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Romano ME, Gallagher LG, Price G, Crawford KA, Criswell R, Baker E, Botelho JC, Calafat AM, Karagas MR. Plasma per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance mixtures during pregnancy and duration of breastfeeding in the New Hampshire birth cohort study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 258:114359. [PMID: 38521049 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114359] [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: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies suggest that prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposures are associated with shorter breastfeeding duration. Studies assessing PFAS mixtures and populations in North America are sparse. METHODS We quantified PFAS concentrations in maternal plasma collected during pregnancy in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (2010-2017). Participants completed standardized breastfeeding surveys at regular intervals until weaning (n = 813). We estimated associations between mixtures of 5 PFAS and risk of stopping exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months or any breastfeeding before 12 months using probit Bayesian kernel machine regression. For individual PFAS, we calculated the relative risk and hazard ratio (HR) of stopping breastfeeding using modified Poisson regression and accelerated failure time models respectively. RESULTS PFAS mixtures were associated with stopping exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months, primarily driven by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). We observed statistically significant trends in the association of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), PFOA, and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) (p-trends≤0.02) with stopping exclusive breastfeeding. Participants in the highest PFOA quartile had a 28% higher risk of stopping exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months compared to those in the lowest quartile (95% Confidence Interval: 1.04, 1.56). Similar trends were observed for PFHxS and PFNA with exclusive breastfeeding (p-trends≤0.05). PFAS were not associated with stopping any breastfeeding before 12 months. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, we observed that participants with greater overall plasma PFAS concentrations had greater risk of stopping exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months and associations were driven largely by PFOA. These findings further support the growing literature indicating that PFAS may be associated with shorter duration of breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, USA.
| | - Lisa G Gallagher
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - George Price
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | | | - Rachel Criswell
- Skowhegan Family Medicine, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan, ME, USA
| | - Emily Baker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Julianne Cook Botelho
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, USA
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2
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Starling AP, Friedman C, Boyle KE, Adgate JL, Glueck DH, Allshouse WB, Calafat AM, Bloemsma LD, Dabelea D. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and early childhood adiposity and cardiometabolic health in the Healthy Start study. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:276-283. [PMID: 38042932 PMCID: PMC10872497 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01420-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Observational and experimental studies have suggested that prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can increase childhood adiposity and cardiometabolic disruption. However, most previous studies have used weight-based measures that cannot distinguish between fat mass and lean mass. We evaluated associations of prenatal PFAS exposure with precisely measured body composition and cardiometabolic biomarkers in early childhood. SUBJECTS 373 eligible mother-infant pairs in the Healthy Start longitudinal cohort. METHODS We used multiple linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression models to estimate associations between five PFAS in maternal mid-pregnancy serum, and early childhood adiposity via air displacement plethysmography. Secondary outcomes included body mass index, waist circumference, and fasting serum lipids, glucose, insulin and adipokines. Models were adjusted for potential confounders and effect modification by child sex was evaluated. RESULTS The median age of children at assessment was 4.6 years. Prenatal concentration of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was positively associated with percent fat mass (0.89% per log2-unit increase, 95% CI: 0.15, 1.64), while perfluorononanoate (PFNA) was positively associated with fat mass index and body mass index. Cardiometabolic markers in blood were generally not associated with prenatal PFAS in this population. Mixture models confirmed the importance of PFNA and PFOA in predicting percent fat mass, while PFNA was most important for fat mass index, body mass index, and waist circumference. There were no significant effects of the five PFAS as a mixture, potentially due to opposing effects of different PFAS. CONCLUSIONS Our results agree with previous studies showing that prenatal serum concentrations of certain PFAS are positively associated with early childhood adiposity. Notably, associations were stronger for measures incorporating precisely measured fat mass compared to measures of body size or weight. Early life increases in adiposity may precede the development of adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes in children exposed to PFAS during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Chloe Friedman
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kristen E Boyle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Deborah H Glueck
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - William B Allshouse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lizan D Bloemsma
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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3
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Zell-Baran LM, Dabelea D, Norris JM, Glueck DH, Adgate JL, Brown JM, Harrall KK, Calafat AM, Starling AP. Prenatal Exposure to Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (2009-2014) and Vaccine Antibody Titers of Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella in Children Four to Eight Years Old from the Healthy Start Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127018. [PMID: 38147368 PMCID: PMC10750888 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposures to certain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with reduced humoral responses to some childhood immunizations. OBJECTIVE We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and child antibody titers for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and varicella after immunization. METHODS We measured serum antibody titers of 145 children (4-8 y old) enrolled in the Healthy Start cohort in Colorado, whose mothers had PFAS quantified mid-pregnancy (2009-2014). We used linear and logistic regression models to assess the relationship between five PFAS detected in > 65 % of mothers and continuous or non-high-censored ("low") antibody titers and quantile g-computation to evaluate the overall effect of the PFAS mixture. RESULTS Median concentrations of individual PFAS were at or below the median reported among females in the United States. After receiving two vaccine doses, seropositive levels of antibodies were detected among most (93%-100%) children. Each log-unit increase in perfluorononanoate was associated with 2.09 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 3.87] times higher odds of a low measles titer, and each log-unit increase in perfluorooctanoate was associated with 2.46 (95% CI: 1.28, 4.75) times higher odds of a low mumps titer. Odds ratios for all other PFAS were elevated, but CIs included the null. Each quartile increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with 1.35 (95% CI: 0.80, 2.26) times higher odds of a low measles titer and 1.44 (95% CI: 0.78, 2.64) times higher odds of a low mumps titer. No significant associations were observed between PFAS and varicella or rubella antibodies. In stratified analyses, associations were negative among female children, except for perfluorohexane sulfonate and varicella, whereas they were positive among males. DISCUSSION Some prenatal PFAS were associated with lower antibody titers among fully immunized children. The potential for immunotoxic effects of PFAS requires further investigation in a larger study, because exposure is ubiquitous globally. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12863.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Zell-Baran
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jill M. Norris
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Deborah H. Glueck
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - John L. Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jared M. Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Kylie K. Harrall
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anne P. Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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4
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Rokoff LB, Wallenborn JT, Harris MH, Rifas-Shiman SL, Criswell R, Romano ME, Young JG, Calafat AM, Oken E, Sagiv SK, Fleisch AF. Plasma concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in pregnancy and breastfeeding duration in Project Viva. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 891:164724. [PMID: 37290653 PMCID: PMC10327962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may disrupt mammary gland development and function; thereby inhibiting milk supply and breastfeeding duration. However, conclusions on the potential effects of PFAS and breastfeeding duration are limited by prior epidemiologic studies that inconsistently adjusted for past cumulative breastfeeding duration and by a lack of examination of the joint effects of PFAS mixtures. METHODS In Project Viva, a longitudinal cohort that enrolled pregnant participants from 1999 to 2002 in the greater Boston, MA area, we studied 1079 women who ever attempted to lactate. We investigated associations of plasma concentrations of select PFAS in early pregnancy (mean: 10.1 weeks gestation) with breastfeeding termination by 9 months, after which women typically cite self-weaning as the reason for terminating breastfeeding. We used Cox regression for single-PFAS models and quantile g-computation for mixture models, adjusting for sociodemographics, prior breastfeeding duration, and weeks of gestation at the time of blood draw. RESULTS We detected 6 PFAS [perfluorooctane sulfonate; perfluorooctanoate (PFOA); perfluorohexane sulfonate; perfluorononanoate; 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate (EtFOSAA); 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetate (MeFOSAA)] in >98 % of samples. Sixty percent of lactating women terminated breastfeeding by 9 months postpartum. Women with higher plasma concentrations of PFOA, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA had a greater hazard of terminating breastfeeding in the first 9 months postpartum [HR (95 % CI) per doubling concentration: 1.20 (1.04, 1.38) for PFOA; 1.10 (1.01, 1.20) for EtFOSAA; 1.18 (1.08, 1.30) for MeFOSAA]. In the quantile g-computation model, simultaneously increasing all PFAS in the mixture by one quartile was associated with 1.17 (95 % CI: 1.05, 1.31) greater hazard of terminating breastfeeding in the first 9 months. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that exposure to PFAS may be associated with reduced breastfeeding duration and draw further attention to environmental chemicals that may dysregulate human lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa B Rokoff
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, ME, USA.
