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Montano L, Pironti C, Pinto G, Ricciardi M, Buono A, Brogna C, Venier M, Piscopo M, Amoresano A, Motta O. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in the Environment: Occupational and Exposure Events, Effects on Human Health and Fertility. TOXICS 2022; 10:365. [PMID: 35878270 PMCID: PMC9323099 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade or so, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) garnered renewed attention in the scientific community due to new evidence pointing at their continued presence in the environment and workplaces and the potential human risks related to their presence. PCBs move from the environment to humans through different routes; the dominant pathway is the ingestion of contaminated foods (fish, seafood and dairy products), followed by inhalation (both indoor and outdoor air), and, to a lesser extent, dust ingestion and dermal contact. Numerous studies reported the environmental and occupational exposure to these pollutants, deriving from building materials (flame-retardants, plasticizers, paints, caulking compounds, sealants, fluorescent light ballasts, etc.) and electrical equipment. The highest PCBs contaminations were detected in e-waste recycling sites, suggesting the need for the implementation of remediation strategies of such polluted areas to safeguard the health of workers and local populations. Furthermore, a significant correlation between PCB exposure and increased blood PCB concentrations was observed in people working in PCB-contaminated workplaces. Several epidemiological studies suggest that environmental and occupational exposure to high concentrations of PCBs is associated with different health outcomes, such as neuropsychological and neurobehavioral deficits, dementia, immune system dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In addition, recent studies indicate that PCBs bioaccumulation can reduce fertility, with harmful effects on the reproductive system that can be passed to offspring. In the near future, further studies are needed to assess the real effects of PCBs exposure at low concentrations for prolonged exposure in workplaces and specific indoor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Montano
- Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (Eco-FoodFertility Project), S. Francesco di Assisi Hospital, Oliveto Citra, 84020 Salerno, Italy;
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Pironti
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (C.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Gabriella Pinto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (A.A.)
- INBB—Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Consorzio Interuniversitario, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Ricciardi
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (C.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Amalia Buono
- Research Laboratory Gentile, S.a.s., 80054 Gragnano, Italy;
| | - Carlo Brogna
- Craniomed Laboratory Group Srl, Viale degli Astronauti 45, 83038 Montemiletto, Italy;
| | - Marta Venier
- O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA;
| | - Marina Piscopo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (A.A.)
- INBB—Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Consorzio Interuniversitario, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Oriana Motta
- Department of Medicine Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (C.P.); (M.R.)
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Vuong AM, Yolton K, Braun JM, Sjodin A, Calafat AM, Xu Y, Dietrich KN, Lanphear BP, Chen A. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposures during pregnancy and maternal depression. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 139:105694. [PMID: 32259757 PMCID: PMC7275897 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental studies in rodents suggest that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may contribute to depressive symptoms. Few studies have examined the impact of these chemicals on depression in adults. OBJECTIVE To examine the associations between serum PBDE and PFAS concentrations during pregnancy and repeated measures of depressive symptoms in women assessed from pregnancy to 8 years postpartum. METHODS This study was based on 377 women from the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study, a birth cohort in Cincinnati, OH (USA). PBDEs (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, and ∑PBDEs) and PFAS (perfluorooctanoate [PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS], perfluorohexane sulfonate [PFHxS], perfluorononanoate [PFNA]) were quantified in maternal serum at 16 ± 3 weeks gestation. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at ~20 weeks gestation and up to seven times during postpartum visits (4 weeks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 years). We used linear mixed models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between chemical concentrations and repeated measures of BDI-II. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the relative risk ratios of having a medium or high depression trajectory. RESULTS We found that a 10-fold increase in BDE-28 at 16 ± 3 weeks gestation was associated with significantly increased BDI-II scores (β = 2.5 points, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8, 4.2) from pregnancy to 8 years postpartum. Significant positive associations were also observed with BDE-47, -100, -153, and ∑PBDEs. A 10-fold increase in ∑PBDEs was associated with a 4.6-fold increased risk (95% CI 1.8, 11.8) of a high trajectory for BDI-II compared to a low trajectory. We observed no significant associations between PFAS and BDI-II scores. CONCLUSION PBDEs during pregnancy were associated with more depressive symptoms among women in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Vuong
