiol in females; testosterone in males. We estimated associations of PFAS with pubertal outcomes and reproductive hormones using a combination of ordinal regression, Cox proportional-hazard regression, and linear regression. Quantile-based g-computation was used for PFAS mixture. RESULTS In females, adolescent PFAS concentrations and their mixture were associated with later pubic hair growth, breast maturation, and age at menarche, but there was no pattern for prenatal or other postnatal concentrations. For instance, in females, each doubling in adolescent PFAS concentrations was associated with 79 % (PFOA), 63 % (PFOS), 56 % (PFNA), and 47 % (PFHxS) lower odds of attaining a higher stage for breast growth. In addition, adolescent PFAS concentrations were consistently associated with lower estradiol concentrations in females. No pattern was observed for associations of PFAS concentrations with pubic hair growth or reproductive hormones in males. CONCLUSIONS We observed associations between PFAS concentrations in adolescence and later pubertal development in females, but this could be due to reverse causation induced by excretion of PFAS through menstrual fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Biostatics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nana-Hawa Yayah Jones
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Susan R Rose
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jessie P Buckley
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
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Pinney SM, Fassler CS, Windham GC, Herrick RL, Xie C, Kushi LH, Biro FM. Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Associations with Pubertal Onset and Serum Reproductive Hormones in a Longitudinal Study of Young Girls in Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:97009. [PMID: 37751325 PMCID: PMC10521915 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11811] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), endocrine disrupting chemicals with worldwide exposure, cause changes in mammary gland development in rodents. A few human studies report delay in pubertal events with increasing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure, but to our knowledge none have examined reproductive hormone levels at thelarche. METHODS In a cohort of Greater Cincinnati (GC) and San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) girls recruited at 6-8 years of age, clinical examinations were conducted annually or semiannually with sequential Tanner staging. PFAS concentrations were measured in the first serum sample of 704 girls. In 304 GC girls, estradiol (E 2 ), estrone (E 1 ), testosterone (T), and dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were measured in serum at four time points around puberty. Relationships between PFAS and age at thelarche, pubarche, and menarche were analyzed using survival and structural equation models. The association between PFAS and reproductive hormones was assessed using linear regression models. RESULTS Median PFOA serum concentrations in GC (N = 353 , 7.3 ng / mL ) and the SFBA (N = 351 , 5.8 ng / mL ) were higher than in the U.S. POPULATION In multivariable Cox proportional hazard models [adjusted for race, body mass index (BMI)], increasing serum log-transformed PFOA was associated with a delay in pubarche [hazard ratio ( HR ) = 0.83 ; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.99] and menarche (HR = 0.04 ; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.25). Structural equation models indicated a triangular relationship between PFOA, BMI percentile, and the age at the pubertal milestone. Increased PFOA had a statistically significant direct effect of delay on all three milestones, as did BMI. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDeA), and 2-(N -methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (Me-PFOSA-AcOH) also were associated with later thelarche, and Me-PFOSA-AcOH also with later pubarche. PFOA was inversely associated with DHEAS (p < 0.01 ), E 1 (p = 0.04 ), and T (p = 0.03 ) concentrations at 6 months prior to puberty. CONCLUSIONS PFAS may delay pubertal onset through the intervening effects on BMI and reproductive hormones. The decreases in DHEAS and E 1 associated with PFOA represent biological biomarkers of effect consistent with the delay in onset of puberty. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11811.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Pinney
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Cecily S. Fassler
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Gayle C. Windham
- California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
| | - Robert L. Herrick
- Health Division, Sutter County Human Services, Yuba City, California, USA
| | - Changchun Xie
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Frank M. Biro
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Cox B, Wauters N, Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Portengen L, Gerofke A, Kolossa-Gehring M, Lignell S, Lindroos AK, Fabelova L, Murinova LP, Desalegn A, Iszatt N, Schillemans T, Åkesson A, Colles A, Den Hond E, Koppen G, Van Larebeke N, Schoeters G, Govarts E, Remy S. PFAS and Phthalate/DINCH Exposure in Association with Age at Menarche in Teenagers of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. TOXICS 2023; 11:711. [PMID: 37624216 PMCID: PMC10459167 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11080711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Early puberty has been found to be associated with adverse health outcomes such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and hormone-dependent cancers. The decrease in age at menarche observed during the past decades has been linked to an increased exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Evidence for the association between PFAS and phthalate exposure and menarche onset, however, is inconsistent. We studied the association between PFAS and phthalate/DINCH exposure and age at menarche using data of 514 teenagers (12 to 18 years) from four aligned studies of the Human Biomonitoring for Europe initiative (HBM4EU): Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-2017 (Sweden), PCB cohort (follow-up; Slovakia), GerES V-sub (Germany), and FLEHS IV (Belgium). PFAS concentrations were measured in blood, and phthalate/DINCH concentrations in urine. We assessed the role of each individual pollutant within the context of the others, by using different multi-pollutant approaches, adjusting for age, age- and sex-standardized body mass index z-score and household educational level. Exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), especially mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (5OH-MEHP), was associated with an earlier age at menarche, with estimates per interquartile fold change in 5OH-MEHP ranging from -0.34 to -0.12 years in the different models. Findings from this study indicated associations between age at menarche and some specific EDCs at concentrations detected in the general European population, but due to the study design (menarche onset preceded the chemical measurements), caution is needed in the interpretation of causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Cox
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Natasha Wauters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Andrea Rodríguez-Carrillo
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Lützen Portengen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Antje Gerofke
- German Environment Agency, Umweltbundesamt (UBA), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (M.K.-G.)
| | - Marike Kolossa-Gehring
- German Environment Agency, Umweltbundesamt (UBA), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (M.K.-G.)
| | - Sanna Lignell
- Swedish Food Agency, 751 26 Uppsala, Sweden; (S.L.); (A.K.L.)
| | | | - Lucia Fabelova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, 831 01 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.F.); (L.P.M.)
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, 831 01 Bratislava, Slovakia; (L.F.); (L.P.M.)
| | - Anteneh Desalegn
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0456 Oslo, Norway; (A.D.); (N.I.)
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0456 Oslo, Norway; (A.D.); (N.I.)
| | - Tessa Schillemans
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.S.); (A.Å.)
| | - Agneta Åkesson
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.S.); (A.Å.)
| | - Ann Colles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Elly Den Hond
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene, Provincial Research Centre for Environment and Health, 2023 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Gudrun Koppen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Nicolas Van Larebeke
- Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Greet Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; (N.W.); (A.R.-C.); (A.C.); (G.K.); (G.S.); (E.G.); (S.R.)
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Hoadley L, Watters M, Rogers R, Werner LS, Markiewicz KV, Forrester T, McLanahan ED. Public health evaluation of PFAS exposures and breastfeeding: a systematic literature review. Toxicol Sci 2023; 194:121-137. [PMID: 37228093 PMCID: PMC10527886 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad053] [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] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made chemicals that are persistent in the environment. They can be transferred across the placenta to fetuses and through human milk to infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that the benefits of breastfeeding infants almost always outweigh the potential risks of harm from environmental chemicals. However, there are few chemical-specific summaries of the potential harms of exposure to PFAS during the neonatal period through breastfeeding. This systematic review explores whether exposure to PFAS through breastfeeding is associated with adverse health outcomes among infants and children using evidence from human and animal studies. Systematic searches identified 4297 unique records from 7 databases. The review included 37 total articles, including 9 animal studies and 1 human study measuring the direct contribution of exposure of the infant or pup through milk for any health outcome. Animal studies provided evidence of associations between exposure to PFOA through breastfeeding and reduced early life body weight gain, mammary gland development, and thyroid hormone levels. They also provided limited evidence of associations between PFOS exposure through breastfeeding with reduced early life body weight gain and cellular changes in the hippocampus. The direct relevance of any of these outcomes to human health is uncertain, and it is possible that many adverse health effects of exposure through breastfeeding have not yet been studied. This review documents the current state of science and highlights the need for future research to guide clinicians making recommendations on infant feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Hoadley
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - Michelle Watters
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
| | - Rachel Rogers
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
| | - Lora Siegmann Werner
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
| | - Karl V. Markiewicz
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
| | - Tina Forrester
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
| | - Eva D. McLanahan
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
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Anastasiadis X, Matsas A, Panoskaltsis T, Bakas P, Papadimitriou DT, Christopoulos P. Impact of Chemicals on the Age of Menarche: A Literature Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1234. [PMID: 37508731 PMCID: PMC10378553 DOI: 10.3390/children10071234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that chemicals interfere with the age of onset of menarche. We conducted a review in order to demonstrate the relationship between several categories of chemicals and menarche. We searched for English language papers using the Medline/PubMed database until April 2023. The chemical factors found to affect menarche were prenatal and antenatal smoke, phthalates, phenols, organochlorines, perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls, metals, air pollutants and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Low or high exposure to each chemical compound could affect the age of menarche, leading to early or delayed menarche. Furthermore, the results show that intrauterine exposure may have a different impact from antenatal exposure. There is evidence that endocrine-disrupting chemicals affect the age of menarche, but more research needs to be conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xristos Anastasiadis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Alkis Matsas
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodoros Panoskaltsis
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Bakas
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios T Papadimitriou
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Christopoulos
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Aretaieion" Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
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9