| | - Jordyn T Wallenborn
- Center of Excellence in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria H Harris
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Criswell
- Skowhegan Family Medicine, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan, ME, USA
| | - Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jessica G Young
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Abby F Fleisch
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, ME, USA; Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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5
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Friedman C, Dabelea D, Keil AP, Adgate JL, Glueck DH, Calafat AM, Starling AP. Maternal serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e260. [PMID: 37545807 PMCID: PMC10402953 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may affect breastfeeding duration. We examined associations between maternal PFAS concentrations during pregnancy and breastfeeding cessation. We investigated potential effect modification by parity status. Methods Among 555 women enrolled in the Healthy Start study (2009-2014), we quantified maternal serum concentrations of 5 PFAS during mid- to late-pregnancy (mean 27 weeks of gestation). Participants self-reported their breastfeeding practices through 18-24 months postnatally. Among all participants and stratified by parity, we estimated associations between maternal PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding discontinuation by 3 and 6 months, using Poisson regression, and breastfeeding duration, using Cox regression. Results Median PFAS concentrations were similar to those in the general US population. Associations between PFAS and breastfeeding duration differed by parity status. After adjusting for covariates, among primiparous women, associations between PFAS and breastfeeding cessation by 3 and 6 months were generally null, with some inverse associations. Among multiparous women, there were positive associations between perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorononanoate and breastfeeding cessation by 3 and 6 months. For example, per ln-ng/mL increase in PFOA, the risk ratio for breastfeeding discontinuation by 6 months was 1.45 (95% confidence interval, 1.18, 1.78). Hazard ratios reflected similar patterns between PFAS and breastfeeding duration. Conclusions Among primiparous women, we did not find evidence for associations between PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding duration. In contrast, among multiparous women, PFAS serum concentrations were generally inversely associated with breastfeeding duration, though estimates may be biased due to confounding by unmeasured previous breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Friedman
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Alexander P. Keil
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - John L. Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Deborah H. Glueck
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anne P. Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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6
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Timmermann A, Avenbuan ON, Romano ME, Braun JM, Tolstrup JS, Vandenberg LN, Fenton SE. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Breastfeeding as a Vulnerable Function: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies. TOXICS 2023; 11:325. [PMID: 37112552 PMCID: PMC10145877 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11040325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Milk formation in the breast during breastfeeding is a complex hormonally regulated process, potentially sensitive to the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures. The environmental chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known endocrine disruptors. PFAS exposure have been associated with insufficient mammary gland development in mice and reduced breastfeeding duration in humans. The aim of this review was to gather the epidemiological evidence on the association between PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration. Using PubMed and Embase, we performed a systematic literature search (on 23 January 2023) to identify epidemiological studies examining the association between maternal PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration. Animal studies, reviews, and non-English studies were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of exposures tool. Estimates describing the association between PFAS exposure and the duration of breastfeeding were identified, and the data were synthesized separately for each type of PFAS and for the duration of exclusive and total breastfeeding. Six studies with between 336 and 2374 participants each were identified. PFAS exposure was assessed in serum samples (five studies) or based on residential address (one study). Five out of six studies found shorter total duration of breastfeeding with higher PFAS exposure. The most consistent associations were seen for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The finding of a potential causal association between PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration is in agreement with findings from experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalie Timmermann
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oyemwenosa N. Avenbuan
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27 599-7325, USA
| | - Megan E. Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03 755, USA
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02 903, USA
| | - Janne S. Tolstrup
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 1455 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura N. Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01 003, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27 709, USA
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7
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Hannan FM, Elajnaf T, Vandenberg LN, Kennedy SH, Thakker RV. Hormonal regulation of mammary gland development and lactation. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023; 19:46-61. [PMID: 36192506 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-022-00742-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Lactation is critical to infant short-term and long-term health and protects mothers from breast cancer, ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mammary gland is a dynamic organ, regulated by the coordinated actions of reproductive and metabolic hormones. These hormones promote gland development from puberty onwards and induce the formation of a branched, epithelial, milk-secreting organ by the end of pregnancy. Progesterone withdrawal following placental delivery initiates lactation, which is maintained by increased pituitary secretion of prolactin and oxytocin, and stimulated by infant suckling. After weaning, local cytokine production and decreased prolactin secretion trigger large-scale mammary cell loss, leading to gland involution. Here, we review advances in the molecular endocrinology of mammary gland development and milk synthesis. We discuss the hormonal functions of the mammary gland, including parathyroid hormone-related peptide secretion that stimulates maternal calcium mobilization for milk synthesis. We also consider the hormonal composition of human milk and its associated effects on infant health and development. Finally, we highlight endocrine and metabolic diseases that cause lactation insufficiency, for example, monogenic disorders of prolactin and prolactin receptor mutations, maternal obesity and diabetes mellitus, interventions during labour and delivery, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer products and other oestrogenic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadil M Hannan
- Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation, Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Taha Elajnaf
- Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation, Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Stephen H Kennedy
- Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation, Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rajesh V Thakker
- Academic Endocrine Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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8
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Matouskova K, Szabo GK, Daum J, Fenton SE, Christiansen S, Soto AM, Kay JE, Cardona B, Vandenberg LN. Best practices to quantify the impact of reproductive toxicants on development, function, and diseases of the rodent mammary gland. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 112:51-67. [PMID: 35764275 PMCID: PMC9491517 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.06.011] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Work from numerous fields of study suggests that exposures to hormonally active chemicals during sensitive windows of development can alter mammary gland development, function, and disease risk. Stronger links between many environmental pollutants and disruptions to breast health continue to be documented in human populations, and there remain concerns that the methods utilized to identify, characterize, and prioritize these chemicals for risk assessment and risk management purposes are insufficient. There are also concerns that effects on the mammary gland have been largely ignored by regulatory agencies. Here, we provide technical guidance that is intended to enhance collection and evaluation of the mammary gland in mice and rats. We review several features of studies that should be controlled to properly evaluate the mammary gland, and then describe methods to appropriately collect the mammary gland from rodents. Furthermore, we discuss methods for preparing whole mounted mammary glands and numerous approaches that are available for the analysis of these samples. Finally, we conclude with several examples where analysis of the mammary gland revealed effects of environmental toxicants at low doses. Our work argues that the rodent mammary gland should be considered in chemical safety, hazard and risk assessments. It also suggests that improved measures of mammary gland outcomes, such as those we present in this review, should be included in the standardized methods evaluated by regulatory agencies such as the test guidelines used for identifying reproductive and developmental toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Matouskova
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Gillian K Szabo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Daum
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Suzanne E Fenton
- Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Sofie Christiansen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby DK 2800, Denmark
| | - Ana M Soto
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
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9
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Ducatman A, LaPier J, Fuoco R, DeWitt JC. Official health communications are failing PFAS-contaminated communities. Environ Health 2022; 21:51. [PMID: 35538533 PMCID: PMC9092686 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00857-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental health agencies are critical sources of information for communities affected by chemical contamination. Impacted residents and their healthcare providers often turn to federal and state agency webpages, fact sheets, and other documents to weigh exposure risks and interventions. MAIN BODY This commentary briefly reviews scientific evidence concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for health outcomes that concern members of affected communities and that have compelling or substantial yet differing degree of scientific evidence. It then features official documents in their own language to illustrate communication gaps, as well as divergence from scientific evidence and from best health communication practice. We found official health communications mostly do not distinguish between the needs of heavily contaminated communities characterized by high body burdens and the larger population with ubiquitous but substantially smaller exposures. Most health communications do not distinguish levels of evidence for health outcomes and overemphasize uncertainty, dismissing legitimate reasons for concern in affected communities. Critically, few emphasize helpful approaches to interventions. We also provide examples that can be templates for improvement. CONCLUSIONS Immediate action should be undertaken to review and improve official health communications intended to inform the public and health providers about the risks of PFAS exposure and guide community and medical decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Ducatman
