Potential biomarkers for monitoring the toxicity of long-term exposure to atrazine in rat by metabonomic analysis

Impact of pesticide exposure on adipose tissue development and function

Obesity is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and health care expenditure whose incidence is rapidly rising across the globe. Although the cause of the obesity epidemic is typically viewed as a product of an increased availability of high calorie foods and/or a reduction in physical activity, there is mounting evidence that exposure to synthetic chemicals in our environment may play an important role. Pesticides, are a class of chemicals whose widespread use has coincided with the global rise of obesity over the past two decades. Importantly, given their lipophilic nature many pesticides have been shown to accumulate with adipose tissue depots, suggesting they may be disrupting the function of white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) and beige adipose tissue to promote obesity and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. In this review, we discuss epidemiological evidence linking pesticide exposure with body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of diabetes. We then review preclinical studies in rodent models which have directly evaluated the effects of different classes of insecticides and herbicides on obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Lastly, we review studies conducted in adipose tissue cells lines and the purported mechanisms by which pesticides may induce alterations in adipose tissue function. The review of the literature reveals major gaps in our knowledge regarding human exposure to pesticides and our understanding of whether physiologically relevant concentrations promote obesity and elicit alterations in key signaling pathways vital for maintaining adipose tissue metabolism.

Mechanisms of Environmental Contributions to Fatty Liver Disease

PURPOSE

Fatty liver disease (FLD) affects over 25% of the global population and may lead to liver-related mortality due to cirrhosis and liver cancer. FLD caused by occupational and environmental chemical exposures is termed "toxicant-associated steatohepatitis" (TASH). The current review addresses the scientific progress made in the mechanistic understanding of TASH since its initial description in 2010.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently discovered modes of actions for volatile organic compounds and persistent organic pollutants include the following: (i) the endocrine-, metabolism-, and signaling-disrupting chemical hypotheses; (ii) chemical-nutrient interactions and the "two-hit" hypothesis. These key hypotheses were then reviewed in the context of the steatosis adverse outcome pathway (AOP) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The conceptual understanding of the contribution of environmental exposures to FLD has progressed significantly. However, because this is a new research area, more studies including mechanistic human data are required to address current knowledge gaps.