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Guo M, Yu Y, Liu H, Zhu C. Associations between exposure to a mixture of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and age at menarche in adolescent girls utilizing three statistical models. CHEMOSPHERE 2023:139054. [PMID: 37247673 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is suggested to interfere with endocrine function and may affect female pubertal development. However, the epidemiological evidence on age at menarche associated with PFAS exposure is still inconsistent. Our objective was to investigate association of serum PFAS concentrations with age at menarche among 12-19 years old girls. We used data on 432 girls from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2012 cycles. NHANES reported serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) as quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Age at menarche was self-reported by girls or their guardians. Multivariable linear regression models were applied to estimate the association of individual PFAS exposure with age at menarche. The combined effects of PFAS mixture exposures on age at menarche were assessed using three statistical methods, including Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum regression (WQS), and elastic net regression (ENR). In the single-chemical model, girls in the middle tertile of serum PFOA concentration had a lower age at menarche [regression coefficient (β) = -0.73 years, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44, -0.01; P = 0.047], compared with those in the lower tertile. Girls in the higher tertile of PFNA exposure were associated with older age at menarche (β = 0.36 years, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.80; P = 0.027), compared with those in the lower tertile. In the multiple-chemical models using BKMR and ENR approaches, higher PFNA exposure was significantly associated with older age at menarche among girls, after adjusting for other PFAS. We found suggestive evidence that higher PFAS mixture exposures may be related to an increase in age at menarche using the BKMR model. In conclusion, exposure to PFNA was associated with the later timing of menarche among girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglu Guo
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yamei Yu
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Han Liu
- The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changlin Zhu
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Rickard BP, Rizvi I, Fenton SE. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and female reproductive outcomes: PFAS elimination, endocrine-mediated effects, and disease. Toxicology 2022; 465:153031. [PMID: 34774661 PMCID: PMC8743032 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.153031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants frequently detected in drinking water supplies worldwide that have been linked to a variety of adverse reproductive health outcomes in women. Compared to men, reproductive health effects in women are generally understudied while global trends in female reproduction rates are declining. Many factors may contribute to the observed decline in female reproduction, one of which is environmental contaminant exposure. PFAS have been used in home, food storage, personal care and industrial products for decades. Despite the phase-out of some legacy PFAS due to their environmental persistence and adverse health effects, alternative, short-chain and legacy PFAS mixtures will continue to pollute water and air and adversely influence women's health. Studies have shown that both long- and short-chain PFAS disrupt normal reproductive function in women through altering hormone secretion, menstrual cyclicity, and fertility. Here, we summarize the role of a variety of PFAS and PFAS mixtures in female reproductive tract dysfunction and disease. Since these chemicals may affect reproductive tissues directly or indirectly through endocrine disruption, the role of PFAS in breast, thyroid, and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function are also discussed as the interplay between these tissues may be critical in understanding the long-term reproductive health effects of PFAS in women. A major research gap is the need for mechanism of action data - the targets for PFAS in the female reproductive and endocrine systems are not evident, but the effects are many. Given the global decline in female fecundity and the ability of PFAS to negatively impact female reproductive health, further studies are needed to examine effects on endocrine target tissues involved in the onset of reproductive disorders of women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany P Rickard
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27599, USA
| | - Imran Rizvi
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27599, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Suzanne E Fenton
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111 TW Alexander Dr., Rm E121A, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
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11
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Uldbjerg CS, Koch T, Lim YH, Gregersen LS, Olesen CS, Andersson AM, Frederiksen H, Coull BA, Hauser R, Juul A, Bräuner EV. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 28:687-716. [PMID: 35466359 PMCID: PMC9434240 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, the ages at pubertal onset for girls and boys have been decreasing during recent decades, partly attributed to excess body fat accumulation. However, a growing body of literature has recognized that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may play an important role in this global trend, but the association has not yet been fully established. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE EDCs can interfere with normal hormone function and metabolism and play a role in pubertal onset. We aimed to systematically identify and evaluate the current evidence on the timing of pubertal onset in girls and boys following prenatal or postnatal exposures to xenobiotic EDCs. SEARCH METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic literature search of original peer-reviewed publications in the PubMed database through a block search approach using a combination of index MeSH and free text search terms. Publications were considered if they covered biomarkers of prenatal or postnatal exposures to xenobiotic EDCs (European Commission's list of category 1 EDCs) measured in maternal or child biospecimen and pubertal onset defined by the progression of the following milestones (and assessed in terms of the following measures): menarche (age), thelarche (Tanner staging) and pubarche (Tanner staging), in girls, and genital stage (Tanner staging), testicular volume (ml) and pubarche (Tanner staging), in boys. OUTCOMES The literature search resulted in 703 references, of which we identified 52 publications fulfilling the eligibility criteria for the qualitative trend synthesis and 23 publications for the meta-analysis. The qualitative trend synthesis provided data on 103 combinations of associations between prenatal or postnatal exposure to EDC compounds groups and puberty outcomes and the meta-analysis enabled 18 summary risk estimates of meta-associations. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Statistically significant associations in the qualitative trend synthesis suggested that postnatal exposure to phthalates may be associated with earlier thelarche and later pubarche. However, we did not find consistent evidence in the meta-analysis for associations between timing of pubertal onset in girls and boys and exposures to any of the studied xenobiotic EDCs. We were not able to identify specific pre- or postnatal windows of exposure as particularly critical and susceptible for effects of EDCs. Current evidence is subject to several methodological challenges and inconsistencies and evidence on specific exposure-outcome associations remains too scarce to firmly confirm EDC exposure as a risk factor for changes in age of pubertal onset in the general child population. To create a more uniform foundation for future comparison of evidence and to strengthen pooled studies, we recommend the use of more standardized approaches in the choice of statistical analyses, with exposure transformations, and in the definitions and assessments of puberty outcomes. The impact of mixtures of EDC exposures on the association also remains unestablished and would be valuable to elucidate for prenatal and postnatal windows of exposure. Future large, longitudinal epidemiological studies are needed to clarify the overall association.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Y -H Lim
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - L S Gregersen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C S Olesen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A -M Andersson
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H Frederiksen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - B A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - R Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Juul
- Correspondence address. Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Tel: +45-3545-5085; E-mail: (A.J.); Tel: +45-4242-8550; E-mail: (E.V.B.)
| | - E V Bräuner
- Correspondence address. Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Tel: +45-3545-5085; E-mail: (A.J.); Tel: +45-4242-8550; E-mail: (E.V.B.)
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12
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Marks KJ, Northstone K, Papadopoulou E, Brantsæter AL, Haug LS, Howards PP, Smarr MM, Flanders WD, Hartman TJ. Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and exposure to persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals in two European birth cohorts. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANCES 2021; 6:10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100130. [PMID: 35979229 PMCID: PMC9380587 DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Food consumption, particularly of animal-based products, is considered the most important contributor to persistent endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure. This study aims to describe the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and exposure to persistent EDCs using dietary pattern analysis. This study is based on subsamples of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (N=422) and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (N=276) which uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). Women in both studies completed food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) during pregnancy, from which consumption data were categorized into 38 aggregated food groups. Maternal blood samples were collected during pregnancy and concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in serum/plasma were measured. Dietary patterns were identified using reduced rank regression, with blood EDC concentrations as response variables. Within ALSPAC, all patterns (PFAS, PCB, and OCP) were characterized by high consumption of meat, poultry, white fish, and biscuits. In MoBa, high consumption of sausages and burgers (representing processed meats), pasta, and chocolate bars characterized PCB and OCP dietary patterns, while high consumption of cheese characterized the PFAS pattern. Across both cohorts, PFAS patterns were characterized by high consumption of cheese, PCB patterns by high consumption of rice, and OCP patterns by poultry. Dietary patterns explained between 8 and 20% of the variation in serum EDC concentrations, with explained variance being the highest for PCBs in both cohorts. In conclusion, dietary patterns high in animal-based products appear to be associated with persistent EDC concentrations among pregnant women. Diet explains more variation in PCB concentrations than for other persistent EDC classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, 100 ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - Eleni Papadopoulou
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Lise Brantsæter
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line Småstuen Haug
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222, NO-0213 Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Penelope P. Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Melissa M. Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - W. Dana Flanders
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Terryl J. Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
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13
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Carwile JL, Seshasayee SM, Aris IM, Rifas-Shiman SL, Claus Henn B, Calafat AM, Sagiv SK, Oken E, Fleisch AF. Prospective associations of mid-childhood plasma per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pubertal timing. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106729. [PMID: 34171588 PMCID: PMC8380705 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may disrupt pubertal timing. Higher PFAS plasma concentrations have been associated with later pubertal timing in girls, but cross-sectional findings may be explained by reverse causation. OBJECTIVES To assess prospective associations between PFAS plasma concentrations in mid-childhood and markers of pubertal timing in male and female adolescents. METHODS We studied 640 children in Project Viva, a Boston-area prospective cohort. We examined associations of plasma concentrations of 6 PFAS measured at mean 7.9 (SD 0.8) years (2007-2010) with markers of pubertal timing. Parents reported a 5-item pubertal development score at early adolescence (mean 13.1 (SD 0.8) years) and reported age at menarche annually. We calculated age at peak height velocity using research and clinical measures of height. We used sex-specific linear and Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate associations of single PFAS with outcomes, and we used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to estimate associations of the PFAS mixture with outcomes. RESULTS Plasma concentrations were highest for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) [median (IQR) 6.4(5.6) ng/mL], followed by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) [4.4(3.0) ng/mL]. In early adolescence, girls were further along in puberty than boys [pubertal development score mean (SD) 2.9 (0.7) for girls and 2.2(0.7) for boys; age at peak height velocity mean (SD) 11.2y (1.0) for girls and 13.1y (1.0) for boys]. PFAS was associated with later markers of pubertal timing in girls only. For example, each doubling of PFOA was associated with lower pubertal development score (-0.18 units; 95% CI: -0.30, -0.06) and older age at peak height velocity (0.23 years; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.40)]. We observed similar associations for PFOS, perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), and the PFAS mixture. PFAS plasma concentrations were not associated with age at menarche or markers of pubertal timing in boys. DISCUSSION Higher PFAS plasma concentrations in mid-childhood were associated with later onset of puberty in girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny L Carwile
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA.