- School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
| | - Jonas LaPier
- Green Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Jamie C DeWitt
- Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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10
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Nielsen C, Li Y, Lewandowski M, Fletcher T, Jakobsson K. Breastfeeding initiation and duration after high exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances through contaminated drinking water: A cohort study from Ronneby, Sweden. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112206. [PMID: 34653413 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The drinking water in parts of Ronneby was heavily contaminated with perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for decades. Although PFAS has endocrine-disrupting properties and may interfere with breastfeeding, the effects in populations with a point source of high exposure are unknown. OBJECTIVES To investigate associations between high PFAS exposure and 1) initiation and 2) duration of breastfeeding. METHODS We retrieved data on infant feeding practices for 2374 children born between 1999 and 2009 from Child Health Care centers in Ronneby and a reference municipality. Residential address before delivery was used as a proxy for exposure, and confounders were obtained from charts and registers. We used modified Poisson regressions to estimate the relative risks (RR) of not initiating breastfeeding, not breastfeeding exclusively after 3 months, and not breastfeeding at all at 6 months. We also estimated hazard ratios (HR) of cessation of exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months and any breastfeeding before 12 months. RESULTS Mothers who had received contaminated water seemed to have a higher risk of not initiating breastfeeding (RR = 2.4; 95% CI: 0.8, 6.7). Primiparous mothers from the exposed area were at a 1.2 times increased risk (95% CI: 0.9, 1.6) of not exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months and a 1.6 times increased risk (95% CI: 1.2, 2.1) of not breastfeeding at 6 months. The results were confirmed by the Cox regressions, which further showed that the HR for cessation of any breastfeeding was time dependent and higher in early lactation, thereafter decreasing as lactation progressed. We observed no overall associations in multiparous mothers. DISCUSSION Exposure to high levels of PFAS seemed to be associated with increased risks of not initiating breastfeeding and shorter breastfeeding duration in primiparous mothers. The findings imply that the ability of first-time mothers to establish breastfeeding is a sensitive outcome after high exposure to PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christel Nielsen
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ying Li
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Lewandowski
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tony Fletcher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden; Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
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11
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Wilde VK. Neonatal Jaundice and Autism: Precautionary Principle Invocation Overdue. Cureus 2022; 14:e22512. [PMID: 35228983 PMCID: PMC8873319 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.22512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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12
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Criswell R, Romano ME. Unpacking the Relationship Between Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Placental Hormones in Lactation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e1312-e1314. [PMID: 34562075 PMCID: PMC8852160 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
- Correspondence: Megan E. Romano, Department of Epidemiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, Hinman Box 7927, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
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13
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Timmermann CAG, Andersen MS, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Boye H, Nielsen F, Jensen RC, Bruun S, Husby S, Grandjean P, Jensen TK. Pregnancy Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Associations With Prolactin Concentrations and Breastfeeding in the Odense Child Cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e631-e642. [PMID: 34529060 PMCID: PMC8764222 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with reduced duration of breastfeeding, although not consistently so, and mechanisms by which PFAS might affect breastfeeding are unknown. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between early pregnancy serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination and to elucidate the potential role of serum-prolactin concentrations in pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pregnant women from the Odense Child Cohort provided blood samples for analysis of 5 major PFAS (n = 1300) and prolactin concentrations (n = 924). They subsequently provided information about the duration of breastfeeding in questionnaires at 3 and 18 months postpartum, and a subgroup also provided breastfeeding information via weekly cell phone text messages. Associations between serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination were analyzed using Cox regressions, while linear regression was used to assess associations between serum-PFAS and prolactin concentrations. RESULTS Increased serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and ∑PFAS were associated with a 16% (95% CI: 4%-30%), 14% (95% CI: 2%-26%), 14% (95% CI: 3%-27%), and 20% (95% CI: 6%-36%), respectively, increased risk of terminating breastfeeding at any given time after childbirth. Serum-PFAS concentrations were not associated with serum-prolactin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS These findings are of public health importance due to the global exposures to PFAS. Because breastfeeding is crucial to promote both child health and maternal health, adverse PFAS effects on the ability to breastfeed may have long-term health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann, MSc, PhD, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | | | - Henriette Boye
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Richard Christian Jensen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Signe Bruun
- Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Strategic Business Unit Pediatric, Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S, Viby J, Denmark
| | - Steffen Husby
- Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Research Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Open Patient data Exploratory Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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14
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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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15
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Chemical Effects on Breast Development, Function, and Cancer Risk: Existing Knowledge and New Opportunities. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:535-562. [PMID: 35984634 PMCID: PMC9729163 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00376-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Population studies show worrisome trends towards earlier breast development, difficulty in breastfeeding, and increasing rates of breast cancer in young women. Multiple epidemiological studies have linked these outcomes with chemical exposures, and experimental studies have shown that many of these chemicals generate similar effects in rodents, often by disrupting hormonal regulation. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can alter the progression of mammary gland (MG) development, impair the ability to nourish offspring via lactation, increase mammary tissue density, and increase the propensity to develop cancer. However, current toxicological approaches to measuring the effects of chemical exposures on the MG are often inadequate to detect these effects, impairing our ability to identify exposures harmful to the breast and limiting opportunities for prevention. This paper describes key adverse outcomes for the MG, including impaired lactation, altered pubertal development, altered morphology (such as increased mammographic density), and cancer. It also summarizes evidence from humans and rodent models for exposures associated with these effects. We also review current toxicological practices for evaluating MG effects, highlight limitations of current methods, summarize debates related to how effects are interpreted in risk assessment, and make recommendations to strengthen assessment approaches. Increasing the rigor of MG assessment would improve our ability to identify chemicals of concern, regulate those chemicals based on their effects, and prevent exposures and associated adverse health effects.
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16
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Kupsco A, Lee JJ, Prada D, Valvi D, Hu L, Petersen MS, Coull BA, Weihe P, Grandjean P, Baccarelli AA. Marine pollutant exposures and human milk extracellular vesicle-microRNAs in a mother-infant cohort from the Faroe Islands. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106986. [PMID: 34991248 PMCID: PMC8742869 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Early life exposures to marine contaminants can adversely impact child health but modes of action are unclear. Human milk contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can transport biologically relevant cargo from mother to infant, including microRNAs (miRNAs), and may partly mediate the effects of pollutants on child health. However, the role of marine pollutants on miRNA expression in milk EVs is unexplored. METHODS We isolated EV RNA from 333 milk samples collected between 2 and 74 days postpartum from a Faroese birth cohort born 1997-2000 and sequenced 2083 miRNAs using a targeted library preparation method. We quantified five perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticide metabolite p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and the sum of three major polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCBs) in maternal serum at 34 weeks of gestation and maternal hair total mercury (Hg) at birth. We used negative binomial regressions to estimate associations between individual pollutants and 418 reliably expressed EV-miRNAs adjusted for potential confounders. We performed sparse principal components (PCs) analysis to derive the first four components of the EV-miRNA data and examined associations between pollutants and PCs using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). RESULTS We observed no associations between pollutants and individual EV-miRNA expression after controlling the false discovery rate at 0.1. However, BKMR suggested that Hg was positively associated with PC1 and negatively associated with PC3, while ΣPCBs was negatively associated with PC3, and two PFAS were associated with PC4. Exploration of PC loadings followed by pathway analyses suggested that miRNAs in PC1 (miR-200b-3p, miR-664a-3p, miR-6738-5p, miR-429, miR-1236-5p, miR-4464, and miR-30b-5p) may be related to Hg neurotoxicity, while remaining PCs require further research. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that groups of milk EV-miRNAs may better serve as environmental biomarkers than individual miRNAs. Future studies are needed to elucidate the role of milk EV-miRNAs in child health following prenatal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Kupsco
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10023, United States.
