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Bommarito PA, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Meeker JD, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, Ferguson KK. Prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and fetal growth across pregnancy in the LIFECODES fetal growth study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108866. [PMID: 38968832 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Environmental phenols are endocrine disrupting chemicals hypothesized to affect early life development. Previous research examining the effects of phenols on fetal growth has focused primarily on associations with measures of size at delivery. Few have included ultrasound measures to examine growth across pregnancy. OBJECTIVE Investigate associations between prenatal exposure to phenols and ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth. METHODS Using the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (n = 900), a case-cohort including 248 small-for-gestational-age, 240 large-for-gestational age, and 412 appropriate-for-gestational-age births, we estimated prenatal exposure to 12 phenols using three urine samples collected during pregnancy (median 10, 24, and 35 weeks gestation). We abstracted ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth from medical records. We estimated associations between pregnancy-average phenol biomarker concentrations and repeated ultrasound measures of fetal growth using linear mixed effects models and associations with birthweight using linear regression models. We also used logistic regression models to estimate associations with having a small- or large-for-gestational birth. RESULTS We observed positive associations between 2,4-dichlorophenol, benzophenone-3, and triclosan (TCS) and multiple ultrasound measures of fetal growth. For example, TCS was associated with a 0.09 (95 % CI: 0.01, 0.18) higher estimated fetal weight z-score longitudinally across pregnancy. This effect size corresponds to a 21 g increase in estimated fetal weight at 30 weeks gestation. Associations with delivery measures of growth were attenuated, but TCS remained positively associated with birthweight z-scores (mean difference: 0.13, 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.25). Conversely, methylparaben was associated with higher odds of a small-for-gestational age birth (odds ratio: 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.06, 1.98). DISCUSSION We observed associations between some biomarkers of phenol exposure and ultrasound measures of fetal growth, though associations at the time of delivery were attenuated. These findings are consistent with hypotheses that phenols have the potential to affect growth during the prenatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige A Bommarito
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Danielle R Stevens
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Barrett M Welch
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David E Cantonwine
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas F McElrath
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelly K Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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Goldberg M, Adgent MA, Stevens DR, Chin HB, Ferguson KK, Calafat AM, Travlos G, Ford EG, Stallings VA, Rogan WJ, Umbach DM, Baird DD, Sandler DP. Environmental phenol exposures in 6- to 12-week-old infants: The Infant Feeding and Early Development (IFED) study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:119075. [PMID: 38719065 PMCID: PMC11178257 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119075] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to phenols, endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in personal care and consumer products, is widespread. Data on infant exposures are limited despite heightened sensitivity to endocrine disruption during this developmental period. We aimed to describe distributions and predictors of urinary phenol concentrations among U.S. infants ages 6-12 weeks. METHODS The Infant Feeding and Early Development (IFED) study is a prospective cohort study of healthy term infants enrolled during 2010-2013 in the Philadelphia region. We measured concentrations of seven phenols in 352 urine samples collected during the 6- or 8- and/or 12-week study visits from 199 infants. We used linear mixed models to estimate associations of maternal, sociodemographic, infant, and sample characteristics with natural-log transformed, creatinine-standardized phenol concentrations and present results as mean percent change from the reference level. RESULTS Median concentrations (μg/L) were 311 for methylparaben, 10.3 for propylparaben, 3.6 for benzophenone-3, 2.1 for triclosan, 1.0 for 2,5-dichlorophenol, 0.7 for BPA, and 0.3 for 2,4-dichlorophenol. Geometric mean methylparaben concentrations were approximately 10 times higher than published estimates for U.S. children ages 3-5 and 6-11 years, while propylparaben concentrations were 3-4 times higher. Infants of Black mothers had higher concentrations of BPA (83%), methylparaben (121%), propylparaben (218%), and 2,5-dichorophenol (287%) and lower concentrations of benzophenone-3 (-77%) and triclosan (-53%) than infants of White mothers. Triclosan concentrations were higher in breastfed infants (176%) and lower in infants whose mothers had a high school education or less (-62%). Phenol concentrations were generally higher in summer samples. CONCLUSIONS Widespread exposure to select environmental phenols among this cohort of healthy U.S. infants, including much higher paraben concentrations compared to those reported for U.S. children, supports the importance of expanding population-based biomonitoring programs to infants and toddlers. Future investigation of exposure sources is warranted to identify opportunities to minimize exposures during these sensitive periods of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Goldberg
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Margaret A Adgent
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danielle R Stevens
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Helen B Chin
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Kelly K Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gregory Travlos