| | - Shravanthi M Seshasayee
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA
| | - Izzuddin M Aris
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Birgit Claus Henn
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, 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, MA, USA
| | - Abby F Fleisch
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA; Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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14
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Marks KJ, Howards PP, Smarr MM, Flanders WD, Northstone K, Daniel JH, Sjödin A, Calafat AM, Hartman TJ. Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and postnatal body size in British girls. Early Hum Dev 2021; 161:105450. [PMID: 34418724 PMCID: PMC8464514 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure is ubiquitous. EDC exposure during critical windows of development may interfere with the body's endocrine system, affecting growth. Previous human studies have examined one EDC at a time in relation to infant growth. By studying mixtures, the human experience can be better approximated. AIMS We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to persistent EDCs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) as mixtures with postnatal body size among female offspring. SUBJECTS We used a sub-sample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 425), based in the United Kingdom. STUDY DESIGN We quantified 52 EDCs in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. We used Bayesian kernel machine regression with a random intercept to examine the association of prenatal concentrations of EDC mixtures with longitudinal postnatal body size measures for each EDC class separately (PFAS, PCBs, and OCPs) and for all three classes combined. OUTCOME MEASURES Weight and height measures at 0, 2, 9, and 19 months were obtained by health professionals as part of routine child health surveillance. RESULTS The mixture representing all three classes combined (31 chemicals) (n = 301) was inversely associated with postnatal body size. Holding all EDCs in the 31-chemical mixture at the 75th percentile compared to the 50th percentile was associated with 0.15 lower weight-for-age z-score (95% credible interval -0.26, -0.03). Weak inverse associations were also seen for height-for-age and body mass index-for-age scores. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent EDCs may affect postnatal body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States,Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States,Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, 100 ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States,Corresponding author: Kristin J. Marks, PhD, MPH, Mailstop S106-6, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-3414,
| | - Penelope P. Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Melissa M. Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - W. Dana Flanders
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States,Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - Johnni H. Daniel
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Andreas Sjödin
- Division Of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division Of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Terryl J. Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States,Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
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15
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Marks KJ, Howards PP, Smarr MM, Flanders WD, Northstone K, Daniel JH, Sjödin A, Calafat AM, Hartman TJ. Prenatal Exposure to Mixtures of Persistent Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals and Birth Size in a Population-based Cohort of British Girls. Epidemiology 2021; 32:573-582. [PMID: 33767116 PMCID: PMC8159871 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals have examined one of these chemicals at a time in association with an outcome; studying mixtures better approximates human experience. We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disruptors (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], and organochlorine pesticides) with birth size among female offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), based in the United Kingdom in 1991-1992. METHODS We quantified concentrations of 52 endocrine-disrupting chemicals in maternal serum collected during pregnancy at median 15-week gestation. Birth weight, crown-to-heel length, and head circumference were measured at birth; ponderal index and small for gestational age were calculated from these. We used repeated holdout Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression to examine mixtures in 313 mothers. RESULTS Using WQS regression, all mixtures (each chemical class separately and all three together) were inversely associated with birth weight. A one-unit increase in WQS index (a one-decile increase in chemical concentrations) for all three classes combined was associated with 55 g (β = -55 g, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -89, -22 g) lower birth weight. Associations were weaker but still inverse using Bayesian kernel machine regression. Under both methods, PFAS were the most important contributors to the association with birth weight. We also observed inverse associations for crown-to-heel length. CONCLUSIONS These results are consistent with the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals affects birth size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J Marks
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN
| | - Penelope P Howards
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Melissa M Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - W Dana Flanders
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Johnni H Daniel
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Andreas Sjödin
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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16
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Marks KJ, Howards PP, Smarr MM, Flanders WD, Northstone K, Daniel JH, Calafat AM, Sjödin A, Marcus M, Hartman TJ. Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and early menarche in a population-based cohort of British girls. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 276:116705. [PMID: 33592441 PMCID: PMC8111784 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is ubiquitous. EDC exposure, especially during critical periods of development like the prenatal window, may interfere with the body's endocrine system, which can affect growth and developmental outcomes such as puberty. Most studies have examined one EDC at a time in relation to disease; however, humans are exposed to many EDCs. By studying mixtures, the human experience can be more closely replicated. We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to persistent EDCs (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) as mixtures with early menarche among female offspring in a nested case-control study within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) recruited in the United Kingdom in 1991-1992. Concentrations of 52 EDCs were quantified in maternal serum samples collected during pregnancy. Daughter's age at menarche was ascertained through mailed questionnaires sent annually. We used repeated holdout weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to examine the association between prenatal exposure to multiple EDCs and early menarche (<11.5 (n = 218) vs. ≥11.5 years (n = 230)) for each chemical class separately (PFAS, PCBs, and OCPs) and for all three classes combined. Models adjusted for maternal age at menarche, maternal education, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal age, prenatal smoking, and gestational week at sample collection. Mixture models showed null associations between prenatal exposure to EDC mixtures and early menarche. Using WQS regression, the odds ratio for early menarche for a one-decile increase in chemical concentrations for all three classes combined was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.05); using BKMR, the odds ratio when all exposures were at the 60th percentile compared to the median was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.05). Results suggest the overall effect of prenatal exposure to persistent EDC mixtures is not associated with early menarche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States.
| | - Penelope P Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Melissa M Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - W Dana Flanders
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Johnni H Daniel
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Andreas Sjödin
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
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17
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Xie X, Weng X, Liu S, Chen J, Guo X, Gao X, Fei Q, Hao G, Jing C, Feng L. Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure and association with sex hormone concentrations: Results from the NHANES 2015-2016. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE 2021; 33:69. [PMID: 36061407 PMCID: PMC9440377 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-021-00508-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing global concern regarding the health impacts of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are emerging environmental endocrine disruptors. Results from previous epidemiological studies on the associations between PFAS exposure and sex hormone levels are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We examined the associations between serum PFAS compounds (PFDeA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS) and sex hormones, including total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), estrogen (E), and serum hormone binding globulin (SHBG). RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, PFDeA, PFOS, and PFHxS exposures were significantly associated with increased serum testosterone concentrations in males. PFDeA, PFOA, and PFOS exposures were positively correlated with FT levels in 20-49 years old women while PFOS exposure was negatively associated with TT levels in 12-19 years old girls. PFAS exposure was negatively associated with estradiol levels including: PFDeA in all females, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOS, and PFOA in 12-19 years old girls, PFNA in women above 50 years old, and PFOA in 12-19 years old boys while PFDeA and PFOS exposures were positively associated with estradiol levels in these boys. n-PFOS exposure was positively associated with SHBG levels in men older than 20 and in all females. CONCLUSIONS Using a large cohort of males and females aged from 12-80, we found that PFAS exposure appears to disrupt sex hormones in a gender-, age-, and compound-specific manner. Future work is warranted to clarify the causality and mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xie
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xueqiong Weng
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingmin Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinrong Guo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinyu Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiaoyuan Fei
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Guang Hao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunxia Jing
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Liping Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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18
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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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Schrenk D, Bignami M, Bodin L, Chipman JK, del Mazo J, Grasl‐Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom L(R, Leblanc J, Nebbia CS, Nielsen E, Ntzani E, Petersen A, Sand S, Vleminckx C, Wallace H, Barregård L, Ceccatelli S, Cravedi J, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Johansson N, Knutsen HK, Rose M, Roudot A, Van Loveren H, Vollmer G, Mackay K, Riolo F, Schwerdtle T. Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food. EFSA J 2020; 18:e06223. [PMID: 32994824 PMCID: PMC7507523 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in food. Based on several similar effects in animals, toxicokinetics and observed concentrations in human blood, the CONTAM Panel decided to perform the assessment for the sum of four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. These made up half of the lower bound (LB) exposure to those PFASs with available occurrence data, the remaining contribution being primarily from PFASs with short half-lives. Equal potencies were assumed for the four PFASs included in the assessment. The mean LB exposure in adolescents and adult age groups ranged from 3 to 22, the 95th percentile from 9 to 70 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week. Toddlers and 'other children' showed a twofold higher exposure. Upper bound exposure was 4- to 49-fold higher than LB levels, but the latter were considered more reliable. 'Fish meat', 'Fruit and fruit products' and 'Eggs and egg products' contributed most to the exposure. Based on available studies in animals and humans, effects on the immune system were considered the most critical for the risk assessment. From a human study, a lowest BMDL 10 of 17.5 ng/mL for the sum of the four PFASs in serum was identified for 1-year-old children. Using PBPK modelling, this serum level of 17.5 ng/mL in children was estimated to correspond to long-term maternal exposure of 0.63 ng/kg bw per day. Since accumulation over time is important, a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 ng/kg bw per week was established. This TWI also protects against other potential adverse effects observed in humans. Based on the estimated LB exposure, but also reported serum levels, the CONTAM Panel concluded that parts of the European population exceed this TWI, which is of concern.
