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Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Remy S, Koppen G, Wauters N, Mustieles V, Desalegn A, Iszatt N, den Hond E, Verheyen VJ, Fábelová L, Murinova LP, Pedraza-Díaz S, Esteban M, Poyatos RM, Govarts E, van Nuijs ALN, Covaci A, Schoeters G, Olea N, Fernández MF. Urinary phthalate/DINCH metabolites associations with kisspeptin and reproductive hormones in teenagers: A cross-sectional study from the HBM4EU aligned studies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172426. [PMID: 38631641 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to phthalate/DINCH metabolites can induce human reproductive toxicity, however, their endocrine-disrupting mechanisms are not fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between concentrations of phthalate/DINCH metabolites, serum kisspeptin, and reproductive hormones among European teenagers from three of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. METHODS In 733 Belgian (FLEHS IV study), Slovak (PCB cohort follow-up), and Spanish (BEA study) teenagers, ten phthalate and two DINCH metabolites were measured in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Serum kisspeptin (kiss54) protein, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were measured by immunosorbent assays. Free Androgen Index (FAI) was calculated as a proxy of free testosterone. Adjusted sex-stratified linear regression models for individual studies, mixed effect models (LME) accounting for random effects for pooled studies, and g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models for the phthalate/DINCH mixture were performed. RESULTS The LME suggested that each IQR increase in ln-transformed levels of several phthalates was associated with lower kisspeptin [MnBP: %change (95%CI): -2.8 (-4.2;-0.4); MEHP: -1.4 (-3.4,0.2)] and higher FSH [∑DINP: 11.8 (-0.6;25.1)] levels in females from pooled studies. G-computation showed that the phthalates/DINCH mixture was associated with lower kisspeptin [-4.28 (-8.07;-0.34)] and higher FSH [22.13 (0.5;48.4)] also in females; BKMR showed similar although non-significant pattern. In males, higher phthalates metabolites [MEHP: -12.22 (-21.09;-1.18); oxo-MEHP: -12.73 (-22.34;-1.93)] were associated with lower TT and FAI, although higher DINCH [OH-MINCH: 16.31 (6.23;27.35), cx-MINCH: 16.80 (7.03;27.46), ∑DINCH: 17.37 (7.26;29.74)] were associated with higher TT levels. No mixture associations were found in males. CONCLUSION We observed sex-specific associations between urinary concentrations of phthalate/DINCH metabolites and the panel of selected effect biomarkers (kisspeptin and reproductive hormones). This suggests that exposure to phthalates would be associated with changes in kisspeptin levels, which would affect the HPG axis and thus influence reproductive health. However, further research is needed, particularly for phthalate replacements such as DINCH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rodríguez-Carrillo
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium; Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Gudrun Koppen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Natasha Wauters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Vicente Mustieles
- Biomedical Research Center & School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anteneh Desalegn
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | | | - Veerle J Verheyen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Lucia Fábelová
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Esteban
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael M Poyatos
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Laboratorios, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | | | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Greet Schoeters
- Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Nicolás Olea
- Biomedical Research Center & School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- Biomedical Research Center & School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
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Kreychman M, Ivantsova E, Lu A, Bisesi JH, Martyniuk CJ. A comparative review of the toxicity mechanisms of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS) in fish. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 279:109874. [PMID: 38423199 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Industrial and consumer goods contain diverse perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These substances, like perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS), are under increased scrutiny due to their potential toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, our understanding of their biological impacts and mechanisms of action remains limited. The objectives of this review were to compare data for levels of PFHxA and PFHxS in aquatic environments and fish tissues, as well as toxicity mechanisms related to morphological, endocrine, metabolic, and behavioral endpoints. A computational assessment was also performed to identify putative mechanisms of toxicity and to characterize exposure biomarkers. Studies have shown that both PFHxA and PFHxS residues are present in diverse marine and freshwater fish tissues, suggesting the importance of monitoring these PFAS in aquatic organisms. In fish tissues, these chemicals have been reported to be as high as 37.5 ng/g for PFHxA and 1290 ng/g for PFHxS, but their persistence in aquatic environments and degradation in tissues requires further study. In terms of mechanisms of toxicity, both oxidative stress and endocrine disruption have been reported. Based on evidence for endocrine disruption, we modeled interactions of estrogen and androgen receptors of several fish species with PFHxA and PFHxS. Molecular docking revealed that PFHxS has a stronger affinity for interacting with the estrogen and androgen receptors of fish compared to PFHxA and that estrogen and androgen receptors of fathead minnow, zebrafish, Atlantic salmon, and largemouth bass show comparable binding affinities for each chemical except for salmon Esr2b, which was predicted to have lower affinity for PFHxA relative to Esr2a. While mechanistic data are lacking in fish in general for these chemicals, a computational approach revealed that PFHxA can perturb the endocrine system, nervous system, and is linked to changes in kidney and liver weight. Proteins associated with PFHxA and PFHxS exposures in fish include those related to lipid and glucose regulation, reproductive proteins like KISS metastasis suppressor, and proteins associated with the immune system (specifically RAG1, RAG2), all of which are potential biomarkers of exposure. Taken together, we synthesize current knowledge regarding the environmental fate and ecotoxicology of PFHxA/PFHxS in fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Kreychman
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Emma Ivantsova
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Austin Lu
- Blind Brook High School, Rye Brook, NY 10573, USA
| | - Joseph H Bisesi
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; UF Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience, University of Florida, USA.