- Comparative & Molecular Pathogenesis Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eileen G Ford
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia A Stallings
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Walter J Rogan
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David M Umbach
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Donna D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
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Bommarito PA, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Ospina M, Calafat AM, Meeker JD, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, Ferguson KK. Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Plasticizers in Relation to Fetal Growth in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:77001. [PMID: 38968089 PMCID: PMC11225970 DOI: 10.1289/ehp14647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used ubiquitously as flame retardants and plasticizers in consumer products, are suspected of having developmental toxicity. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to estimate associations between prenatal exposure to OPEs and fetal growth, including both ultrasound (head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight) and delivery [birth weight z-score, small-for-gestational age (SGA), and large-for-gestational age (LGA)] measures of growth. METHODS In the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (2008-2018), an enriched case-cohort of 900 babies born at the small and large ends of the growth spectrum, we quantified OPE biomarkers in three urine samples per pregnant participant and abstracted ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth from medical records. We estimated associations between pregnancy-averaged log-transformed OPE biomarkers and repeated ultrasound measures of fetal growth using linear mixed-effects models, and delivery measures of fetal growth using linear (birth weight) and logistic (SGA and LGA) regression models. RESULTS Most OPE biomarkers were positively associated with at least one ultrasound measure of fetal growth, but associations with delivery measures were largely null. For example, an interquartile range (IQR; 1.31 ng / mL ) increase in bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate concentration was associated with larger z-scores in head circumference [mean difference (difference): 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 0.17], abdominal circumference (difference: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.18), femur length (difference: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.19), and estimated fetal weight (difference: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.22) but not birth weight (difference: 0.04; 95% CI: - 0.08 , 0.17). At delivery, an IQR (1.00 ng / mL ) increase in diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) concentration was associated with an SGA birth (odds ratio: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.94). CONCLUSIONS In a large prospective cohort, gestational OPE exposures were associated with larger fetal size during pregnancy, but associations at delivery were null. DPHP concentrations were associated with heightened risk of an SGA birth. These findings suggest that OPE exposure may affect fetal development. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14647.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige A. Bommarito
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Danielle R. Stevens
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Barrett M. Welch
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Maria Ospina
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - John D. Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - David E. Cantonwine
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas F. McElrath
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kelly K. Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Wang M, Wang X, Huang K, Han B, Li R, Shen Y, Zhuang Z, Wang Z, Wang L, Zhou Y, Jing T. Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals among Elderly in Wuhan, China: Prioritizing Risks Using EPA's ToxCast Database. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10001-10014. [PMID: 38788169 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In line with the "healthy aging" principle, we aim to assess the exposure map and health risks of environmental chemicals in the elderly. Blood samples from 918 elderly individuals in Wuhan, China, were analyzed using the combined gas/liquid-mass spectrometry technology to detect levels of 118 environmental chemicals. Cluster analysis identified exposure profiles, while risk indexes and bioanalytical equivalence percentages were calculated using EPA's ToxCast database. The detection rates for 87 compounds exceeded 70%. DEHP, DiBP, naphthalene, phenanthrene, DnBP, pyrene, anthracene, permethrin, fluoranthene, and PFOS showed the highest concentrations. Fat-soluble pollutants varied across lifestyles. In cluster 2, which was characterized by higher concentrations of fat-soluble substances, the proportion of smokers or drinkers was higher than that of nonsmokers or nondrinkers. Pesticides emerged as the most active environmental chemicals in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma antagonist, thyroid hormone receptor (TR) antagonist, TR agonist, and androgen receptor (AR) agonist activity assays. Additionally, PAEs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons played significant roles as active contaminants for the corresponding targets of AR antagonists and estrogen receptor alpha. We proposed a list of priority pollutants linked to endocrine-disrupting toxic effects in the elderly, which may provide the groundwork for further research into environmental etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Xiu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- The State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China
| | - Kai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Bin Han
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Ruifang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Yang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Zhijia Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Zhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Lulu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Yikai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Tao Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