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20
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Ding N, Harlow SD, Randolph Jr JF, Loch-Caruso R, Park SK. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their effects on the ovary. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 26:724-752. [PMID: 32476019 PMCID: PMC7456353 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found widespread in drinking water, foods, food packaging materials and other consumer products. Several PFAS have been identified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals based on their ability to interfere with normal reproductive function and hormonal signalling. Experimental models and epidemiologic studies suggest that PFAS exposures target the ovary and represent major risks for women's health. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review summarises human population and toxicological studies on the association between PFAS exposure and ovarian function. SEARCH METHODS A comprehensive review was performed by searching PubMed. Search terms included an extensive list of PFAS and health terms ranging from general keywords (e.g. ovarian, reproductive, follicle, oocyte) to specific keywords (including menarche, menstrual cycle, menopause, primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure, steroid hormones), based on the authors' knowledge of the topic and key terms. OUTCOMES Clinical evidence demonstrates the presence of PFAS in follicular fluid and their ability to pass through the blood-follicle barrier. Although some studies found no evidence associating PFAS exposure with disruption in ovarian function, numerous epidemiologic studies, mostly with cross-sectional study designs, have identified associations of higher PFAS exposure with later menarche, irregular menstrual cycles, longer cycle length, earlier age of menopause and reduced levels of oestrogens and androgens. Adverse effects of PFAS on ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis have been confirmed in experimental models. Based on laboratory research findings, PFAS could diminish ovarian reserve and reduce endogenous hormone synthesis through activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, disrupting gap junction intercellular communication between oocyte and granulosa cells, inducing thyroid hormone deficiency, antagonising ovarian enzyme activities involved in ovarian steroidogenesis or inhibiting kisspeptin signalling in the hypothalamus. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The published literature supports associations between PFAS exposure and adverse reproductive outcomes; however, the evidence remains insufficient to infer a causal relationship between PFAS exposure and ovarian disorders. Thus, more research is warranted. PFAS are of significant concern because these chemicals are ubiquitous and persistent in the environment and in humans. Moreover, susceptible groups, such as foetuses and pregnant women, may be exposed to harmful combinations of chemicals that include PFAS. However, the role environmental exposures play in reproductive disorders has received little attention by the medical community. To better understand the potential risk of PFAS on human ovarian function, additional experimental studies using PFAS doses equivalent to the exposure levels found in the general human population and mixtures of compounds are required. Prospective investigations in human populations are also warranted to ensure the temporality of PFAS exposure and health endpoints and to minimise the possibility of reverse causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ding
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Siobán D Harlow
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John F Randolph Jr
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sung Kyun Park
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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21
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Di Nisio A, Rocca MS, Sabovic I, De Rocco Ponce M, Corsini C, Guidolin D, Zanon C, Acquasaliente L, Carosso AR, De Toni L, Foresta C. Perfluorooctanoic acid alters progesterone activity in human endometrial cells and induces reproductive alterations in young women. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 242:125208. [PMID: 31896193 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Female fecundity is finely regulated by hormonal signaling, representing a potential target for endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Among the chemicals of most concern are the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely used in consumer goods, that are associated with adverse effects on reproductive health. In this context, the endometrium clearly represents an important fertility determining factor. The aim of this study was to investigate PFAS interference on hormonal endometrial regulation. This study was performed within a screening protocol to evaluate reproductive health in high schools. We studied a cohort of 146 exposed females aged 18-21 from the Veneto region in Italy, one of the four areas worldwide heavily polluted with PFAS, and 1080 non-exposed controls. In experiments on Ishikawa cells included UV-Vis spectroscopy, microarray analysis and qPCR. We report a significant dysregulation of the genetic cascade leading to embryo implantation and endometrial receptivity. The most differentially-expressed genes upon PFOA coincubation were ITGB8, KLF5, WNT11, SULT1E1, ALPPL2 and G0S2 (all p < 0.01). By qPCR, we confirmed an antagonistic effect of PFOA on all these genes, which was reversed at higher progesterone levels. Molecular interference of PFOA on progesterone was confirmed by an increase in the intensity of absorption spectra at 250 nm in a dose-dependent manner, but not in the presence of β-estradiol. Age at menarche (+164 days, p = 0.006) and the frequency of girls with irregular periods (29.5% vs 21.5%, p = 0.022) were significantly higher in the exposed group. Our results are indicative of endocrine-disrupting activity of PFAS on progesterone-mediated endometrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Di Nisio
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - M S Rocca
- Familial Cancer Clinic, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCSS), 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - I Sabovic
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - M De Rocco Ponce
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - C Corsini
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - D Guidolin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - C Zanon
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica (IRP) - Fondazione Città della Speranza, Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padova, Italy
| | - L Acquasaliente
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine 1100 South Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO, 63104, USA
| | - A R Carosso
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Gynecology and Obstetrics 1, Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, S. Anna Hospital, University of Torino, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - L De Toni
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - C Foresta
- Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy.
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22
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Wang A, Jeddy Z, Sjodin A, Taylor EV, Marks KJ, Hartman TJ. Prenatal exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls and body fatness in girls. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 236:124315. [PMID: 31325828 PMCID: PMC8900658 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic, organochlorine compounds previously used in industrial processes. Although banned in 1980's across Europe, these chemicals persist in the environment and are associated with adverse health outcomes in children. We investigated the association between in utero concentrations of PCBs and girls' body fatness. Concentrations of various PCB congeners (PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153, PCB 170, and PCB 180) were measured in maternal serum samples collected in the early 1990's. Body fatness was measured in the daughters at 9 y of age using body mass index (BMI) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for percent body fat. Using multivariable linear regression, we explored associations between prenatal PCB congener concentrations and body fatness outcomes. Among 339 mother-daughter dyads, the median and interquartile range (IQR) for PCB congeners ranged between 15.0 ng g-1 (11.0-20.8) for PCB 118 to 64.6 ng g-1 (48.6-86.3) for PCB 153. Among daughters, the median was 27.5% (21.7-34.6) for percent body fat, 39.6% (36.4-43.5) for percent trunk fat, 4.9 kg m-2 (3.5-7.0) for fat mass index and 18.1 kg m-2 (16.3-20.6) for body mass index. Multivariable-adjusted regression analyses showed little or no association between prenatal PCB concentrations with daughters' body fatness measures. Prenatal concentrations of PCB congeners were not strongly associated with measures of body fatness in girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Wang
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Zuha Jeddy
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
| | - Andreas Sjodin
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Ethel V Taylor
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Kristin J Marks
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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23
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Starling AP, Adgate JL, Hamman RF, Kechris K, Calafat AM, Dabelea D. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and infant growth and adiposity: the Healthy Start Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 131:104983. [PMID: 31284113 PMCID: PMC6728170 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.104983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposures to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to lower weight and adiposity at birth but greater weight and adiposity in childhood. We hypothesized that faster growth in early infancy may be associated with maternal PFAS concentrations. METHODS Among 415 mother-infant pairs in a longitudinal cohort study, we estimated associations between maternal pregnancy serum concentrations of six PFAS and offspring weight and adiposity at ~5 months of age, and growth in early infancy. Linear and logistic regression models were adjusted for potential confounders including maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index. Effect modification by infant sex was evaluated. We evaluated potential confounding by correlated exposures via multipollutant linear regression and elastic net penalized regression. RESULTS Associations between maternal PFAS concentrations and infant weight and adiposity differed by offspring sex. In male infants, maternal perfluorooctanoate and perfluorononanoate were positively associated with adiposity, with percent fat mass increases of 1.5-1.7% per ln-ng/mL increase in PFAS (median adiposity at ~5 months: 24.6%). Maternal perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were associated with lower weight-for-age z-score among female infants only (-0.26 SD per ln-ng/mL PFOS, 95% CI -0.43, -0.10; -0.17 SD per ln-ng/mL PFHxS, 95% CI -0.33, -0.01). In analyses pooled by sex, 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate above vs. below the limit of detection was associated with greater odds of rapid growth in weight-for-age (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% CI 1.1, 4.3) and weight-for-length (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.8, 6.2). Multipollutant models generally confirmed the results and strengthened some associations. DISCUSSION We observed sex- and chemical-specific associations between maternal serum PFAS concentrations and infant weight and adiposity. Multipollutant models suggested confounding by correlated PFAS with opposing effects. Although maternal PFAS concentrations are inversely associated with infant weight and adiposity at birth, rapid gain may occur in infancy, particularly in fat mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Richard F Hamman
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Katerina Kechris
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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24
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Donley GM, Taylor E, Jeddy Z, Namulanda G, Hartman TJ. Association between in utero perfluoroalkyl substance exposure and anti-Müllerian hormone levels in adolescent females in a British cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 177:108585. [PMID: 31376627 PMCID: PMC8919509 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Evidence indicates that in utero environmental exposures could influence reproduction in female offspring. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic, ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemicals that can cross the placental barrier. Lower levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a biomarker of ovarian reserve, are associated with reduced fertility. We investigated the association between in utero PFAS exposure and AMH levels in female adolescents using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a British pregnancy cohort recruited between 1991 and 1992. Maternal serum samples were collected during pregnancy and analyzed for concentrations of commonly found PFAS-perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). AMH levels were measured in serum of female offspring (mean age, 15.4 years) and log-transformed for analyses. We used a sample of 446 mother-daughter dyads for multivariable linear regression analyses, controlling for maternal age at delivery, pre-pregnancy body-mass index, and maternal education. Multiple imputation was utilized to impute missing values of AMH (61.2%) and covariates. Median PFAS concentrations (ng/mL) were as follows: PFOS 19.8 (IQR:15.1, 24.9), PFOA 3.7 (IQR: 2.8, 4.8), PFHxS 1.6 (IQR: 1.2, 2.2), PFNA 0.5 (IQR: 0.4, 0.7). The geometric mean AMH concentration was 3.9 ng/mL (95% CI: 3.8, 4.0). After controlling for confounders, mean differences in AMH per one ng/mL higher PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA were 3.6% (95% CI: 1.4%, 8.6%), 0.7% (95% CI: 0.2%, 1.5%), 0.9% (95% CI: 0.4%, 2.2%), and 12.0% (95% CI: 42.8%, 66.8%) respectively. These findings suggest there is no association between in utero PFAS exposure and AMH levels in female adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grayson M Donley
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Ethel Taylor
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Zuha Jeddy
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Gonza Namulanda
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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25
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Marks KJ, Jeddy Z, Flanders WD, Northstone K, Fraser A, Calafat AM, Kato K, Hartman TJ. Maternal serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances during pregnancy and gestational weight gain: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 90:8-14. [PMID: 31415809 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals used in the manufacture of consumer products. PFAS may act as endocrine disruptors, influencing metabolic pathways and weight-related outcomes. Previous studies observed an association between perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and higher gestational weight gain among under-/normal weight mothers. We analyzed associations of maternal serum pregnancy concentrations of PFAS with gestational weight gain (GWG) using data from 905 women in a subsample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Women were routinely weighed in antenatal check-ups; absolute GWG was determined by subtracting the first weight measurement from the last. Linear regression was used to explore associations of maternal PFAS concentrations with absolute GWG, stratified by prepregnancy body mass index. Associations of maternal PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) concentrations with absolute GWG were null; 10% higher PFOS was associated with GWG of -0.03 kg (95% CI: -0.11, 0.06) among under-/normal weight mothers. Ten percent higher perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) was associated with a higher GWG of 0.09 kg (95% CI: 0.02, 0.16) among under-/normal weight mothers. Overall, findings suggest no association between maternal PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS concentrations and GWG, and a weak positive association between maternal PFNA and GWG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States.
| | - Zuha Jeddy
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, 100 ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, United States
| | - W Dana Flanders
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail Fraser
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom; The MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Kayoko Kato
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
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Relationship between umbilical cord sex hormone binding globulin, sex steroids, and age at menarche: a prospective cohort study. Fertil Steril 2019; 110:965-973. [PMID: 30316444 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the role of the prenatal environment in regulating reproductive development by measuring the prospective association between umbilical cord concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG; principal regulator of sex steroid activity), bioavailable sex steroids, and age at menarche. DESIGN Prospective population-based cohort. SETTING Not applicable. PATIENT(S) In 286 female members of the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) cohort, concentrations of SHBG and steroids (estrogens: estrone, estradiol, estriol and estetrol [E4]; androgens: total testosterone, Δ4-androstenedione, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry from archived umbilical cord blood samples collected at birth. Bioavailable concentrations of testosterone and estradiol were calculated along with total composite measures of androgen and estrogen bioactivity. SHBG was measured by ELISA. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Age of menarche was calculated from date of menarche, collected prospectively by questionnaire sent home with participants at the year 10 follow-up. RESULT(S) Higher maternal education, higher body mass index, and the presence of antepartum hemorrhage were all significantly associated with earlier age at menarche. The bioavailable sex steroid measures accounted for 8.3% of the variance in age at menarche. Further, both SHBG and E4 concentrations accounted for a significant proportion of unique variance in age at menarche. CONCLUSION(S) Lower SHBG and higher E4 concentrations in umbilical cord blood were associated with earlier age at menarche. These results suggest that the prenatal sex steroid environment contributes toward pubertal development and age at menarche.