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Chen X, Wang C, Gui W, Guo Y, Zhou X, Zhao Y, Dai J. Time-course transcriptome analysis discloses PFDMO2OA (C8 HFPO-TA)-induced developmental malformations and cardiovascular toxicities in zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123729. [PMID: 38462201 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
PFDMO2OA (C8 HFPO-TA), a novel substitute for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been frequently detected in surface waters. However, information on its toxicity remains scarce. In the present study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to varying concentrations of PFDMO2OA, ranging from 80 to 800 mg/L, until 120 h post-fertilization (hpf) to explore its potential developmental toxicities. The LC50 value for mortality was 505.9 mg/L, comparable to that of PFOA (over 500 mg/L), suggesting a lack of safety of PFDMO2OA compared to PFOA. At 120 hpf, PFDMO2OA exposure led to various malformations in embryos, including uninflated swim bladder, yolk sac oedema, spinal deformation, and pigmentation changes, with pericardial oedema being prominent. Analysis using O-dianisidine stain indicated a decline in erythrocytes over time. Transcriptome analysis further revealed the cardiovascular toxicity caused by PFDMO2OA at the molecular level. Time-course differential analysis pointed to the apoptosis dependent on disrupted mitochondrial function as a significant contributor to erythrocyte disappearance, as confirmed by the TUNEL stain. Therefore, the present findings suggest that PFDMO2OA induces developmental malformations and cardiovascular toxicities in zebrafish embryos, demonstrating a toxic potency comparable to that of PFOA. The results further highlight the significance of evaluating the health risks associated with PFDMO2OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Congcong Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Wanying Gui
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Jiayin Dai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
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Fleury ES, Kuiper JR, Buckley JP, Papandonatos GD, Cecil KM, Chen A, Eaton CB, Kalkwarf HJ, Lanphear BP, Yolton K, Braun JM. Evaluating the association between longitudinal exposure to a PFAS mixture and adolescent cardiometabolic risk in the HOME Study. Environ Epidemiol 2024; 8:e289. [PMID: 38343730 PMCID: PMC10852393 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) throughout gestation and childhood may impact cardiometabolic risk. Methods In 179 HOME Study participants (Cincinnati, OH; recruited 2003-2006), we used latent profile analysis to identify two distinct patterns of PFAS exposure from serum concentrations of four PFAS measured at birth and ages 3, 8, and 12 years. We assessed the homeostatic model of insulin resistance, triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, systolic blood pressure, visceral fat, and hemoglobin A1c levels at age 12 years. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the association of membership in the longitudinal PFAS mixture exposure group with a summary measure of overall cardiometabolic risk and individual components. Results One PFAS exposure profile (n = 66, 39%) had higher geometric means of all PFAS across all visits than the other. Although adjusted associations were null in the full sample, child sex modified the association of longitudinal PFAS mixture exposure group with overall cardiometabolic risk, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, systolic blood pressure, and visceral fat (interaction term P values: 0.02-0.08). Females in the higher exposure group had higher cardiometabolic risk scores (ß = 0.43; 95% CI = -0.08, 0.94), systolic blood pressures (ß = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.1, 1.1), and visceral fat (ß = 0.44; 95% CI = -0.13, 1.01); males had lower cardiometabolic risk scores (ß = -0.52; 95% CI = -1.06, -0.06), leptin-to-adiponectin ratios (ß = -0.7; 95% CI = -1.29, -0.1), systolic blood pressures (ß = -0.14; 95% CI = -0.7, 0.41), and visceral fat (ß = -0.52; 95% CI = -0.84, -0.19). Conclusions Exposure to this PFAS mixture throughout childhood may have sex-specific effects on adolescent cardiometabolic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordan R. Kuiper
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C
| | - Jessie P. Buckley
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | - Kim M. Cecil
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Charles B. Eaton
- Department of Family Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Heidi J. Kalkwarf
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI
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Grandjean P, Shih YH, Jørgensen LH, Nielsen F, Weihe P, Budtz-Jørgensen E. Estimated exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances during infancy and serum-adipokine concentrations in later childhood. Pediatr Res 2023; 94:1832-1837. [PMID: 37316707 PMCID: PMC10624607 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02665-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are transferred through human milk and may cause elevated exposure during infancy. Given the lack of early postnatal blood samples, PFAS concentrations can be estimated to serve as predictors of subsequent metabolic toxicity. METHODS A total of 298 children from a prospective birth cohort were followed up through to age 9 years. Serum-PFAS was measured at birth and 18 months of age, while exposures during infancy were estimated by structural equations. Adiponectin, resistin, leptin, and the leptin receptor were measured in serum at age 9. Adjusted regression