| | - Jenny Jyoung Lee
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Diddier Prada
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10023, United States; Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, San Fernando 22, Colonia Seccion XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Lisa Hu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10023, United States
| | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of The Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pal Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of The Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10023, United States
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17
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Jacobson MH, Ghassabian A, Gore AC, Trasande L. Exposure to environmental chemicals and perinatal psychopathology. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 195:114835. [PMID: 34774531 PMCID: PMC8712457 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Women are nearly twice as likely to develop mood disorders compared with men, and incidence is greatest during reproductive transitions, including pregnancy and postpartum. Because these periods are characterized by dramatic hormonal and physiologic changes, there is heightened susceptibility to external factors, such as exposure to environmental toxicants, which may play a role in maternal psychopathology. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of studies conducted in humans and animal models on the effects of nonoccupational exposure to environmental chemicals on maternal psychopathology during the perinatal period. The largest number of studies examined exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and antenatal depression and showed consistently positive findings, although more prospective studies using biomarkers for exposure assessment are needed. The few studies examining persistent organic pollutants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers and perinatal depression were consistent in showing associations with increased depressive symptoms. Results were mixed for exposure to heavy metals and non-persistent chemicals, but a strong literature in animal models supported an association between bisphenols and phthalates and reduced maternal behavior and care of pups after parturition. Biological mechanisms may include endocrine disruption, neurotransmitter system impairment, alterations in gene expression, and immune activation and inflammation. Additional longitudinal studies that include biospecimen collection are essential to furthering the understanding of how environmental toxicants during pregnancy may affect perinatal psychopathology and the underlying mechanisms of action. Future work should also leverage the parallels between animal and human maternal behavior, thereby highlighting the opportunity for multidisciplinary work in this avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie H Jacobson
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- 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
| | - Andrea C Gore
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, 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 School of Public Service, New York, NY, USA; New York University College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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18
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Cope HA, Blake BE, Love C, McCord J, Elmore SA, Harvey JB, Chappell VA, Fenton SE. Latent, sex-specific metabolic health effects in CD-1 mouse offspring exposed to PFOA or HFPO-DA (GenX) during gestation. EMERGING CONTAMINANTS 2021; 7:219-235. [PMID: 35097227 PMCID: PMC8794304 DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an environmental contaminant associated with adverse metabolic outcomes in developmentally exposed human populations and mouse models. Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly called GenX) has replaced PFOA in many industrial applications in the U.S. and Europe and has been measured in global water systems from <1 to 9350 ng/L HFPO-DA. Health effects data for GenX are lacking. OBJECTIVE Determine the effects of gestational exposure to GenX on offspring weight gain trajectory, adult metabolic health, liver pathology and key adipose gene pathways in male and female CD-1 mice. METHODS Daily oral doses of GenX (0.2, 1.0, 2.0 mg/kg), PFOA (0.1, 1.0 mg/kg), or vehicle control were administered to pregnant mice (gestation days 1.5-17.5). Offspring were fed a high- or low-fat diet (HFD or LFD) at weaning until necropsy at 6 or 18 weeks, and metabolic endpoints were measured over time. PFOA and GenX serum and urine concentrations, weight gain, serum lipid parameters, body mass composition, glucose tolerance, white adipose tissue gene expression, and liver histopathology were evaluated. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to GenX led to its accumulation in the serum and urine of 5-day old pups (P = 0.007, P < 0.001), which was undetectable by weaning. By 18 weeks of age, male mice fed LFD in the 2.0 mg/kg GenX group displayed increased weight gain (P < 0.05), fat mass (P = 0.016), hepatocellular microvesicular fatty change (P = 0.015), and insulin sensitivity (P = 0.014) in comparison to control males fed LFD. Female mice fed HFD had a significant increase in hepatocyte single cell necrosis in 1.0 mg/kg GenX group (P = 0.022) and 1.0 mg/kg PFOA group (P = 0.003) compared to control HFD females. Both sexes were affected by gestational GenX exposure; however, the observed phenotype varied between sex with males displaying more characteristics of metabolic disease and females exhibiting liver damage in response to the gestational exposure. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal exposure to 1 mg/kg GenX and 1 mg/kg PFOA induces adverse metabolic outcomes in adult mice that are diet- and sex-dependent. GenX also accumulated in pup serum, suggesting that placental and potentially lactational transfer are important exposure routes for GenX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harlie A. Cope
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Bevin E. Blake
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Charlotte Love
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - James McCord
- Multimedia Methods Branch, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Susan A. Elmore
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch, DNTP, NIEHS, NIH, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Janice B. Harvey
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch, DNTP, NIEHS, NIH, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Vesna A. Chappell
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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19
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Hagstrom AL, Anastas P, Boissevain A, Borrel A, Deziel NC, Fenton SE, Fields C, Fortner JD, Franceschi-Hofmann N, Frigon R, Jin L, Kim JH, Kleinstreuer NC, Koelmel J, Lei Y, Liew Z, Ma X, Mathieu L, Nason SL, Organtini K, Oulhote Y, Pociu S, Godri Pollitt KJ, Saiers J, Thompson DC, Toal B, Weiner EJ, Whirledge S, Zhang Y, Vasiliou V. Yale School of Public Health Symposium: An overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:146192. [PMID: 33714836 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
On December 13, 2019, the Yale School of Public Health hosted a symposium titled "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Challenges and Opportunities" in New Haven, Connecticut. The meeting focused on the current state of the science on these chemicals, highlighted the challenges unique to PFAS, and explored promising opportunities for addressing them. It brought together participants from Yale University, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Connecticut, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Connecticut Departments of Public Health and Energy and Environmental Protection, and the public and private sectors. Presentations during the symposium centered around several primary themes. The first reviewed the current state of the science on the health effects associated with PFAS exposure and noted key areas that warranted future research. As research in this field relies on specialized laboratory analyses, the second theme considered commercially available methods for PFAS analysis as well as several emerging analytical approaches that support health studies and facilitate the investigation of a broader range of PFAS. Since mitigation of PFAS exposure requires prevention and cleanup of contamination, the third theme highlighted new nanotechnology-enabled PFAS remediation technologies and explored the potential of green chemistry to develop safer alternatives to PFAS. The fourth theme covered collaborative efforts to assess the vulnerability of in-state private wells and small public water supplies to PFAS contamination by adjacent landfills, and the fifth focused on strategies that promote successful community engagement. This symposium supported a unique interdisciplinary coalition established during the development of Connecticut's PFAS Action Plan, and discussions occurring throughout the symposium revealed opportunities for collaborations among Connecticut scientists, state and local officials, and community advocates. In doing so, it bolstered the State of Connecticut's efforts to implement the ambitious initiatives that its PFAS Action Plan recommends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Hagstrom
- Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, Rocky Hill, CT, USA
| | - Paul Anastas
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrea Boissevain
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Stratford Health Department, Stratford, CT, USA
| | - Alexandre Borrel
- NIH/NIEHS/DIR Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Suzanne E Fenton
- NIH/NIEHS Division of the National Toxicology Program, NTP Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Cheryl Fields
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - John D Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Raymond Frigon
- Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Lan Jin
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jae-Hong Kim
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole C Kleinstreuer
- NIH/NIEHS/DIR Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; NIH/NIEHS Division of the National Toxicology Program, NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy Koelmel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yu Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiuqi Ma
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lori Mathieu
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Sara L Nason
- Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Youssef Oulhote
- School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Shannon Pociu
- Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David C Thompson
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brian Toal
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Eric J Weiner
- Clean Water Task Force at Windsor Climate Action, Windsor, CT, USA
| | - Shannon Whirledge
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yawei Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
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20
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Valvi D, Højlund K, Coull BA, Nielsen F, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Life-course Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Markers of Glucose Homeostasis in Early Adulthood. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:2495-2504. [PMID: 33890111 PMCID: PMC8277200 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the prospective associations of life-course perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposure with glucose homeostasis at adulthood. METHODS We calculated insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function indices based on 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests at age 28 in 699 Faroese born in 1986-1987. Five major PFASs were measured in cord whole blood and in serum from ages 7, 14, 22, and 28 years. We evaluated the associations with glucose homeostasis measures by PFAS exposures at different ages using multiple informant models fitting generalized estimating equations and by life-course PFAS exposures using structural equation models. RESULTS Associations were stronger for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and suggested decreased insulin sensitivity and increased beta-cell function-for example, β (95% CI) for log-insulinogenic index per PFOS doubling = 0.12 (0.02, 0.22) for prenatal exposures, 0.04 (-0.10, 0.19) at age 7, 0.07 (-0.07, 0.21) at age 14, 0.05 (-0.04, 0.15) at age 22, and 0.04 (-0.03, 0.11) at age 28. Associations were consistent across ages (P for age interaction > 0.10 for all PFASs) and sex (P for sex interaction > 0.10 for all PFASs, except perfluorodecanoic acid). The overall life-course PFOS exposure was also associated with altered glucose homeostasis (P = 0.04). Associations for other life-course PFAS exposures were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS Life-course PFAS exposure is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity and increased pancreatic beta-cell function in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Correspondence: Damaskini Valvi, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Kurt Højlund
- Steno Diabetes Center Odense, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pal Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- Centre of Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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21
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Vandenberg LN. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and the mammary gland. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:237-277. [PMID: 34452688 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Development of the mammary gland requires coordination of hormone signaling pathways including those mediated by estrogen, progesterone, androgen and prolactin receptors. These hormones play important roles at several distinct stages of life including embryonic/fetal development, puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and old age. This also makes the gland sensitive to perturbations from environmental agents including endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Although there is evidence from human populations of associations between EDCs and disruptions to breast development and lactation, these studies are often complicated by the timing of exposure assessments and the latency to develop breast diseases (e.g., years to decades). Rodents have been instrumental in providing insights-not only to the basic biology and endocrinology of the mammary gland, but to the effects of EDCs on this tissue at different stages of development. Studies, mostly but not exclusively, of estrogenic EDCs have shown that the mammary gland is a sensitive tissue, that exposures during perinatal development can produce abnormal mammary structures (e.g., alveolar buds, typically seen in pregnant females) in adulthood; that exposures during pregnancy can alter milk production; and that EDC exposures can enhance the response of the mammary tissue to hormones and chemical carcinogens. Other studies of persistent organic pollutants have shown that EDC exposures during critical windows of development can delay development of the gland, with lifelong consequences for the individual. Collectively, this work continues to support the conclusion that EDCs can harm the mammary gland, with effects that depend on the period of exposure and the period of evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States.