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Ernst A, Brix N, Lauridsen LLB, Olsen J, Parner ET, Liew Z, Olsen LH, Ramlau-Hansen CH. Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances during Fetal Life and Pubertal Development in Boys and Girls from the Danish National Birth Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2019; 127:17004. [PMID: 30628845 PMCID: PMC6378681 DOI: 10.1289/ehp3567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It remains unsettled whether prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) affects human reproductive health through potential endocrine disruption. OBJECTIVES We aimed to explore the associations between prenatal exposure to several PFASs and various aspects of pubertal development in boys and girls. METHODS We studied two samples ([Formula: see text] and 445) from the Puberty Cohort, nested within the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC), measuring PFAS in maternal plasma from early gestation. Data on pubertal development were collected biannually from the age of 11 y until full maturation, using web-based questionnaires. Outcomes were age at menarche, voice break, first ejaculation, and Tanner stages 2 to 5 for pubic hair, breast, genital development, and a combined puberty indicator. A regression model for censored data was used to estimate mean difference (months) in age at achieving the pubertal outcomes across tertiles of PFAS concentrations and with a doubling of PFAS concentrations (continuous). For perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), a meta-analysis was used to provide a weighted average of the point estimates from samples 1 and 2. RESULTS Overall, prenatal exposure to PFOS, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PDFA) (girls) and PFHxS and PFHpS (boys) was associated with lower mean age at puberty marker onset. PFDA and PFNA exposure was associated with higher mean age at onset of puberty in boys. Nonmonotonic associations in girls (PFOS, PFHpS, PFDA) and boys (PFDA, PFNA) were observed, showing larger mean age differences for the combined puberty indicator in the middle tertile [girls: PFOS: [Formula: see text] mo, 95% confidence interval (CI): [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; PFHpS: [Formula: see text] mo, 95% CI: [Formula: see text], 1.85; PFDA: [Formula: see text] mo, 95% CI: [Formula: see text], 1.83; and boys: PFNA: 4.45 mo, 95% CI: [Formula: see text], 10.21; PFDA: 4.59 mo, 95% CI: [Formula: see text], 10.11] than in the highest tertile with the lowest as reference. CONCLUSIONS Our population-based cohort study suggests sex-specific associations of altered pubertal development with prenatal exposure to PFASs. These findings are novel, and replication is needed. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3567.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ernst
- Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nis Brix
- Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Jørn Olsen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Erik Thorup Parner
- Department of Public Health, Section for Biostatistics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lars Henning Olsen
- Department of Urology, Section for Paediatric Urology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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Knutsen HK, Alexander J, Barregård L, Bignami M, Brüschweiler B, Ceccatelli S, Cottrill B, Dinovi M, Edler L, Grasl-Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom LR, Nebbia CS, Oswald IP, Petersen A, Rose M, Roudot AC, Vleminckx C, Vollmer G, Wallace H, Bodin L, Cravedi JP, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Johansson N, van Loveren H, Gergelova P, Mackay K, Levorato S, van Manen M, Schwerdtle T. Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid in food. EFSA J 2018; 16:e05194. [PMID: 32625773 PMCID: PMC7009575 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in food. Regarding PFOS and PFOA occurrence, the final data set available for dietary exposure assessment contained a total of 20,019 analytical results (PFOS n = 10,191 and PFOA n = 9,828). There were large differences between upper and lower bound exposure due to analytical methods with insufficient sensitivity. The CONTAM Panel considered the lower bound estimates to be closer to true exposure levels. Important contributors to the lower bound mean chronic exposure were 'Fish and other seafood', 'Meat and meat products' and 'Eggs and egg products', for PFOS, and 'Milk and dairy products', 'Drinking water' and 'Fish and other seafood' for PFOA. PFOS and PFOA are readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, excreted in urine and faeces, and do not undergo metabolism. Estimated human half-lives for PFOS and PFOA are about 5 years and 2-4 years, respectively. The derivation of a health-based guidance value was based on human epidemiological studies. For PFOS, the increase in serum total cholesterol in adults, and the decrease in antibody response at vaccination in children were identified as the critical effects. For PFOA, the increase in serum total cholesterol was the critical effect. Also reduced birth weight (for both compounds) and increased prevalence of high serum levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (for PFOA) were considered. After benchmark modelling of serum levels of PFOS and PFOA, and estimating the corresponding daily intakes, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 13 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week for PFOS and 6 ng/kg bw per week for PFOA. For both compounds, exposure of a considerable proportion of the population exceeds the proposed TWIs.
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Knutsen HK, Alexander J, Barregård L, Bignami M, Brüschweiler B, Ceccatelli S, Cottrill B, Dinovi M, Edler L, Grasl-Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom LR, Nebbia CS, Oswald IP, Petersen A, Rose M, Roudot AC, Vleminckx C, Vollmer G, Wallace H, Bodin L, Cravedi JP, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Johansson N, van Loveren H, Gergelova P, Mackay K, Levorato S, van Manen M, Schwerdtle T. Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid in food. EFSA J 2018. [PMID: 32625773 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194">10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194','32625773', '10.1016/j.envint.2010.08.007')">Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194" />
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in food. Regarding PFOS and PFOA occurrence, the final data set available for dietary exposure assessment contained a total of 20,019 analytical results (PFOS n = 10,191 and PFOA n = 9,828). There were large differences between upper and lower bound exposure due to analytical methods with insufficient sensitivity. The CONTAM Panel considered the lower bound estimates to be closer to true exposure levels. Important contributors to the lower bound mean chronic exposure were 'Fish and other seafood', 'Meat and meat products' and 'Eggs and egg products', for PFOS, and 'Milk and dairy products', 'Drinking water' and 'Fish and other seafood' for PFOA. PFOS and PFOA are readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, excreted in urine and faeces, and do not undergo metabolism. Estimated human half-lives for PFOS and PFOA are about 5 years and 2-4 years, respectively. The derivation of a health-based guidance value was based on human epidemiological studies. For PFOS, the increase in serum total cholesterol in adults, and the decrease in antibody response at vaccination in children were identified as the critical effects. For PFOA, the increase in serum total cholesterol was the critical effect. Also reduced birth weight (for both compounds) and increased prevalence of high serum levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (for PFOA) were considered. After benchmark modelling of serum levels of PFOS and PFOA, and estimating the corresponding daily intakes, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 13 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week for PFOS and 6 ng/kg bw per week for PFOA. For both compounds, exposure of a considerable proportion of the population exceeds the proposed TWIs.
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Prenatal concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances and bone health in British girls at age 17. Arch Osteoporos 2018; 13:84. [PMID: 30076472 PMCID: PMC6093196 DOI: 10.1007/s11657-018-0498-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Prenatal exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been associated with developmental outcomes in offspring. We found that prenatal concentrations of some PFAS may be associated with reduced bone mass and size in 17-year-old British girls, although it is not clear whether these associations are driven by body size. PURPOSE PFAS are used to make protective coatings on common household products. Prenatal exposures have been associated with developmental outcomes in offspring. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we investigated the association between prenatal concentrations of PFAS and bone health in girls at 17 years of age and whether body composition can explain any associations. METHODS We measured concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in maternal serum samples collected during pregnancy. We obtained bone health outcomes in the girls, such as bone mineral density, bone mineral content, bone area, and area-adjusted bone mineral content from whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. We used multivariable linear regression to explore associations between each PFAS and each bone health outcome with adjustment for important confounders such as girls' age at clinic visit, maternal education, and gestational age at sample collection. We also controlled for girls' height and lean mass to explore the role body composition had on observed associations. RESULTS Prenatal PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA concentrations were associated with inverse effects on bone size and mass after adjusting for important confounders. Conversely, PFNA was positively associated with area-adjusted bone mineral content. However, most significant associations attenuated after additional controlling for height and lean mass. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal concentrations of some PFAS may be associated with reduced bone mass and size in adolescent girls, although it is not clear whether these associations are driven by body size.