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Taibl KR, Dunlop AL, Barr DB, Ryan PB, Panuwet P, Corwin EJ, Eatman JA, Tan Y, Liang D, Eick SM. Phthalate exposure increases interferon-γ during pregnancy: The Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170344. [PMID: 38266723 PMCID: PMC10922519 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170344] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune system undergoes unique adaptations during pregnancy and is particularly sensitive to environmental chemicals, such as phthalates, which are associated with acute and chronic inflammatory medical conditions. However, current knowledge of how phthalate exposures are associated with systemic inflammation in pregnant people is limited by cross-sectional study designs and single chemical models. Our objective was to estimate the association between repeated measures of prenatal phthalate exposures, examined individually and collectively, and a panel of clinical inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS In the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort, biospecimens were collected at mean 11 and 26 weeks gestation (N = 126). Concentrations of eight urinary phthalate metabolites and five serum inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, were measured. Linear mixed effect regression and quantile g-computation models were used to estimate the associations for single phthalates and their exposure mixture, respectively. RESULTS Participants who self-reported any use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana in the month prior to pregnancy had increased MEP, MBP, MiBP, and CRP, relative to those with no substance use. IFN-γ was elevated in response to MECPP (% change = 17.35, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.32, 32.27), MEHHP (% change = 12.75, 95 % CI = 2.22, 24.36), MEOHP (% change = 11.63, 95 % CI = 1.21, 23.12), and their parent phthalate, ΣDEHP (% change = 15.03, 95 % CI = 0.28, 31.94). The phthalate mixture was also associated with an increase in IFN-γ (% change = 15.03, 95 % CI = 6.18, 24.61). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest DEHP metabolites induce systemic inflammation during pregnancy. The pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ may play an important role in the relationship between prenatal phthalate exposures and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin R Taibl
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - P Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Jasmin A Eatman
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Youran Tan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephanie M Eick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Welch BM, Bommarito PA, Cantonwine DE, Milne GL, Motsinger-Reif A, Edin ML, Zeldin DC, Meeker JD, McElrath TF, Ferguson KK. Predictors of upstream inflammation and oxidative stress pathways during early pregnancy. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 213:222-232. [PMID: 38262546 PMCID: PMC10922808 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation and oxidative stress are critical to pregnancy, but most human study has focused on downstream, non-causal indicators. Oxylipins are lipid mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress that act through many biological pathways. Our aim was to characterize predictors of circulating oxylipin concentrations based on maternal characteristics. METHODS Our study was conducted among 901 singleton pregnancies in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study, a nested case-cohort with recruitment from 2007 to 2018. We measured a targeted panel of oxylipins in early pregnancy plasma and urine samples from several biosynthetic pathways, defined by the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) precursor and enzyme group. We evaluated levels across predictors, including characteristics of participants' pregnancy, socioeconomic determinants, and obstetric and medical history. RESULTS Current pregnancy and sociodemographic characteristics were the most important predictors of circulating oxylipins concentrations. Plasma oxylipins were lower and urinary oxylipins higher for participants with a later gestational age at sampling (13-23 weeks), higher prepregnancy BMI (obesity class I, II, or III), Black or Hispanic race and ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status (younger age, lower education, and uninsured). For example, compared to those with normal or underweight prepregnancy BMI, participants with class III prepregnancy obesity had 45-46% lower plasma epoxy-eicosatrienoic acids, the anti-inflammatory oxylipins produced from arachidonic acid (AA) by cytochrome P450, and had 81% higher urinary 15-series F2-isoprostanes, an indicator of oxidative stress produced from non-enzymatic AA oxidation. Similarly, in urine, Black participants had 92% higher prostaglandin E2 metabolite, a pro-inflammatory oxylipin, and 41% higher 5-series F2-isoprostane, an oxidative stress indicator. CONCLUSIONS In this large pregnancy study, we found that circulating levels of oxylipins were different for participants of lower socioeconomic status or of a systematically marginalized racial and ethnic groups. Given associations differed along biosynthetic pathways, results provide insight into etiologic links between maternal predictors and inflammation and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barrett M Welch
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, USA; Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), USA
| | - Paige A Bommarito
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), USA
| | - David E Cantonwine
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Ginger L Milne
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA
| | - Alison Motsinger-Reif
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA
| | - Matthew L Edin
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA
| | - Darryl C Zeldin
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Thomas F McElrath
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Kelly K Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), USA.