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22
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Christensen JVR, Bangash KK, Weihe P, Grandjean P, Nielsen F, Jensen TK, Petersen MS. Maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl chemicals and anogenital distance in the offspring: A Faroese cohort study. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 104:52-57. [PMID: 34182087 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has in some studies been associated with reduced anogenital distance (AGD) in newborns as a sensitive indicator of prenatal anti-androgenic exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal PFAS exposure and offspring AGD in a population with wide ranges of PFAS exposures. Participants were recruited in the Faroe Islands in 2007-2009, and information on AGD and PFAS exposure was obtained from 463 mother-infant pairs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured in maternal serum. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for birth weight, child age at examination, parity, and maternal education level. Among boys, higher maternal serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA were significantly associated with a longer AGD, both with the exposure entered as a continuous variable and as quartiles. Boys in the highest quartile of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA exposure had an increase in AGD of 1.2 mm (95 % CI 0.1;2.2), 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.3), 1.0 mm (95 % CI 0.0:2.0) and 1.3 mm (95 % CI 0.3;2.4), respectively, when compared to boys in the lowest quartile of exposure (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between male AGD and PFHxS. No association was found for girls. In conclusion, elevated maternal exposure to major PFASs was significantly associated with a longer AGD in boys. No significant associations were found among girls, thus suggesting a sex-dimorphic effect of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Khushal Khan Bangash
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroes Hospital System, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Phillippe Grandjean
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroes Hospital System, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of the Faroe Islands, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
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23
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Mogus JP, LaPlante CD, Bansal R, Matouskova K, Schneider BR, Daniele E, Silva SJ, Hagen MJ, Dunphy KA, Jerry DJ, Schneider SS, Vandenberg LN. Exposure to Propylparaben During Pregnancy and Lactation Induces Long-Term Alterations to the Mammary Gland in Mice. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6170911. [PMID: 33724348 PMCID: PMC8121128 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland is a hormone sensitive organ that is susceptible to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during the vulnerable periods of parous reorganization (ie, pregnancy, lactation, and involution). Pregnancy is believed to have long-term protective effects against breast cancer development; however, it is unknown if EDCs can alter this effect. We examined the long-term effects of propylparaben, a common preservative used in personal care products and foods, with estrogenic properties, on the parous mouse mammary gland. Pregnant BALB/c mice were treated with 0, 20, 100, or 10 000 µg/kg/day propylparaben throughout pregnancy and lactation. Unexposed nulliparous females were also evaluated. Five weeks post-involution, mammary glands were collected and assessed for changes in histomorphology, hormone receptor expression, immune cell number, and gene expression. For several parameters of mammary gland morphology, propylparaben reduced the effects of parity. Propylparaben also increased proliferation, but not stem cell number, and induced modest alterations to expression of ERα-mediated genes. Finally, propylparaben altered the effect of parity on the number of several immune cell types in the mammary gland. These results suggest that propylparaben, at levels relevant to human exposure, can interfere with the effects of parity on the mouse mammary gland and induce long-term alterations to mammary gland structure. Future studies should address if propylparaben exposures negate the protective effects of pregnancy on mammary cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Mogus
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Charlotte D LaPlante
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ruby Bansal
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Klara Matouskova
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Benjamin R Schneider
- Biospecimen Resource and Molecular Analysis Facility, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199, USA
| | - Elizabeth Daniele
- Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Shannon J Silva
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Mary J Hagen
- Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Karen A Dunphy
- Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - D Joseph Jerry
- Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
- Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute, Springfield, MA 01199, USA
| | - Sallie S Schneider
- Biospecimen Resource and Molecular Analysis Facility, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199, USA
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
- Correspondence: Laura N. Vandenberg, PhD, University of Massachusetts—Amherst, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 171C Goessmann, 686 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003 USA.