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Patel JF, Hartman TJ, Sjodin A, Northstone K, Taylor EV. Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and fetal growth in British girls. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 116:116-121. [PMID: 29677556 PMCID: PMC6392071 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic chemicals that bioaccumulate in the food chain. PCBs were used primarily for industrial applications due to their insulating and fire retardant properties, but were banned in the 1970s in the United States and in the 1980s in the United Kingdom, as adverse health effects following exposure were identified. Previous studies of populations with high PCB exposure have reported inverse associations with birth weight and gestational length. Birth weight is a powerful predictor of infant survival, and low birth weight can predispose infants to chronic conditions in adult life such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we investigated the association between prenatal exposure to PCBs and fetal growth in a sample of 448 mother-daughter dyads. Concentrations of three common PCB analytes, PCB-118, PCB-153 and PCB-187, were measured in maternal serum collected during pregnancy, and fetal growth was measured by birth weight and birth length. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the associations between PCB analytes and measures of fetal growth, after adjusting for parity, maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, educational status, tobacco use and gestational age of infant at sample collection. Birth length, ponderal index and gestational age were not associated with any of the PCB analytes. Mothers' educational status modified associations for PCB analytes with birthweight. We observed significant inverse associations with birth weight only among daughters of mothers with less education. Daughter's birth weight was -138.4 g lower (95% CI: -218.0, -58.9) for each 10 ng/g lipid increase in maternal serum PCB-118. Similarly, every 10 ng/g lipid increase in maternal serum PCB-153 was associated with a -41.9 g (95% CI: -71.6, -12.2) lower birth weight. Every 10 ng/g lipids increase in maternal serum PCB-187, was associated with a -170.4 g (95% CI: -306.1, -34.7) lower birth weight, among girls with mothers in the lowest education group. Our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to PCBs is inversely associated with daughters' birth weight and that mothers' education, which is a possible marker for socioeconomic status, significantly modified the association between maternal PCB concentrations and birth weight in female newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill F Patel
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
| | - Andreas Sjodin
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West (NIHR CLAHRC West) at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, UK; School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ethel V Taylor
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
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Namulanda G, Taylor E, Maisonet M, Boyd Barr D, Flanders WD, Olson D, Qualters JR, Vena J, Northstone K, Naeher L. In utero exposure to atrazine analytes and early menarche in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 156:420-425. [PMID: 28410519 PMCID: PMC5679269 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence from experimental studies suggests that atrazine and its analytes alter the timing of puberty in laboratory animals. Such associations have not been investigated in humans. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between in utero exposure to atrazine analytes and earlier menarche attainment in a nested case-control study of the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. METHODS Cases were girls who reported menarche before 11.5 years while controls were girls who reported menarche at or after 11.5 years. Seven atrazine analyte concentrations were measured in maternal gestational urine samples (sample gestation week median (IQR): 12 (8-17)) during the period 1991-1992, for 174 cases and 195 controls using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We evaluated the study association using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. We used multiple imputation to impute missing confounder data for 29% of the study participants. RESULTS Diaminochlorotriazine (DACT) was the most frequently detected analyte (58%>limit of detection [LOD]) followed by desethyl atrazine (6%), desethyl atrazine mercapturate (3%), atrazine mercapturate (1%), hydroxyl atrazine (1%), atrazine (1%) and desisopropyl atrazine (0.5%). Because of low detection of other analytes, only DACT was included in the exposure-outcome analyses. The adjusted odds of early menarche for girls with DACT exposures≥median was 1.13 (95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]:0.82, 1.55) and exposure<median was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.42) compared to girls with exposure<LOD (reference). In the subset that excluded girls with missing data, the adjusted odds of early menarche for girls with DACT exposures≥median was 1.86 (95% CI: 1.03, 3.38) and exposure<median was 1.26 (95% CI: 0.65, 2.24) compared to the reference. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to examine the association between timing of menarche and atrazine analytes. We found a weak, non-significant association between in-utero exposure to atrazine metabolite DACT and early menarche, though the association was significant in the subset of girls with complete confounder information. Further exploration of the role of these exposures in female reproduction in other cohorts is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonza Namulanda
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Ethel Taylor
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Mildred Maisonet
- College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, P O Box 70259, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - W Dana Flanders
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Olson
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Judith R Qualters
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - John Vena
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street Suite 303, MSC 835, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Kate Northstone
- NIHR CLAHRC West, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Level 9, Whitefriars, Lewins Mead, Bristol BS1 2NT, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Naeher
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Rappazzo KM, Coffman E, Hines EP. Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances and Health Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:E691. [PMID: 28654008 PMCID: PMC5551129 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14070691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals used to make products stain and stick resistant, have been linked to health effects in adults and adverse birth outcomes. A growing body of literature also addresses health effects in children exposed to PFAS. This review summarizes the epidemiologic evidence for relationships between prenatal and/or childhood exposure to PFAS and health outcomes in children as well as to provide a risk of bias analysis of the literature. A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed for studies on PFAS and child health outcomes. We identified 64 studies for inclusion and performed risk of bias analysis on those studies. We determined that risk of bias across studies was low to moderate. Six categories of health outcomes emerged. These were: immunity/infection/asthma, cardio-metabolic, neurodevelopmental/attention, thyroid, renal, and puberty onset. While there are a limited number of studies for any one particular health outcome, there is evidence for positive associations between PFAS and dyslipidemia, immunity (including vaccine response and asthma), renal function, and age at menarche. One finding of note is that while PFASs are mixtures of multiple compounds few studies examine them as such, therefore the role of these compounds as complex mixtures remains largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Rappazzo
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
- National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Evan Coffman
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Erin P Hines
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
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Hartman TJ, Calafat AM, Holmes AK, Marcus M, Northstone K, Flanders WD, Kato K, Taylor EV. Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Body Fatness in Girls. Child Obes 2017; 13:222-230. [PMID: 28128969 PMCID: PMC5444423 DOI: 10.1089/chi.2016.0126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used in surface coatings that resist stains, grease, and water. METHODS The association between in utero PFAS exposure and girls' body fatness at age 9 was analyzed in The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (UK). Maternal serum [median 15 weeks: interquartile range (IQR) 10 and 28 weeks of gestation] was analyzed for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA). Body composition was measured by dual X-ray emission absorptiometry, and percent total body fat (%BF) was calculated. Associations between PFASs and body fatness were modeled by multivariable linear regression. RESULTS Among 359 girls, median (IQR) %BF was 27.5 (IQR 21.7-34.6). Median (IQR) concentrations (all ng/mL) were 3.7 (2.9-4.8) for PFOA, 19.8 (15.0-25.3) for PFOS, 1.6 (1.3-2.2) for PFHxS, and 0.5 (0.4-0.7) for PFNA. Maternal PFAS concentrations were not significantly associated with daughters' total %BF overall. Mothers' educational status modified associations for PFOA and PFOS with %BF (P-interactions: 0.005 and 0.02, respectively). %BF was higher [1.4%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.3 to 2.5] for each one unit (ng/mL) higher PFOA among girls with mothers in the middle education group, but lower (-0.6%; 95% CI: -1.12 to -0.04) for the corresponding comparison among girls with mothers with the highest education. %BF was lower (-0.2%; 95% CI: -0.3 to -0.1) for each one unit higher PFOS among girls with the most educated mothers. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal exposure to PFOA and PFOS was associated with girls' %BF within some strata of maternal education status. PFHxS and PFNA were not associated with %BF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terryl J. Hartman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.,Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.,Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | | | | | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kate Northstone
- The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - W. Dana Flanders
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.,Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.,Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kayoko Kato
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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Marks KJ, Hartman TJ, Taylor EV, Rybak ME, Northstone K, Marcus M. Exposure to phytoestrogens in utero and age at menarche in a contemporary British cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 155:287-293. [PMID: 28259093 PMCID: PMC5488334 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Phytoestrogens are estrogenic compounds that occur naturally in plants. Phytoestrogens can cross the placenta, and animal studies have found associations between in utero exposure to phytoestrogens and markers of early puberty. We investigated the association between in utero exposure to phytoestrogens and early menarche (defined as <11.5 years of age at onset) using data from a nested case-control study within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a longitudinal study involving families living in the South West of England. Concentrations of six phytoestrogens were measured in maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between tertiles of phytoestrogen concentrations and menarche status, with adjustment for maternal age at menarche, maternal education, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), child birth order, duration of breastfeeding, and gestational age at sample collection. Among 367 mother-daughter dyads, maternal median (interquartile range) creatinine-corrected concentrations (in µg/g creatinine) were: genistein 62.1 (27.1-160.9), daidzein 184.8 (88.8-383.7), equol 4.3 (2.8-9.0), O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA) 13.0 (4.4-34.5), enterodiol 76.1 (39.1-135.8), and enterolactone 911.7 (448.1-1558.0). In analyses comparing those in the highest tertile relative to those in the lowest tertile of in utero phytoestrogen exposure, higher enterodiol levels were inversely associated with early menarche (odds ratio (OR)=0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.83), while higher O-DMA levels were associated with early menarche (OR=1.89; 95% CI: 1.04-3.42). These findings suggest that in utero exposure to phytoestrogens may be associated with earlier age at menarche, though the direction of association differs across phytoestrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J Marks
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States.