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Public Health, 4700 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 335, MS 3063, Las Vegas, NV 89119-3063, USA; Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 7035, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main St, Box G-S121-2, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Andreas Sjodin
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Yingying Xu
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 7035, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Kim N Dietrich
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Aimin Chen
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Blockley Hall 231, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Frederiksen M, Andersen HV, Haug LS, Thomsen C, Broadwell SL, Egsmose EL, Kolarik B, Gunnarsen L, Knudsen LE. PCB in serum and hand wipes from exposed residents living in contaminated high-rise apartment buildings and a reference group. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020; 224:113430. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.113430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Pessah IN, Lein PJ, Seegal RF, Sagiv SK. Neurotoxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls and related organohalogens. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 138:363-387. [PMID: 30976975 PMCID: PMC6708608 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-01978-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated organic compounds are pervasive in natural and built environments. Despite restrictions on the production of many of these compounds in most parts of the world through the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), many "legacy" compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are routinely detected in human tissues where they continue to pose significant health risks to highly exposed and susceptible populations. A major concern is developmental neurotoxicity, although impacts on neurodegenerative outcomes have also been noted. Here, we review human studies of prenatal and adult exposures to PCBs and describe the state of knowledge regarding outcomes across domains related to cognition (e.g., IQ, language, memory, learning), attention, behavioral regulation and executive function, and social behavior, including traits related to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We also review current understanding of molecular mechanisms underpinning these associations, with a focus on dopaminergic neurotransmission, thyroid hormone disruption, calcium dyshomeostasis, and oxidative stress. Finally, we briefly consider contemporary sources of organohalogens that may pose human health risks via mechanisms of neurotoxicity common to those ascribed to PCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac N Pessah
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 VM3B, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 VM3B, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Richard F Seegal
- Professor Emeritus, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Gaum PM, Gube M, Schettgen T, Putschögl FM, Kraus T, Fimm B, Lang J. Polychlorinated biphenyls and depression: cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of a dopamine-related Neurochemical path in the German HELPcB surveillance program. Environ Health 2017. [PMID: 29017568 DOI: 10.1186/sl2940-017-0316-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is associated with depressive symptomatology. A cause of depressive symptoms is a disturbance in the neurotransmitter system of dopamine (DA). Animal as well as human studies report that PCBs can influence the DA system. This study examined whether PCB-related depressive symptoms are affected by DA metabolites in humans with high PCB body burden. METHODS This study is part of the German HELPcB surveillance program (Health Effects in high Level exposure to PCB) for occupationally exposed workers and their relatives. Data was collected from 178 participants on two measurement time points (t1 and t2) with a one-year time lag in between the two time points. PCBs were analyzed in plasma via human biomonitoring and a validated questionnaire was used to identify existence and severity of depressive symptoms. As a surrogate for DA, we measured its metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) in urine. Mediation analyses were performed to test whether the association between PCB exposure and severity of depressive symptoms is mediated by urinary concentration of DA metabolites HVA and VMA. The mediation was tested with the SPSS macro MEDIATE. RESULTS We found a significant mediation over time for lower-chlorinated, higher-chlorinated and dioxin-like PCBs. The positive association between PCB exposure with severity of depressive symptoms was mediated by the main DA metabolite HVA. At t1 a higher exposure with PCBs was associated with lower concentration in urinary HVA. A reduced HVA concentration at t1 was correlated with increased depressive symptoms severity at t2. No meditations were found for VMA. CONCLUSIONS This work indicates that the association of PCB exposure and an increase of depressive symptoms after one year is mediated by the DA metabolite HVA as a surrogate for DA. These are first steps towards finding an explanation for an underlying neurochemical pathomechanism of PCB-related depressive symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Maria Gaum
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Monika Gube
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Health Office of the city and area of Aachen, Trierer Straße 1, 52070, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Franziska Maria Putschögl
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, J 5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Bruno Fimm
- Clinic for Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jessica Lang