coefficients for estimated serum-PFAS concentrations were calculated, with additional consideration of the duration of breastfeeding and potential effect modification by sex. RESULTS A doubling in estimated serum-PFAS concentrations, particularly at ages 6 and 12 months, was associated with a loss of about 10-15% in age 9 resistin concentrations, while other associations were much weaker. Sex dependence of the associations was not observed, and neither did the duration of breastfeeding affect outcomes at age 9. CONCLUSION Lowered serum-resistin concentrations at age 9 years were most strongly associated with early postnatal PFAS exposures. These findings suggest that infancy may represent a vulnerable time window for some aspects of metabolic programming that may be affected by PFAS exposure. IMPACT Serum-PFAS concentrations during infancy can be estimated in the absence of blood samples. Adipokine concentrations were measured at age 9 years as metabolic biomarkers. Resistin was significantly lower in children with elevated PFAS exposures in infancy. The findings suggest that early postnatal PFAS exposures may affect subsequent metabolic health. Assessment of infancy vulnerability to PFAS can be explored using estimated serum-PFAS concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Yu-Hsuan Shih
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Louise Helskov Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Odense University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
- Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Esben Budtz-Jørgensen
- Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Remy S, Koppen G, Wauters N, Freire C, Olivas-Martínez A, Schillemans T, Åkesson A, Desalegn A, Iszatt N, den Hond E, Verheyen V, Fábelová L, Murinova LP, Pedraza-Díaz S, Castaño A, García-Lario JV, Cox B, Govarts E, Baken K, Tena-Sempere M, Olea N, Schoeters G, Fernández MF. PFAS association with kisspeptin and sex hormones in teenagers of the HBM4EU aligned studies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 335:122214. [PMID: 37482334 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122214] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAS) can impair human reproductive function, e.g., by delaying or advancing puberty, although their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. We therefore set out to evaluate the relationship between serum PFAS levels, both individually and as a mixture, on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis by analyzing serum levels of reproductive hormones and also kisspeptin in European teenagers participating in three of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. For this purpose, PFAS compounds were measured in 733 teenagers from Belgium (FLEHS IV study), Slovakia (PCB cohort follow-up), and Spain (BEA study) by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) in laboratories under the HBM4EU quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) program. In the same serum samples, kisspeptin 54 (kiss-54) protein, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were also measured using immunosorbent assays. Sex-stratified single pollutant linear regression models for separate studies, mixed single pollutant models accounting for random effects for pooled studies, and g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models for the mixture of the three most available (PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS) were fit. PFAS associations with reproductive markers differed according to sex. Each natural log-unit increase of PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS were associated with higher TT [18.41 (6.18; 32.31), 15.60 (7.25; 24.61), 14.68 (6.18; 24.61), respectively] in girls, in the pooled analysis (all studies together). In males, G-computation showed that PFAS mixture was associated with lower FSH levels [-10.51 (-18.81;-1.36)]. The BKMR showed the same patterns observed in G-computation, including a significant increase on male Kiss-54 and SHBG levels. Overall, effect biomarkers may enhance the current epidemiological knowledge regarding the adverse effect of PFAS in human HPG axis, although further research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rodríguez-Carrillo
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium; Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Gudrun Koppen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Natasha Wauters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Carmen Freire
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Tessa Schillemans
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Agneta Åkesson
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anteneh Desalegn
- Division of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | | | - Veerle Verheyen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Lucia Fábelová
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Argelia Castaño
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Bianca Cox
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Kirsten Baken
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Manuel Tena-Sempere
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004., Córdoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, Km. 396. 14071. Córdoba, Spain; University Hospital Reina Sofía, Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004, Córdoba, Spain; CIBER Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition, Carlos III Health Institute, Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004. Córdoba, Spain
| | - Nicolás Olea
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Greet Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain.