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24
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Fenton SE, Ducatman A, Boobis A, DeWitt JC, Lau C, Ng C, Smith JS, Roberts SM. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Toxicity and Human Health Review: Current State of Knowledge and Strategies for Informing Future Research. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:606-630. [PMID: 33017053 PMCID: PMC7906952 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 604] [Impact Index Per Article: 201.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Reports of environmental and human health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have greatly increased in the peer-reviewed literature. The goals of the present review are to assess the state of the science regarding toxicological effects of PFAS and to develop strategies for advancing knowledge on the health effects of this large family of chemicals. Currently, much of the toxicity data available for PFAS are for a handful of chemicals, primarily legacy PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate. Epidemiological studies have revealed associations between exposure to specific PFAS and a variety of health effects, including altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, lipid and insulin dysregulation, kidney disease, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes, and cancer. Concordance with experimental animal data exists for many of these effects. However, information on modes of action and adverse outcome pathways must be expanded, and profound differences in PFAS toxicokinetic properties must be considered in understanding differences in responses between the sexes and among species and life stages. With many health effects noted for a relatively few example compounds and hundreds of other PFAS in commerce lacking toxicity data, more contemporary and high-throughput approaches such as read-across, molecular dynamics, and protein modeling are proposed to accelerate the development of toxicity information on emerging and legacy PFAS, individually and as mixtures. In addition, an appropriate degree of precaution, given what is already known from the PFAS examples noted, may be needed to protect human health. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:606-630. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alan Ducatman
- West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Alan Boobis
- Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christopher Lau
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Carla Ng
- Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James S. Smith
- Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
| | - Stephen M. Roberts
- Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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25
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Boyles AL, Beverly BE, Fenton SE, Jackson CL, Jukic AMZ, Sutherland VL, Baird DD, Collman GW, Dixon D, Ferguson KK, Hall JE, Martin EM, Schug TT, White AJ, Chandler KJ. Environmental Factors Involved in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2021; 30:245-252. [PMID: 33211615 PMCID: PMC7891208 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nongenetic, environmental factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality through chemical exposures via air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Pregnancy represents a particularly sensitive window of susceptibility during which physiological changes to every major organ system increase sensitivity to chemicals that can impact a woman's long-term health. Nonchemical stressors, such as low socioeconomic status, may exacerbate the effects of chemical exposures on maternal health. Racial/ethnic minorities are exposed disproportionately to both chemicals and nonchemical stressors, which likely contribute to the observed health disparities for maternal morbidities and mortality. Epidemiological studies linking exposures to adverse maternal health outcomes underscore the importance of environmental health impacts, and mechanistic studies in model systems reveal how chemicals perturb biological pathways and processes. Environmental stressors are associated with a variety of immediate maternal health impacts, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fibroids, and infertility, as well as long-term maternal health impacts, such as higher risk of breast cancer and metabolic disorders. Identifying and reducing a pregnant woman's environmental exposures is not only beneficial to her offspring but also important to preserve her short- and long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abee L. Boyles
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandiese E. Beverly
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chandra L. Jackson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Intramural Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne Marie Z. Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vicki L. Sutherland
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W. Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darlene Dixon
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly K. Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E. Hall
- Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Martin
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Training Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thaddeus T. Schug
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly J. Chandler
- Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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26
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Criswell R, Crawford KA, Bucinca H, Romano ME. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and breastfeeding duration: a review. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2020; 27:388-395. [PMID: 33027070 PMCID: PMC7968861 DOI: 10.1097/med.0000000000000577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to describe epidemiologic and toxicological literature investigating how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) affect mammary gland development and function, thereby impacting lactation duration. RECENT FINDINGS Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances appear to reduce breastfeeding duration through impaired mammary gland development, lactogenesis, and suppressed endocrine signaling. Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons have differing associations with lactation duration, likely because of the variety of signaling pathways that they affect, pointing to the importance of complex mixtures in epidemiologic studies. Although epidemiologic literature suggests that pesticides and fungicides decrease or have no effect on lactation duration, toxicology literature suggests enhanced mammary gland development through estrogenic and/or antiandrogenic pathways. Toxicological studies suggest that phthalates may affect mammary gland development via estrogenic pathways but no association with lactation duration has been observed. Bisphenol A was associated with decreased duration of breastfeeding, likely through direct and indirect action on estrogenic pathways. SUMMARY EDCs play a role in mammary gland development, function, and lactogenesis, which can affect breastfeeding duration. Further research should explore direct mechanisms of EDCs on lactation, the significance of toxicant mixtures, and transgenerational effects of EDCs on lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn A. Crawford
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH
- Environmental Studies Program, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
| | - Hana Bucinca
- Research and Quality Improvement Program, Action for Mothers and Children, Prishtina, Kosovo
- Department of Pharmacy, Rezonanca College of Medical Sciences, Prishtina, Kosovo
| | - Megan E. Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH
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27
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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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28
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Timmermann CAG, Jensen KJ, Nielsen F, Budtz-Jørgensen E, van der Klis F, Benn CS, Grandjean P, Fisker AB. Serum Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Vaccine Responses, and Morbidity in a Cohort of Guinea-Bissau Children. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:87002. [PMID: 32772733 PMCID: PMC7416537 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of widely used persistent chemicals with suspected immunotoxic effects. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to examine the association between infant PFAS exposure and antibody responses to measles vaccination as well as morbidity in a low-income country. METHODS In a randomized controlled trial, children from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, were followed from inclusion (4-7 months of age) through 2 years of age. Half the children received two measles vaccinations (at inclusion and at 9 months of age), and the other half received only one (at 9 months of age). In a subset of 237 children, six PFAS were quantified in serum at inclusion, and measles antibody concentrations were assessed at inclusion and at approximately 9 months and 2 years of age. At inclusion and at the 9-month visit, mothers were interviewed about infant morbidity. RESULTS All but one child had detectable serum concentrations of all six PFAS, although levels were lower than seen elsewhere. A doubling in perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were associated with 21% (95% CI: 2, 37%) and 25% (95% CI: 1, 43%), respectively, lower measles antibody concentrations at the 9-month visit among the children who had received a measles vaccine at inclusion. Elevated serum PFAS concentrations were also associated with reduced prevaccination measles antibody concentrations and increased morbidity. DISCUSSION The present study documents that PFAS exposure has reached West Africa and that infants show PFAS-associated increases in morbidity and decreases in measles-specific antibody concentrations before and after vaccination. These findings support the evidence on PFAS immunotoxicity at comparatively low serum concentrations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6517.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristoffer Jarlov Jensen
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Research Unit of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Fiona van der Klis
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Christine Stabell Benn
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Open Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Research Unit of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ane Bærent Fisker
- Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Open Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark/Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Bandim Health Project, Indepth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
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Timmermann CAG, Pedersen HS, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Bjerregaard P, Oulhote Y, Weihe P, Nielsen F, Grandjean P. Environmental chemical exposures among Greenlandic children in relation to diet and residence. Int J Circumpolar Health 2020; 78:1642090. [PMID: 31339476 PMCID: PMC6711189 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2019.1642090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify geographic, dietary, and other predictors for childhood exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury in Greenlandic children. The study includes cross-sectional data from 367 Greenlandic children aged 7 to 12 years examined during 2012-2015. A parent or guardian participated in a structured interview, and a blood sample from the child was analysed for PFASs, PCBs and total mercury. Predictors for the environmental exposures were identified using linear regression. Area of residence was found to have the strongest explanatory power, accounting for 24% to 68% of the variance in the serum concentrations. Information about diet was available for two-thirds of the children, and among these, consumption of traditional Greenlandic food accounted for 2% to 10% of the variance in the biomarker concentrations. Models including all predictors associated with at least one of the environmental chemicals explained 19% to 54% of the total variance. In conclusion, area is a likely proxy for a traditional marine diet, and together area and diet constitute the most important predictors of exposure to methylmercury, PCBs and PFASs among Greenlandic children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henning Sloth Pedersen
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.,b Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland , Nuuk , Greenland
| | | | - Peter Bjerregaard
- b Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland , Nuuk , Greenland.,d National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark , Copenhagen K , Denmark
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- e Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Pál Weihe
- f Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands.,g Center of Health Science, University of The Faroe Islands , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- a Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.,e Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
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Anderko L, Pennea E, Chalupka S. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: An Emerging Contaminant of Concern. ANNUAL REVIEW OF NURSING RESEARCH 2019; 38:159-182. [PMID: 32102961 DOI: 10.1891/0739-6686.38.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Concerns about the health impacts from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to grow as the science continues to emerge associating this chemical family with a wide range of health impacts. PFAS exposure may affect growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children, and also impact reproductive health, cardiovascular health, and the immune system. PFAS exposure is widespread, with communities surrounding military bases at potentially greater risk of exposure from the use of fire fighting foam that may have entered the drinking water. As trusted health professionals, nurses have been in the frontlines communicating risks regarding PFAS to impacted communities. This chapter describes a large number of PFAS studies in blood and harmful health effects in people. The chapter discusses primary sources of exposure and risk reduction. It explains health advisory levels, minimal risk levels. The chapter provides medical testing and medical management.
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Beck IH, Timmermann CAG, Nielsen F, Schoeters G, Jøhnk C, Kyhl HB, Høst A, Jensen TK. Association between prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and asthma in 5-year-old children in the Odense Child Cohort. Environ Health 2019; 18:97. [PMID: 31730470 PMCID: PMC6858758 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0541-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asthma is the most common non-communicable disease in children. Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a group of persistent environmental chemicals with endocrine disrupting abilities, has been associated with immunomodulation and may contribute to the aetiology of asthma. We investigated the associations between prenatal exposure to five PFASs and asthma in 5-year-old children. METHODS We studied 981 mother-child pairs within the Odense Child Cohort (OCC), Denmark. We measured perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) in maternal serum donated in early pregnancy. A standardized questionnaire based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was used to assess wheeze, self-reported asthma and doctor-diagnosed asthma among children at age 5 years. Associations were examined using logistic regression analyses adjusting for parity, maternal educational level, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, asthma predisposition and child sex. RESULTS Among the 5-year-old children 18.6% reported wheeze and 7.1% reported asthma. We found no association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and doctor-diagnosed asthma or wheeze. Prenatal PFAS exposure was associated with self-reported asthma, although only significant for PFNA (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.03,3.23). CONCLUSION Our findings support the suggested immunomodulatory effects of PFASs, however, additional studies are warranted. In order to verify our findings, it is important to re-examine the children with postnatal measurements of serum PFAS concentrations and additional clinical diagnostic testing at an older age where an asthma diagnosis is more valid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iben Have Beck
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Greet Schoeters
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Camilla Jøhnk
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Henriette Boye Kyhl
- Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense, Denmark
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Arne Høst
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
- Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense, Denmark.