| | - Terryl J Hartman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Ethel V Taylor
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Michael E Rybak
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
| | - Kate Northstone
- The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West (NIHR CLAHRC West) at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, 9th Floor, White Friars, Lewins Mead, Bristol BS1 2NT, United Kingdom; School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
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Namulanda G, Maisonet M, Taylor E, Flanders WD, Olson D, Sjodin A, Qualters JR, Vena J, Northstone K, Naeher L. In utero exposure to organochlorine pesticides and early menarche in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 94:467-472. [PMID: 27297227 PMCID: PMC5683171 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epidemiologic data supporting the role of organochlorine pesticides in pubertal development are limited. METHODS Using a nested case-control design, serum collected during pregnancy from mothers of 218 girls who reported menarche before 11.5years of age (cases) and 230 girls who reported menarche at or after 11.5years of age (controls) was analyzed for 9 organochlorines and metabolites. We analyzed the association between in utero organochlorine concentrations and early menarche using multivariate logistic regression controlling for mother's age at menarche, or mother's prenatal BMI. RESULTS We did not observe an association between in utero exposure to HCB, β-HCH, ϒ-HCH, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, oxychlordane or trans-nonachlor and early menarche. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to examine the association between in utero exposure to HCB, β-HCH, ϒ-HCH, oxychlordane or trans-nonachlor and early menarche. In utero exposure to organochlorine pesticides does not appear to have a role in the timing of menarche in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonza Namulanda
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Mildred Maisonet
- College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, P O Box 70259, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Ethel Taylor
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - W Dana Flanders
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Olson
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Andreas Sjodin
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-17, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Judith R Qualters
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - John Vena
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street Suite 303, MSC 835, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Kate Northstone
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Naeher
- Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Mondal D, Armstrong BG, Eskenazi B, Fletcher T. Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Sex Hormones, and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 at 6-9 Years of Age: A Cross-Sectional Analysis within the C8 Health Project. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:1269-75. [PMID: 26794451 PMCID: PMC4977043 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1509869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to some perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), may alter levels of sex hormones and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in animals. Human studies on this topic are scarce, and none have been conducted in young children. OBJECTIVES We investigated the relationship between levels of PFAS and estradiol, total testosterone, and IGF-1 in 2,292 children (6-9 years of age) from the C8 Health Project who lived near a chemical plant in the Mid-Ohio Valley (USA) with local contamination from PFOA. METHODS Serum samples were collected in 2005-2006 and analyzed for PFAS, sex hormones, and IGF-1. Results from regression models were expressed as the adjusted percentage difference (95% CI) per sex-specific interquartile range (IQR) increment of each PFAS serum concentration. Analyses by PFAS quartiles were also conducted. RESULTS Median concentrations of PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA were 8, 35, 22, and 1.7 ng/mL in boys and 7, 30, 21, and 1.7 ng/mL in girls. In boys, PFOA concentrations were significantly associated with testosterone levels (-4.9%; 95% CI: -8.7, -0.8%); PFOS with estradiol (-4.0%; 95% CI: -7.7, -0.1%), testosterone (-5.8%; 95% CI: -9.4, -2.0%), and IGF-1 (-5.9%; 95% CI: -8.3, -3.3%); and PFNA with IGF-1 (-3.5%; 95% CI: -6.0, -1.0%). In girls, significant associations were found between PFOS and testosterone (-6.6%; 95% CI: -10.1, -2.8%) and IGF-1 (-5.6%; -8.2, -2.9%); and PFNA and IGF-1 (-3.8%; 95% CI: -6.4, -1.2%). In both sexes, the magnitudes of the associations decreased monotonically across quartiles for both testosterone and IGF-1 in relation to PFOS, and for IGF-1 and PFNA in girls. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study suggesting that PFAS are associated with lower levels of IGF-1 and sex hormones in young children. CITATION Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Mondal D, Armstrong BG, Eskenazi B, Fletcher T. 2016. Perfluoroalkyl substances, sex hormones, and insulin-like growth factor-1 at 6-9 years of age: a cross-sectional analysis within the C8 Health Project. Environ Health Perspect 124:1269-1275; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509869.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO (Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region)–Universitat Jaume I–Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Address correspondence to M.-J. Lopez-Espinosa, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Valencia, Spain, Avda Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain. Telephone: (34) 961925943. E-mail:
| | - Debapriya Mondal
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, The Crescent, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Ben G. Armstrong
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Tony Fletcher
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Maisonet M, Calafat AM, Marcus M, Jaakkola JJK, Lashen H. Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Acids and Serum Testosterone Concentrations at 15 Years of Age in Female ALSPAC Study Participants. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:1325-30. [PMID: 26034840 PMCID: PMC4671244 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) or to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) increases mouse and human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) subtype activity, which influences lipid metabolism. Because cholesterol is the substrate from which testosterone is synthesized, exposure to these substances has the potential to alter testosterone concentrations. OBJECTIVES We explored associations of total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations at age 15 years with prenatal exposures to PFOS, PFOA, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluoronanoic acid (PFNA) in females. METHODS Prenatal concentrations of the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) were measured in serum collected from pregnant mothers at enrollment (1991-1992) in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The median gestational age when the maternal blood sample was obtained was 16 weeks (interquartile range, 11-28 weeks). Total testosterone and SHBG concentrations were measured in serum obtained from their daughters at 15 years of age. Associations between prenatal PFAAs concentrations and reproductive outcomes were estimated using linear regression models (n = 72). RESULTS Adjusted total testosterone concentrations were on average 0.18-nmol/L (95% CI: 0.01, 0.35) higher in daughters with prenatal PFOS in the upper concentration tertile compared with daughters with prenatal PFOS in the lower tertile. Adjusted total testosterone concentrations were also higher in daughters with prenatal concentrations of PFOA (β = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.43) and PFHxS (β = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.35) in the upper tertile compared with daughters with concentrations in the lower tertile. We did not find evidence of associations between PFNA and total testosterone or between any of the PFAAs and SHBG. CONCLUSIONS Our findings were based on a small study sample and should be interpreted with caution. However, they suggest that prenatal exposure to some PFAAs may alter testosterone concentrations in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred Maisonet
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
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Maisonet M, Näyhä S, Lawlor DA, Marcus M. Prenatal exposures to perfluoroalkyl acids and serum lipids at ages 7 and 15 in females. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2015; 82:49-60. [PMID: 26010307 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In some cross-sectional epidemiologic studies the shape of the association between serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and lipids suggests departures from linearity. OBJECTIVES We used statistical approaches allowing for non-linearity to determine associations of prenatal exposures of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with lipid concentrations. METHODS PFAAs were measured in serum from pregnant women collected in 1991-1992 at enrollment in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and lipids in serum from their daughters at ages 7 (n=111) and 15 (n=88). The associations of PFAAs with lipids were first explored by cubic splines, followed by piecewise linear regressions by tertiles to obtain regression coefficients (β) and their 95% confidence limits (95% CL) (in mg/dL per 1ng/mL). RESULTS At age 7, total cholesterol was positively associated with prenatal PFOA concentrations in the lower tertile (β=15.01; 95% CL=2.34, 27.69) but not with PFOA concentrations in the middle (β=-3.63; 95% CL=-17.43, 10.16) and upper (β=-1.58; 95% CL=-4.58, 1.42) tertiles. At age 15, a similar pattern was noted as well. Positive associations between LDL-C and prenatal PFOA concentration in the lower tertile were observed in daughters at ages 7 (β=14.91; 95% CL=3.53, 28.12) and 15 (β=13.93; 95% CL=0.60, 27.26). LDL-C was not associated with PFOA concentrations in the middle or upper tertile at any age. Neither HDL-C nor triglycerides was associated with prenatal PFOA exposure. Non-linear patterns of association of total cholesterol and LDL-C with prenatal PFOS were less consistently noted. CONCLUSION Exposure to low levels of PFOA during prenatal development may alter lipid metabolism later in life. Given the small sample size further replication of the association in large independent cohorts is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred Maisonet
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States; Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Simo Näyhä
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Debbie A Lawlor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michele Marcus
- Epidemiology Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Tsai MS, Lin CY, Lin CC, Chen MH, Hsu SHJ, Chien KL, Sung FC, Chen PC, Su TC. Association between perfluoroalkyl substances and reproductive hormones in adolescents and young adults. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2015; 218:437-43. [PMID: 25921520 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have explored the association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and reproductive hormones in adolescents and young adults. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the association of PFAS with reproductive hormones in adolescents and young adults. METHODS We recruited 540 subjects aged 12-30 years from a 1992 to 2000 mass urine screening population and established a cohort from 2006 to 2008 via invitations by mail or/and telephone. Serum PFAS levels were analyzed with a Waters ACQUITY UPLC system coupled with a Waters Quattro Premier XE triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Serum reproductive hormone levels were measured by immunoluminometric assay with an Architect random access assay system. PFAS levels were divided into different percentiles according to their detection limits in the multiple regression models to analyze associations between reproductive hormone levels and exposure with PFAS. RESULTS The adjusted mean serum level of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) decreased significantly in association with the <50th, 50-75, 75-90 and >90th percentile categories of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) compared with a reference category for the females in the 12-17-year-old group. The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were significantly decreased in association with the different percentile categories of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the male 12-17-year-old group and the different percentile categories of perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA) in the female 12-17-year-old group. The serum FSH levels in the females aged 12-17 were also decreased in association with the different percentile categories of PFUA. On the other hand, there was a significantly negative association between the different percentile categories of PFOS and the serum testosterone level among the female 12-17-year-old group. CONCLUSIONS We found that the serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and PFUA were negatively associated with the serum levels of SHBG, FSH, and testosterone in the young Taiwanese population and that these effects were the strongest in the females aged 12-17. Further studies are needed to determine whether these associations are causal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Shan Tsai
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yu Lin
- Department of Internal Medicine, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City 237, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei County 242, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chun Lin
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Huei Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yunlin County 640, Taiwan
| | - Sandy H J Hsu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Liong Chien
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Fung-Chang Sung
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | - Pau-Chung Chen
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei 100, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
| | - Ta-Chen Su
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
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Perfluoroalkyl substances and ovarian hormone concentrations in naturally cycling women. Fertil Steril 2015; 103:1261-70.e3. [PMID: 25747128 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine associations between environmental exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and ovarian hormone concentrations in naturally cycling women. DESIGN E2 and P were measured in saliva samples collected daily for a single menstrual cycle and concentrations of PFASs (including perfluoroctane sulfonate [PFOS] and perfluoroctanoic acid) were measured in serum samples collected during the same cycle. SETTING Not applicable. PATIENT(S) A total of 178 healthy, naturally cycling women, aged 25-35 years. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Mean follicular E2 (cycle days -7 to -1, where 0 is the day of ovulation); mean luteal P (cycle days +2 to 10). RESULT(S) Among nulliparous, but not parous women, PFOS concentrations were inversely associated with E2 (β = -0.025, 95% CI -0.043, -0.007) and P (β = -0.027, 95% CI -0.048, -0.007). Similar, but weaker results were observed for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. No associations were observed between other PFASs (including perfluoroctanoic acid) and ovarian steroid concentrations, nor were any associations noted in parous women. CONCLUSION(S) Our results demonstrate that PFOS and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid may be associated with decreased production of E2 and P in reproductive age women. These results suggest a possible mechanism by which PFASs affect women's health, and underscore the importance of parity in research on PFASs and women's reproductive health.
