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Rengelshausen J, Randerath I, Schettgen T, Esser A, Kaifie A, Lang J, Kraus T, Ziegler P. Ten years after: findings from the medical surveillance program on Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to PCB (HELPcB). Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2609-2623. [PMID: 37594590 PMCID: PMC10474999 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03578-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
After the detection of high environmental and occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a German recycling company for transformers and capacitors in 2010, the multidisciplinary medical surveillance program "HELPcB" (Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to PCB) was established for former PCB-exposed workers of the company, their family members, employees of surrounding companies, and area residents to investigate potential adverse health effects by PCB exposure in a longitudinal study approach with up to seven examination time points between 2010 and 2019. More than 300 individuals were enrolled into the program. Assessments particularly included plasma and urine concentrations of PCB congeners and their metabolites, clinical laboratory parameters, Comet assay, analysis of telomere length, neuropsychological examinations, psychological screening, abdominal and thyroid ultrasound examination. This review summarizes the main results of the studies conducted in the HELPcB program yielding relevant new data on potential adverse effects of PCB exposure in humans and potential mechanisms that underlie these effects. Even larger studies in PCB-exposed individuals are warranted to confirm the results of this program and to further establish causality between PCB exposure and clinical effects in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Rengelshausen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Isabella Randerath
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andre Esser
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Kaifie
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jessica Lang
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Patrick Ziegler
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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Jansen A, Lyche JL, Polder A, Aaseth J, Skaug MA. Increased blood levels of persistent organic pollutants (POP) in obese individuals after weight loss-A review. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2017; 20:22-37. [PMID: 28051929 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2016.1246391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POP) are stored in adipose tissue. Following rapid weight loss such as when induced by bariatric surgery, an increased release of potential harmful lipophilic compounds into the blood circulation may occur. Weight reduction is recommended for overweight and obese individuals in order to decrease risk of weight-related health problems. However, in cases of significant weight reduction POP become mobilized chemicals and consequently may adversely affect health, including endocrine disruption. The objective of the present investigation was to estimate quantitatively the level of mobilization of POP following weight loss over time. According to literature search criteria, 17 studies were identified with 2061 participants. Data from 5 of the studies with 270 participants were used to assess the change in blood levels of POP in percent per kilogram weight loss. Weight loss in the included studies varied from 4.4 to 64.8 kg. In all studies, the majority of POP concentrations in blood were found to rise following weight reduction. Blood concentrations following weight reduction were elevated by 2-4% per kilogram weight loss for most POP examined. The increased POP levels were still elevated 12 mo after intervention. Most research in this field, including animal studies, is carried out on a single compound or group of selected compounds, not taking the "cocktail effect" into consideration. This does not reflect the true range of POP to which humans are actually exposed. Few chronic investigations have been published and, in particular, few studies were available that compared the increase in POP concentrations with clinical consequences as individuals lost weight. These limitations call for caution in interpreting results. The benefits of losing weight still far outweigh the potential adverse health risks. However, further studies are recommended to determine the clinical significance of increased blood levels of POPs following rapid and excessive weight loss, particularly for women attending weight reduction treatment before pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina Jansen
- a Center for Morbid Obesity , Department of Surgery, Innlandet Hospital Trust , Gjøvik , Norway
- b Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology , Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) , Campus Adamstuen, Oslo , Norway
| | - Jan L Lyche
- b Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology , Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) , Campus Adamstuen, Oslo , Norway
| | - Anuschka Polder
- b Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology , Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) , Campus Adamstuen, Oslo , Norway
| | - Jan Aaseth
- c Innlandet Hospital Trust , Kongsvinger Hospital Division , Kongsvinger , Norway
- d Faculty of Public Health , Hedmark University of Applied Sciences , Elverum , Norway
| | - Marit Aralt Skaug
- d Faculty of Public Health , Hedmark University of Applied Sciences , Elverum , Norway
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Adeogun AO, Chukwuka AV, Okoli CP, Arukwe A. Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in the muscle of Clarias gariepinus and sediment from inland rivers of southwestern Nigeria and estimated potential human health consequences. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2016; 79:969-983. [PMID: 27558803 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2016.1209141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The distributions of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were determined in sediment and muscle of the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) from the Ogun and Ona rivers, southwest Nigeria. In addition, the effect of PCB congeners on condition factor (CF) and associated human health risk was assessed using muscle levels for a noncarcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) calculation. Elevated concentrations of high-molecular-weight (HMW) PCB congeners were detected in sediment and fish downstream of discharge points of both rivers. A significant reduction in fish body weight and CF was observed to correlate with high PCB congener concentrations in the Ona River. A principal component (PC) biplot revealed significant site-related PCB congener distribution patterns for HMW PCB in samples from the Ogun River (71.3%), while the Ona River (42.6%) showed significant PCB congener patterns for low-molecular-weight (LMW) congeners. Biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) was higher downstream for both rivers, presenting PCB congener-specific accumulation patterns in the Ona River. Significant decreases in fish body weight, length and CF were observed downstream compared to upstream in the Ona River. The non-carcinogenic HQ of dioxin-like congener 189 downstream in both rivers exceeded the HQ = 1 threshold for children and adults for both the Ogun and Ona rivers. Overall, our results suggest that industrial discharges contribute significantly to PCB inputs into these rivers, with potential for significant health implications for neighboring communities that utilize these rivers for fishing and other domestic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina O Adeogun
- a Department of Zoology , University of Ibadan , Ibadan , Nigeria
| | | | | | - Augustine Arukwe
- c Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim , Norway
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Haase H, Fahlenkamp A, Schettgen T, Esser A, Gube M, Ziegler P, Kraus T, Rink L. Immunotoxicity Monitoring in a Population Exposed to Polychlorinated Biphenyls. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13030295. [PMID: 27005643 PMCID: PMC4808958 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13030295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) burden and several indicators of immune function was investigated as part of the HELPcB (Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to PCB) program, offering bio-monitoring to workers, relatives, and neighbors exposed to PCBs by a German transformers and capacitors recycling company. The present retrospective observational study evaluates the correlation of plasma levels of total PCBs, five indicator congeners (28, 101, 138, 153, 180), and seven dioxin-like congeners (105, 114, 118, 156, 157, 167, 189) with several parameters of immune function. The cross-sectional study was performed immediately after the end of exposure (258 subjects), and one (218 subjects), and two (177 subjects) years later. At the first time point, measurements showed significant positive correlation between congeners with low to medium chlorination and the relative proportion of CD19 positive B-cells among lymphocytes, as well as a negative correlation of PCB114 with serum IgM, and of PCB 28 with suppressor T-cell and NK-cell numbers. Congeners with a high degree of chlorination, in particular PCB157 and 189, were positively associated with expression of the activation marker CD25 on T-cells in the cohort of the second time point. No associations between PCB levels and IFN-y production by T-cells and killing by NK-cells were found. In conclusion, there were several effects on the cellular composition of adaptive immunity, affecting both T- and B-cells. However, the values were not generally outside the reference ranges for healthy adult individuals and did not indicate overt functional immunodeficiency, even in subjects with the uppermost PCB burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajo Haase
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Immunology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
- Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Berlin Institute of Technology, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, Berlin D-13355, Germany.
| | - Astrid Fahlenkamp
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Andre Esser
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Monika Gube
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Patrick Ziegler
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
| | - Lothar Rink
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Immunology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen D-52074, Germany.
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