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
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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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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.reprotox.2016.07.010')">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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Budtz-Jørgensen E, Grandjean P. Application of benchmark analysis for mixed contaminant exposures: Mutual adjustment of perfluoroalkylate substances associated with immunotoxicity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205388. [PMID: 30339706 PMCID: PMC6195268 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developmental exposure to perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) is associated with deficient IgG antibody responses to childhood vaccines. As this immunotoxicity outcome may represent a critical effect, calculation of benchmark dose (BMD) results would be useful for defining protective limits of exposure. However, exposures to the major PFASs that are associated with this adverse effect are interrelated, and mutually adjusted BMD results would be desirable. METHODS We carried out BMD calculations on prospective data from two prospective birth cohort studies from the Faroe Islands with a total of 1,146 children. Exposure data included serum concentrations of five major PFASs at birth and at age 5 years and, as outcome parameters, the serum concentrations of specific IgG antibodies against tetanus and diphtheria at ages 5 and 7. We calculated the BMDs and their lower confidence bounds (BMDLs) and included mutual adjustment for five major PFASs. BMD and BMDL were expressed in terms of the serum concentration of the PFASs. RESULTS The BMDLs for the immunotoxicants were of similar magnitude before and after adjustment. As compared to linear dose-response models, the PFASs showed lower results for a piecewise linear model, which also provided a slightly better fit. Weaker associations with the antibody outcomes were observed after adjustments due to the correlation between the PFASs. However, while the adjustments resulted in elevated BMD results and p values, the BMDL values were not materially changed. CONCLUSIONS Adjustment for co-exposure to a related immunotoxicant increased both the BMD values and their standard errors, though affected the BMDL values only to a negligible extent. Thus, when correlated toxicants appear to affect the same outcome and none of them is known a priori to be solely responsible, all exposures may be considered responsible in BMD calculations. Our BMDL results, both before and after adjustment are generally below current exposure levels and therefore suggest that all five perfluorinated substances should attract regulatory attention, at least until additional evidence shows otherwise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esben Budtz-Jørgensen
- Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Singer AB, Whitworth KW, Haug LS, Sabaredzovic A, Impinen A, Papadopoulou E, Longnecker MP. Menstrual cycle characteristics as determinants of plasma concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort (MoBa study). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 166:78-85. [PMID: 29879567 PMCID: PMC6174531 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are fluorinated organic compounds that have been used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications. Menstruation is implicated as a possible route of elimination for PFASs in women. The overall purpose of this study was to examine menstrual cycle characteristics as determinants of plasma PFAS concentrations in women. METHODS Our study sample consisted of 1977 pregnant women from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort (MoBa) study. The women were asked about menstrual cycle regularity in the year before the pregnancy and typical menstrual cycle length as well as other demographic and reproductive characteristics in a questionnaire completed during the pregnancy. Blood samples were collected around 17-18 weeks gestation and PFAS concentrations were measured in plasma. We examined the association between menstrual cycle characteristics and seven PFASs (perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)) using multiple linear regression, adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, smoking, education, income, parity, oral contraceptive use, inter-pregnancy interval, and breastfeeding duration. RESULTS Irregular cycles were not associated with PFAS concentrations. Overall, we found no evidence of associations between menstrual cycle length and PFAS concentrations. In subgroup analyses we found some evidence, among parous women, of decreased PFHpS and PFOS with short menstrual cycles; we also found, among recent OC users (in the 12 months before the questionnaire) increased PFNA and PFUnDA with long cycle length. Limitations of our study include misclassification of menstrual cycle characteristics, small sample sizes in the sub-group analyses, and a lack of information on duration and volume of menses. CONCLUSIONS In the entire study sample, we found little evidence of menstrual cycle characteristics as determinants of PFAS concentrations. However, we observed some associations between cycle length and PFAS concentrations with some select PFAS compounds in subgroup analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison B Singer
- The Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Kristina W Whitworth
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Line S Haug
- Department of Environmental Exposures and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Azemira Sabaredzovic
- Department of Environmental Exposures and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Antti Impinen
- Department of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eleni Papadopoulou
- Department of Environmental Exposures and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matthew P Longnecker
- National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, NC, USA
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Maternal Plasma Concentrations of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Breastfeeding Duration in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort. Environ Epidemiol 2018; 2. [PMID: 30298140 PMCID: PMC6173485 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been widely produced, many of them persist in the environment, and have been associated with various health effects. Previous studies have identified inverse associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and breastfeeding duration, but have been limited in investigation of other PFASs. Methods: We measured the associations between plasma concentrations of nine different PFASs and cessation of breastfeeding before 3 and 6 complete months using women from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). The study population includes 1716 primarily nulliparous women from two previous studies of MoBa participants, enrolled from 2003 to 2007. The association was measured using Cox proportional hazards model. Mixtures analyses were performed using Elastic net regularization to identify interactive effects and control for copollutant confounding. Results: Concentrations of PFASs in this population were lower than concentrations in the previous studies on this topic. We found associations between increasing concentrations of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), and decreased breastfeeding cessation (increased duration). The strongest associations were seen between PFDA and PFUnDA and cessation before 3 months: (both hazard ratios = 0.73; 95% confidence intervals = 0.62, 0.86). In our population, the other PFASs appeared to be unassociated with breastfeeding cessation. The mixtures analyses identified meaningful interactions between PFUnDA:PFDA, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS):PFOA, and PFOA:PFOS. Conclusions: The identification of associations between previously unexamined PFASs concentrations and increased breastfeeding duration is novel and may be explained by differences in transplacental transfer rates.