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Duh-Leong C, Maffini MV, Kassotis CD, Vandenberg LN, Trasande L. The regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals to minimize their impact on health. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023; 19:600-614. [PMID: 37553404 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-023-00872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances generated by human industrial activities that are detrimental to human health through their effects on the endocrine system. The global societal and economic burden posed by EDCs is substantial. Poorly defined or unenforced policies can increase human exposure to EDCs, thereby contributing to human disease, disability and economic damage. Researchers have shown that policies and interventions implemented at both individual and government levels have the potential to reduce exposure to EDCs. This Review describes a set of evidence-based policy actions to manage, minimize or even eliminate the widespread use of these chemicals and better protect human health and society. A number of specific challenges exist: defining, identifying and prioritizing EDCs; considering the non-linear or non-monotonic properties of EDCs; accounting for EDC exposure effects that are latent and do not appear until later in life; and updating testing paradigms to reflect 'real-world' mixtures of chemicals and cumulative exposure. A sound strategy also requires partnering with health-care providers to integrate strategies to prevent EDC exposure in clinical care. Critical next steps include addressing EDCs within global policy frameworks by integrating EDC exposure prevention into emerging climate policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Duh-Leong
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Christopher D Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York, NY, USA.
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Martin KV, Hilbert TJ, Reilly M, Christian WJ, Hoover A, Pennell KG, Ding Q, Haynes EN. PFAS soil concentrations surrounding a hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio, an environmental justice community. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:80643-80654. [PMID: 37300732 PMCID: PMC10510938 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27880-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic compounds widely used in industrial and consumer products. While PFAS provide product durability, these chemicals are ubiquitous, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. These characteristics make the ultimate disposal of PFAS a challenge. One current disposal method is incineration; however, little research has been conducted on the safety and effectiveness of PFAS incineration. The characteristics of communities with hazardous waste incinerators that have received PFAS shipments indicate that more individuals with lower incomes and individuals with less education than the US average are at higher risk of exposure, which presents important environmental justice and health equity concerns of PFAS incineration. Situated in eastern Ohio, East Liverpool is an Appalachian community that is home to a large hazardous-waste incinerator, operated by Heritage WTI, that began accepting PFAS in 2019. Residents are concerned that the disposal lacks the research necessary to assure safety for the residents. Due to both community interest and data gaps regarding PFAS incineration, our research team conducted a pilot study to examine the distribution and concentration of PFAS in soil samples surrounding the incinerator. All 35 soil samples had measurable amounts of PFAS including perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA)/GenX. PFOS was measured in the majority of soil samples (97%) with a range of 50-8,300 ng/kg. PFOA was measured in 94% of soil samples with a range of 51 ng/kg to 1300 ng/kg. HFPO-DA/GenX was measurable in 12 soil samples with concentrations of ranging from 150 ng/kg to 1500 ng/kg. Further research on PFAS disposal will advance knowledge and action related to regulatory requirements and exposure prevention, ultimately improving individual and community protections and health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin Vollet Martin
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- St. Elizabeth College of Natural and Health Sciences, Thomas More University, Crestview Hills, KY, USA
| | | | - Michael Reilly
- Michael Reilly Environmental, Health and Safety Services, Inc., McKeesport, PA, USA
| | - W Jay Christian
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Anna Hoover
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kelly G Pennell
- College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | | | - Erin N Haynes
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Ehrlich V, Bil W, Vandebriel R, Granum B, Luijten M, Lindeman B, Grandjean P, Kaiser AM, Hauzenberger I, Hartmann C, Gundacker C, Uhl M. Consideration of pathways for immunotoxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Environ Health 2023; 22:19. [PMID: 36814257 PMCID: PMC9944481 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00958-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of public health concern, because of their ubiquitous and extremely persistent occurrence, and depending on their structure, their bio-accumulative, mobile and toxic properties. Human health effects associated with exposure to PFAS include adverse effects on the immune system. In 2020, EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) defined adverse effects on the immune system as the most critical effect for human health risk assessment, based on reduced