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Gaum PM, Gube M, Schettgen T, Putschögl FM, Kraus T, Fimm B, Lang J. Polychlorinated biphenyls and depression: cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of a dopamine-related Neurochemical path in the German HELPcB surveillance program. Environ Health 2017; 16:106. [PMID: 29017568 PMCID: PMC5635510 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0316-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is associated with depressive symptomatology. A cause of depressive symptoms is a disturbance in the neurotransmitter system of dopamine (DA). Animal as well as human studies report that PCBs can influence the DA system. This study examined whether PCB-related depressive symptoms are affected by DA metabolites in humans with high PCB body burden. METHODS This study is part of the German HELPcB surveillance program (Health Effects in high Level exposure to PCB) for occupationally exposed workers and their relatives. Data was collected from 178 participants on two measurement time points (t1 and t2) with a one-year time lag in between the two time points. PCBs were analyzed in plasma via human biomonitoring and a validated questionnaire was used to identify existence and severity of depressive symptoms. As a surrogate for DA, we measured its metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) in urine. Mediation analyses were performed to test whether the association between PCB exposure and severity of depressive symptoms is mediated by urinary concentration of DA metabolites HVA and VMA. The mediation was tested with the SPSS macro MEDIATE. RESULTS We found a significant mediation over time for lower-chlorinated, higher-chlorinated and dioxin-like PCBs. The positive association between PCB exposure with severity of depressive symptoms was mediated by the main DA metabolite HVA. At t1 a higher exposure with PCBs was associated with lower concentration in urinary HVA. A reduced HVA concentration at t1 was correlated with increased depressive symptoms severity at t2. No meditations were found for VMA. CONCLUSIONS This work indicates that the association of PCB exposure and an increase of depressive symptoms after one year is mediated by the DA metabolite HVA as a surrogate for DA. These are first steps towards finding an explanation for an underlying neurochemical pathomechanism of PCB-related depressive symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Maria Gaum
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Monika Gube
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Health Office of the city and area of Aachen, Trierer Straße 1, 52070 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Franziska Maria Putschögl
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Bruno Fimm
- Clinic for Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jessica Lang
- Institute for Occupational Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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Fimm B, Sturm W, Esser A, Schettgen T, Willmes K, Lang J, Gaum PM, Kraus T. Neuropsychological effects of occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls. Neurotoxicology 2017; 63:106-119. [PMID: 28947237 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In the context of a health surveillance program for former PCB-exposed workers of a transformer and capacitor recycling company in Germany, their family members, employees of surrounding companies and area residents a broad range of cognitive functions covering attention, executive processing, reasoning, memory and motor performance was examined. The study aimed at identifying potential adverse effects of PCB load on cognitive functions. Detailed analysis of PCB burden of the participants revealed rather high correlations of lower and higher chlorinated as well as dioxin-like PCBs. Nearly one half of the participants exhibited increased burden in all three PCB classes whereas only 33 out of 237 participants did not show any increased PCB burden. Thus, data analysis followed a two-fold strategy: (1) Based on studies providing data on PCB exposure of the German general population the PCB burden of every participant was classified as normal (percentile rank PR <95) or increased (PR ≥95). Increased burden with respect to lower (LPCBs) and higher chlorinated (HPCBs) as well as dioxin-like (dlPCBs) PCBs was assumed if a participant showed at least one congener surpassing the PR95 criterion for the respective congener class and (2) Overall plasma PCB level per congener class was used as measure of PCB load. In a multivariate approach using structural equation modelling and multiple regression analysis we found a significant impact of PCBs on word fluency and sensorimotor processing irrespective of the measure of PCB burden (PR95 criterion or overall plasma level). However, no effect of PCB burden on memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility could be demonstrated. Particularly, an increase of LPCBs was associated with an overall reduction of verbal fluency of letter and semantic word generation as well as word production based on a single or two alternating criteria. In addition, participants with increased burden of LPCBs exhibited a time-on-task effect in terms of a stronger decline of performance with increasing duration of the verbal fluency task. Moreover, we found adverse effects of HPCBs on Aiming and of dlPCBs on Line Tracking. Results are discussed in terms of (1) a decrease of cerebral dopamine (DA) with non-coplanar PCBs resulting in an impact on fronto-striatal cerebral structures subserving verbal fluency and motor processing, (2) a PCB-induced reduction of norepinephrine leading to the time-on-task effect with verbal fluency, and (3) adverse effects of PCBs on dopaminergic receptors in the cerebellum resulting in impaired fine motor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Fimm
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - W Sturm