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Hu XC, Dassuncao C, Zhang X, Grandjean P, Weihe P, Webster GM, Nielsen F, Sunderland EM. Can profiles of poly- and Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human serum provide information on major exposure sources? Environ Health 2018; 17:11. [PMID: 29391068 PMCID: PMC5796515 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0355-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans are exposed to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from diverse sources and this has been associated with negative health impacts. Advances in analytical methods have enabled routine detection of more than 15 PFASs in human sera, allowing better profiling of PFAS exposures. The composition of PFASs in human sera reflects the complexity of exposure sources but source identification can be confounded by differences in toxicokinetics affecting uptake, distribution, and elimination. Common PFASs, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and their precursors are ubiquitous in multiple exposure sources. However, their composition varies among sources, which may impact associated adverse health effects. METHODS We use available PFAS concentrations from several demographic groups in a North Atlantic seafood consuming population (Faroe Islands) to explore whether chemical fingerprints in human sera provide insights into predominant exposure sources. We compare serum PFAS profiles from Faroese individuals to other North American populations to investigate commonalities in potential exposure sources. We compare individuals with similar demographic and physiological characteristics and samples from the same years to reduce confounding by toxicokinetic differences and changing environmental releases. RESULTS Using principal components analysis (PCA) confirmed by hierarchical clustering, we assess variability in serum PFAS concentrations across three Faroese groups. The first principal component (PC)/cluster consists of C9-C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) and is consistent with measured PFAS profiles in consumed seafood. The second PC/cluster includes perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and the PFOS precursor N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetate (N-EtFOSAA), which are directly used or metabolized from fluorochemicals in consumer products such as carpet and food packaging. We find that the same compounds are associated with the same exposure sources in two North American populations, suggesting generalizability of results from the Faroese population. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that PFAS homologue profiles in serum provide valuable information on major exposure sources. It is essential to compare samples collected at similar time periods and to correct for demographic groups that are highly affected by differences in physiological processes (e.g., pregnancy). Information on PFAS homologue profiles is crucial for attributing adverse health effects to the proper mixtures or individual PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindi C. Hu
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215 USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 128 Pierce Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Clifton Dassuncao
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215 USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 128 Pierce Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Xianming Zhang
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 128 Pierce Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215 USA
- University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Pál Weihe
- The Faroese Hospital System, FR-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | | | | | - Elsie M. Sunderland
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215 USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 128 Pierce Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
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Timmermann CAG, Choi AL, Petersen MS, Nielsen F, Budtz-Jørgensen E, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Secondary sex ratio in relation to exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene and methylmercury. Int J Circumpolar Health 2017; 76:1406234. [PMID: 29195489 PMCID: PMC5717715 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2017.1406234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was undertaken to assess the potential impact of maternal exposures to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) and methylmercury on the secondary sex ratios (the ratio of male to female live births) over a span of 23 years. The study includes prospective data from three Faroese birth cohorts, with a total of 2,152 healthy mother–child dyads recruited between 1986 and 2009. The Faroe Islands is a subarctic fishing community, where pilot whale meat and blubber are part of the traditional marine diet. Exposures were measured in maternal hair, serum or umbilical cord blood. Confounder adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between maternal exposures and the secondary sex ratio. A doubling in ΣPCB, p,p’-DDE and mercury concentrations were associated with increased odds by 8% (95% CI = 0–16%), 7% (95% CI = 0–14%) and 9% (95% CI = 2–17%), respectively, of giving birth to a boy. In conclusion, maternal exposure to ΣPCB, DDE and methylmercury was associated with a slightly increased secondary sex ratio. The impact of paternal exposures could not be taken into account and deserves attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna L Choi
- b Department of Environmental Health , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.,c Department of Health Research and Policy , Stanford University , Stanford , CA , USA
| | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- d Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health , The Faroese Hospital System , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands.,e Faculty of Health Sciences, Center of Health Science , University of The Faroe Islands , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- a Department of Environmental Medicine , University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark
| | | | - Pál Weihe
- d Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health , The Faroese Hospital System , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands.,e Faculty of Health Sciences, Center of Health Science , University of The Faroe Islands , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- a Department of Environmental Medicine , University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.,b Department of Environmental Health , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
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LaPlante CD, Catanese MC, Bansal R, Vandenberg LN. Bisphenol S Alters the Lactating Mammary Gland and Nursing Behaviors in Mice Exposed During Pregnancy and Lactation. Endocrinology 2017; 158:3448-3461. [PMID: 28977596 PMCID: PMC5659700 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
High doses of estrogenic pharmaceuticals were once prescribed to women to halt lactation. Yet, the effects of low-level xenoestrogens on lactation remain poorly studied. We investigated the effects of bisphenol S (BPS), an estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, on the lactating mammary gland; the arcuate nucleus, a region of the hypothalamus important for neuroendocrine control of lactational behaviors; and nursing behavior in CD-1 mice. Female mice were exposed to vehicle, 2 or 200 µg BPS/kg/d from pregnancy day 9 until lactational day (LD) 20, and tissues were collected on LD21. Tissues were also collected from a second group at LD2. BPS exposure significantly reduced the fraction of the mammary gland comprised of lobules, the milk-producing units, on LD21, but not LD2. BPS also altered expression of Esr1 and ERα in the mammary gland at LD21, consistent with early involution. In the arcuate nucleus, no changes were observed in expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5, a marker of prolactin signaling, or ERα, suggesting that BPS may act directly on the mammary gland. However, observations of nursing behavior collected during the lactational period revealed stage-specific effects on both pup and maternal nursing behaviors; BPS-treated dams spent significantly more time nursing later in the lactational period, and BPS-treated pups were less likely to initiate nursing. Pup growth and development were also stunted. These data indicate that low doses of BPS can alter lactational behaviors and the maternal mammary gland. Together, they support the hypothesis that pregnancy and lactation are sensitive to low-dose xenoestrogen exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte D. LaPlante
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Mary C. Catanese
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Ruby Bansal
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Laura N. Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
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Xiao X, Ulrich BA, Chen B, Higgins CP. Sorption of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Relevant to Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF)-Impacted Groundwater by Biochars and Activated Carbon. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:6342-6351. [PMID: 28582977 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing concerns about human exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), other poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) derived from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) have garnered little attention. While these other PFASs may also be present in AFFF-impacted drinking water, their removal by conventional drinking-water treatment is poorly understood. This study compared the removal of 30 PFASs, including 13 recently discovered PFASs, from an AFFF-impacted drinking water using carbonaceous sorbents (i.e., granular activated carbon, GAC). The approach combined laboratory batch experiments and modeling: batch sorption data were used to determine partition coefficients (Kd) and calibrate a transport model based on intraparticle diffusion-limited sorption kinetics, which was used to make forward predictions of PFAS breakthrough during GAC adsorption. While strong retention was predicted for PFOS and PFOA, nearly all of the recently discovered polyfluorinated chemicals and PFOS-like PFASs detected in the AFFF-impacted drinking water were predicted to break through GAC systems before both PFOS and PFOA. These model breakthrough results were used to evaluate a simplified approach to predicting PFAS removal by GAC using compound-specific retention times on a C18 column (RTC18). Overall, this study reveals that GAC systems for the treatment of AFFF-impacted sources of water for PFOA and PFOS likely achieve poor removal, when operated only for the treatment of PFOS and PFOA, of many unmonitored PFASs of unknown toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xiao
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control , Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bridget A Ulrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Baoliang Chen
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control , Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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Mother’s Milk and the Environment: Might Chemical Exposures Impair Lactation? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017. [PMCID: PMC5226708 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.125-a17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
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Dalsager L, Christensen N, Husby S, Kyhl H, Nielsen F, Høst A, Grandjean P, Jensen TK. Association between prenatal exposure to perfluorinated compounds and symptoms of infections at age 1-4years among 359 children in the Odense Child Cohort. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 96:58-64. [PMID: 27608427 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) are persistent industrial chemicals that have resulted in global environmental exposures. Previous epidemiological studies have reported possible effects on the immune system after developmental PFAS exposure, but the possible impact on childhood infectious disease is unclear. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and symptoms of infections at age 1-4years. METHODS The Odense Child Cohort is an on-going prospective study on children's health, where serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were measured in 649 pregnant women before gestational week 16. Of these women, 359 reported on symptoms of infection in their child every two weeks for a one-year period. The association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and the symptoms was estimated using a logistic regression model and a negative binomial regression model. For the latter, the outcome was reported as an incidence rate-ratio (IRR), and all models were adjusted for maternal age, educational level, parity and child age. RESULTS On average, the children experienced symptoms of infection 23% of the time during one year. PFOS exposure in the high tertile compared to the low tertile was associated with a statistically significant increased proportion of days with fever (IRR: 1.65 (95% CI: 1.24, 2.18), P-trend<0.001) and an increased odds of experiencing days with fever above the median (OR: 2.35 (95% CI: 1.31, 4.11). The latter tendency was also apparent for PFOA (OR: 1.97 (95% CI: 1.07, 3.62). Further, higher concentrations of PFOS and PFOA tended to increase the number of episodes of co-occurrence of fever and coughing and fever and nasal discharge during the one-year study period. CONCLUSION We found a positive association between prenatal exposure to PFOS and PFOA and the prevalence of fever, which may be a sensitive marker of infection. This finding is in agreement with an immunotoxic effect of prenatal exposure to PFAS. The wider implications for childhood infectious disease deserve attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Dalsager
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, J.B. Winsløwsvej 17A, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Nikolas Christensen
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Steffen Husby
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Henriette Kyhl
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Odense Patient data Exploratory Network (OPEN), Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, J.B. Winsløwsvej 17A, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Arne Høst
- Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, J.B. Winsløwsvej 17A, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, J.B. Winsløwsvej 17A, 5000 Odense, Denmark; Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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