antibody responses to childhood vaccines and similar effects observed in experimental animal studies. Likewise, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers PFAS-induced immunotoxicity, especially in children, as the critical effect for risk assessment. However, the mechanisms by which antibody concentrations are impacted are not completely understood. Furthermore, other targets of the immune system functions have been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to explore PFAS-associated immune-related effects. This includes, relevant mechanisms that may underlie the observed effects on the immune system, immunosuppression as well as immunoenhancement, such as i) modulation of cell signalling and nuclear receptors, such as NF-κB and PPARs; ii) alteration of calcium signalling and homoeostasis in immune cells; iii) modulation of immune cell populations; iv) oxidative stress and v) impact on fatty acid metabolism & secondary effects on the immune system. METHODS A literature research was conducted using three databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), which were searched in July 2021 for relevant studies published in the time frame from 2018 to 2021. In total, 487 publications were identified as potentially eligible and following expert-based judgement, articles relevant for mechanisms of PFAS induced immunotoxicity are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, we show that there is substantial evidence from both in vitro and in vivo experimental as well as epidemiological studies, supporting that various PFAS, not only PFOA and PFOS, affect multiple aspects of the immune system. Timing of exposure is critical, because the developing immune system is especially vulnerable to toxic insults, resulting in a higher risk of particularly adverse immune effects but also other organs later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Ehrlich
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wieneke Bil
- Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Vandebriel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Berit Granum
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mirjam Luijten
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Birgitte Lindeman
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Andreas-Marius Kaiser
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ingrid Hauzenberger
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Hartmann
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Gundacker
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Uhl
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Xu C, Zhang L, Zhou Q, Ding J, Yin S, Shang X, Tian Y. Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus through interference with glucose homeostasis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156561. [PMID: 35691348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are hypothesized to trigger gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) through modulation of glucose metabolism. However, studies investigating links between joint PFASs to GDM are limited and led to discrepant conclusions. This study included 171 women with GDM development in pregnancy and 169 healthy controls from Hangzhou, China between October 2020 and September 2021. By using the solid-phase extraction (SPE)-ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry (UPLC/MS-MS), 15 PFASs were detected to be widely distributed in maternal serum, with highest median concentrations of 7.43, 4.23, and 3.64 ng/mL for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates (6:2 Cl-PFESA). Multivariable logistic regressions suggested that the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of GDM for second and highest tertiles of PFOA were 2.57 (1.24, 4.86), p = 0.001 and 1.98 (1.06, 3.65), p = 0.023. Compared with the reference tertile, the ORs of GDM were also significantly increased at the highest tertile of perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), PFOS and 6:2Cl-PFESA. Multiple linear regressions further indicated that exposure to these PFASs congeners were positively associated with continuous glycemic outcomes of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 1-h, and 2-h glucose after 75 g oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) test as well as glycohemoglobin (HbA1c). Nevertheless, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), 4:2 fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTSs), and 3H-perfluoro-3-[(3-methoxy-propoxy) propanoic acid] (ADONA) exhibited protective effects on some of these glycemic outcomes. When assessing the PFASs as mixtures by conducting the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), the risks of GDM and values of glycemic outcomes increased significantly as the concentrations of the PFASs mixture increased, with PFOA being the largest contributor. We therefore propose that although the effects on glucose homeostasis varied between different PFAS congeners, the elevated combined exposures to PFASs may be associated with substantially increased GDM risks by altering glucose metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenye Xu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China
| | - Quan Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jiaxin Ding
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Shanshan Yin
- Interdisciplinary Research Academy (IRA), Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Xuejun Shang
- Department of Andrology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210002, China
| | - Yonghong Tian
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China.
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