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Mínguez-Alarcón L, Gaskins AJ, Meeker JD, Braun JM, Chavarro JE. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and male reproductive health. Fertil Steril 2023; 120:1138-1149. [PMID: 37827483 PMCID: PMC10841502 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Modifiable factors, such as environmental exposures, can impact human fertility. The objective of this review is to summarize the potential effects of exposure to important endocrine-disrupting chemicals on male reproductive health. Most experimental and animal data demonstrate strong evidence for the negative effects of exposure to phenols, phthalates, pesticides, and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances on male reproductive health. Although evidence of negative associations in humans was overall strong for phthalates and pesticides, limited and inconclusive relationships were found for the other examined chemical biomarkers. Reasons for the discrepancies in results include but are not limited to, differences in study populations, exposure concentrations, number of samples collected, sample sizes, study design, and residual confounding. Additional studies are needed, particularly for newer phenols and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, given the scarce literature on the topic and increasing exposures over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Hu C, Xu Y, Wang M, Cui S, Zhang H, Lu L. Bisphenol analogues induce thyroid dysfunction via the disruption of the thyroid hormone synthesis pathway. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165711. [PMID: 37487893 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165711] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol analogues are widely used in industrial and daily-use consumer products having imperfect thyroid hormones (THs) structures. Widespread exposure interferes with thyroid-related health outcomes in human. The mechanisms of disruption on TH synthesis and subsequent thyroid dysfunction by different bisphenol analogues remain unclear. Here, we evaluated bisphenol-induced thyroid endocrine disruption in C57BL/6 mice at doses of 0.002, 0.02, 2, and 20 mg/kg body weight/day (BW/d) for five consecutive weeks. Administration of 20 mg/kg BW/d bisphenol S (BPS) and 2 mg/kg BW/d tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) significantly increased serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels to 1.21-fold and 1.20-fold of control group, respectively, indicating that bisphenols induced thyroid dysfunction in mice. Height of the thyroid follicle epithelium significantly increased to 1.27-, 1.24-, 1.26-, and 1.36-fold compared to control group with BPA, BPS, TBBPA, and TBBPS at 20 mg/kg BW/d, respectively, indicating impairment of the thyroid gland structure, and TBBPS showed potent effect. Exposure to bisphenol analogues of 0.02 mg/kg BW/d downregulated the protein expression levels of thyrotropin receptor, the sodium/iodide symporter, thyroperoxidase. The TH-dependent effects were further determined using the T-Screen assay at 10-11 M to 10-5 M concentrations. Bisphenol analogues significantly decreased TH-dependent GH3 cell proliferation, indicating the antagonistic activity of bisphenol analogues. The gene responsible for THs synthesis of thyrotropin releasing hormone receptor and TSH were upregulated, but downregulation of thyroid receptor β was observed. Our results suggest that bisphenol analogues distinctly induce thyroid dysfunction via TH synthesis, implying adverse effect of bisphenol analogues on TH homeostasis and subsequent physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Hu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China; School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yeqing Xu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Mingmin Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Shixuan Cui
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hangjun Zhang
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Hangzhou International Urbanology Research Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Liping Lu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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