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Kato K, Wong LY, Chen A, Dunbar C, Webster G, Lanphear BP, Calafat AM. Changes in serum concentrations of maternal poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances over the course of pregnancy and predictors of exposure in a multiethnic cohort of Cincinnati, Ohio pregnant women during 2003-2006. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:9600-8. [PMID: 25026485 PMCID: PMC4140533 DOI: 10.1021/es501811k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Revised: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Data on predictors of gestational exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the United States are limited. To fill in this gap, in a multiethnic cohort of Ohio pregnant women recruited in 2003-2006, we measured perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and six additional PFASs in maternal serum at ∼16 weeks gestation (N = 182) and delivery (N = 78), and in umbilical cord serum (N = 202). We used linear regression to examine associations between maternal serum PFASs concentrations and demographic, perinatal, and lifestyle factors. PFASs concentrations in maternal sera and in their infants' cord sera were highly correlated (Spearman rank correlation coefficients = 0.73-0.95). In 71 maternal-infant dyads, unadjusted geometric mean (GM) concentrations (95% confidence interval) (in μg/L) in maternal serum at delivery of PFOS [8.50 (7.01-9.58)] and PFOA [3.43 (3.01-3.90)] were significantly lower than at 16 weeks gestation [11.57 (9.90-13.53], 4.91 (4.32-5.59), respectively], but higher than in infants' cord serum [3.32 (2.84-3.89), 2.85 (2.51-3.24), respectively] (P < 0.001). Women who were parous, with a history of previous breastfeeding, black, or in the lowest income category had significantly lower PFOS and PFOA GM concentrations than other women. These data suggest transplacental transfer of PFASs during pregnancy and nursing for the first time in a U.S. birth cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayoko Kato
- Division
of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Lee-Yang Wong
- Division
of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Aimin Chen
- Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Carmen Dunbar
- Division
of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Glenys
M. Webster
- Child
& Family Research Institute, BC Children’s
Hospital and Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V4, Canada
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Child
& Family Research Institute, BC Children’s
Hospital and Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V4, Canada
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division
of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
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Yamada A, Bemrah N, Veyrand B, Pollono C, Merlo M, Desvignes V, Sirot V, Oseredczuk M, Marchand P, Cariou R, Antignac JP, Le Bizec B, Leblanc JC. Perfluoroalkyl acid contamination and polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of French freshwater and marine fishes. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2014; 62:7593-7603. [PMID: 25004121 DOI: 10.1021/jf501113j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, French marine and freshwater fish perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) contamination are presented along with their fatty acid (FA) composition to provide further elements for a risk/benefit balance of fish consumption to be assessed. The 29 most consumed marine fish species were collected in four metropolitan French coastal areas in 2004 to constitute composite samples. Geographical differences in terms of consumed species and contamination level were taken into account. Three hundred and eighty-seven composite samples corresponding to 16 freshwater fish species collected between 2008 and 2010 in the six major French rivers or their tributaries were selected among the French national agency for water and aquatic environments freshwater fish sample library. The raw edible parts were analyzed for FA composition and PFAA contamination. Results show that freshwater fishes are more contaminated by PFAAs than marine fishes and do not share the same contamination profile. Freshwater fish contamination is mostly driven by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (75%), whereas marine fish contamination is split between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (24%), PFOS (20%), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (15%), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFHpA) (11%), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) (11%). Common carp, pike-perch, European perch, thicklip grey mullet, and common roach presented the most unfavorable balance profile due to their high level of PFAAs and low level of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). These data could be used, if needed, in an updated opinion on fish consumption that takes into account PFAA contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Yamada
- Risk Assessment Directorate - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses), 27-31 avenue du Général Leclerc, Maisons-Alfort 94701, France
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Peters JL, Fabian MP, Levy JI. Combined impact of lead, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls and non-chemical risk factors on blood pressure in NHANES. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 132:93-9. [PMID: 24747555 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
High blood pressure is associated with exposure to multiple chemical and non-chemical risk factors, but epidemiological analyses to date have not assessed the combined effects of both chemical and non-chemical stressors on human populations in the context of cumulative risk assessment. We developed a novel modeling approach to evaluate the combined impact of lead, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and multiple non-chemical risk factors on four blood pressure measures using data for adults aged ≥ 20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2008). We developed predictive models for chemical and other stressors. Structural equation models were applied to account for complex associations among predictors of stressors as well as blood pressure. Models showed that blood lead, serum PCBs, and established non-chemical stressors were significantly associated with blood pressure. Lead was the chemical stressor most predictive of diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure, while PCBs had a greater influence on systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure, and blood cadmium was not a significant predictor of blood pressure. The simultaneously fit exposure models explained 34%, 43% and 52% of the variance for lead, cadmium and PCBs, respectively. The structural equation models were developed using predictors available from public data streams (e.g., U.S. Census), which would allow the models to be applied to any U.S. population exposed to these multiple stressors in order to identify high risk subpopulations, direct intervention strategies, and inform public policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junenette L Peters
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - M Patricia Fabian
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Kim HY, Kim SK, Kang DM, Hwang YS, Oh JE. The relationships between sixteen perfluorinated compound concentrations in blood serum and food, and other parameters, in the general population of South Korea with proportionate stratified sampling method. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 470-471:1390-1400. [PMID: 23834780 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.06.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Revised: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Serum samples were collected from volunteers of various ages and both genders using a proportionate stratified sampling method, to assess the exposure of the general population in Busan, South Korea to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). 16 PFCs were investigated in serum samples from 306 adults (124 males and 182 females) and one day composite diet samples (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) from 20 of the serum donors, to investigate the relationship between food and serum PFC concentrations. Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid were the dominant PFCs in the serum samples, with mean concentrations of 8.4 and 13 ng/mL, respectively. Perfluorotridecanoic acid was the dominant PFC in the composite food samples, ranging from <DL to 1.48 ng/g. PFC concentrations in the serum samples increased with the age of the volunteer, and were higher in males than in females, similar to the results of other studies. We confirmed from the relationships between questionnaire results and the PFC concentrations in the serum samples, that food is one of the important contribution factors of human exposure to PFCs. However, there were no correlations between the PFC concentrations in the one day composite diet samples and the serum samples, because a one day composite diet sample is not necessarily representative of a person's long-term diet and because of the small number of samples taken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee-Young Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Kyu Kim
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 12-1 Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-772, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Mug Kang
- Department of Preventive and Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam 626-870, Republic of Korea; Environmental Health Center for Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Gyeongnam 626-770, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sik Hwang
- Environmental Health Center for Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Gyeongnam 626-770, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
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Kristensen SL, Ramlau-Hansen CH, Ernst E, Olsen SF, Bonde JP, Vested A, Halldorsson TI, Becher G, Haug LS, Toft G. Long-term effects of prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances on female reproduction. Hum Reprod 2013; 28:3337-48. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/det382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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Casas M, Chevrier C, Hond ED, Fernandez MF, Pierik F, Philippat C, Slama R, Toft G, Vandentorren S, Wilhelm M, Vrijheid M. Exposure to brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, phthalates and phenols in European birth cohorts: ENRIECO evaluation, first human biomonitoring results, and recommendations. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2013; 216:230-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2012] [Revised: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 05/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Maisonet M, Terrell ML, McGeehin MA, Christensen KY, Holmes A, Calafat AM, Marcus M. Maternal concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl compounds during pregnancy and fetal and postnatal growth in British girls. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2012; 120:1432-7. [PMID: 22935244 PMCID: PMC3491920 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1003096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposures to polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) may be associated with adverse changes in fetal and postnatal growth. OBJECTIVE We explored associations of prenatal serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) with fetal and postnatal growth in girls. METHODS We studied a sample of 447 singleton girls and their mothers participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Data on weight and length were obtained at birth and at 2, 9, and 20 months. Serum samples were obtained in 1991-1992, from mothers during pregnancy. We explored associations between prenatal PFC concentrations and weight at birth as well as longitudinal changes in weight-for-age SD scores between birth and 20 months. RESULTS PFOS (median, 19.6 ng/mL), PFOA (median, 3.7 ng/mL), and PFHxS (median, 1.6 ng/mL) were detected in 100% of samples. On average, girls born to mothers with prenatal concentrations of PFOS in the upper tertile weighed 140 g less [95% confidence interval (CI): -238, -42] at birth than girls born to mothers with concentrations in the lower tertile in adjusted models. Similar patterns were seen for PFOA (-133 g; 95% CI: -237, -30) and PFHxS (-108 g; 95% CI: -206, -10). At 20 months, however, girls born to mothers with prenatal concentrations of PFOS in the upper tertile weighed 580 g more (95% CI: 301, 858) when compared with those in the lower tertile. No differences in weight were found for PFOA and PFHxS. CONCLUSIONS Girls with higher prenatal exposure to each of the PFCs examined were smaller at birth than those with lower exposure. In addition, those with higher exposure to PFOS were larger at 20 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred Maisonet
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
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Schecter A, Malik-Bass N, Calafat AM, Kato K, Colacino JA, Gent TL, Hynan LS, Harris TR, Malla S, Birnbaum L. Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in Texas children from birth through 12 years of age. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2012; 120:590-4. [PMID: 22182702 PMCID: PMC3339466 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1104325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For > 50 years, polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) have been used worldwide, mainly as surfactants and emulsifiers, and human exposure to some PFCs is widespread. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to report PFC serum concentrations from a convenience sample of Dallas, Texas, children from birth to < 13 years of age, and to examine age and sex differences in PFC concentrations. METHODS We analyzed 300 serum samples collected in 2009 for eight PFCs by online solid phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-isotope dilution-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were detected in > 92% of participants; the other PFCs measured were detected less frequently. Overall median concentrations of PFOS (4.1 ng/mL) were higher than those for PFOA (2.85 ng/mL), PFNA (1.2 ng/mL), and PFHxS (1.2 ng/mL). For PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS, we found no significant differences (p < 0.05) by sex, significantly increasing concentrations for all four chemicals by age, and significantly positive correlations between all four compounds. CONCLUSIONS We found no significant differences in the serum concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS by sex, but increasing concentrations with age. Our results suggest that these 300 Texas children from birth through 12 years of age continued to be exposed to several PFCs in late 2009, years after changes in production of some PFCs in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnold Schecter
- University of Texas School of Public Health, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
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