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - A Esser
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - T Schettgen
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - K Willmes
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - J Lang
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - P M Gaum
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - T Kraus
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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Quinete N, Esser A, Kraus T, Schettgen T. PCB 28 metabolites elimination kinetics in human plasma on a real case scenario: Study of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl (OH-PCB) metabolites of PCB 28 in a highly exposed German Cohort. Toxicol Lett 2017; 276:100-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2017.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Preciados M, Yoo C, Roy D. Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Influencing NRF1 Regulated Gene Networks in the Development of Complex Human Brain Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E2086. [PMID: 27983596 PMCID: PMC5187886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17122086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of an individual from a single cell to prenatal stages to adolescence to adulthood and through the complete life span, humans are exposed to countless environmental and stochastic factors, including estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals. Brain cells and neural circuits are likely to be influenced by estrogenic endocrine disruptors (EEDs) because they strongly dependent on estrogens. In this review, we discuss both environmental, epidemiological, and experimental evidence on brain health with exposure to oral contraceptives, hormonal therapy, and EEDs such as bisphenol-A (BPA), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, and metalloestrogens, such as, arsenic, cadmium, and manganese. Also we discuss the brain health effects associated from exposure to EEDs including the promotion of neurodegeneration, protection against neurodegeneration, and involvement in various neurological deficits; changes in rearing behavior, locomotion, anxiety, learning difficulties, memory issues, and neuronal abnormalities. The effects of EEDs on the brain are varied during the entire life span and far-reaching with many different mechanisms. To understand endocrine disrupting chemicals mechanisms, we use bioinformatics, molecular, and epidemiologic approaches. Through those approaches, we learn how the effects of EEDs on the brain go beyond known mechanism to disrupt the circulatory and neural estrogen function and estrogen-mediated signaling. Effects on EEDs-modified estrogen and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) signaling genes with exposure to natural estrogen, pharmacological estrogen-ethinyl estradiol, PCBs, phthalates, BPA, and metalloestrogens are presented here. Bioinformatics analysis of gene-EEDs interactions and brain disease associations identified hundreds of genes that were altered by exposure to estrogen, phthalate, PCBs, BPA or metalloestrogens. Many genes modified by EEDs are common targets of both 17 β-estradiol (E2) and NRF1. Some of these genes are involved with brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Brain Neoplasms. For example, the search of enriched pathways showed that top ten E2 interacting genes in AD-APOE, APP, ATP5A1, CALM1, CASP3, GSK3B, IL1B, MAPT, PSEN2 and TNF-underlie the enrichment of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) AD pathway. With AD, the six E2-responsive genes are NRF1 target genes: APBB2, DPYSL2, EIF2S1, ENO1, MAPT, and PAXIP1. These genes are also responsive to the following EEDs: ethinyl estradiol (APBB2, DPYSL2, EIF2S1, ENO1, MAPT, and PAXIP1), BPA (APBB2, EIF2S1, ENO1, MAPT, and PAXIP1), dibutyl phthalate (DPYSL2, EIF2S1, and ENO1), diethylhexyl phthalate (DPYSL2 and MAPT). To validate findings from Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) curated data, we used Bayesian network (BN) analysis on microarray data of AD patients. We observed that both gender and NRF1 were associated with AD. The female NRF1 gene network is completely different from male human AD patients. AD-associated NRF1 target genes-APLP1, APP, GRIN1, GRIN2B, MAPT, PSEN2, PEN2, and IDE-are also regulated by E2. NRF1 regulates targets genes with diverse functions, including cell growth, apoptosis/autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, genomic instability, neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, synaptogenesis, and senescence. By activating or repressing the genes involved in cell proliferation, growth suppression, DNA damage/repair, apoptosis/autophagy, angiogenesis, estrogen signaling, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and senescence, and inducing a wide range of DNA damage, genomic instability and DNA methylation and transcriptional repression, NRF1 may act as a major regulator of EEDs-induced brain health deficits. In summary, estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals-modified genes in brain health deficits are part of both estrogen and NRF1 signaling pathways. Our findings suggest that in addition to estrogen signaling, EEDs influencing NRF1 regulated communities of genes across genomic and epigenomic multiple networks may contribute in the development of complex chronic human brain health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Preciados
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Changwon Yoo
- Department of Biostatistics, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Deodutta Roy
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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Bavithra S, Selvakumar K, Sundareswaran L, Arunakaran J. Neuroprotective Effect of Melatonin Against PCBs Induced Behavioural, Molecular and Histological Changes in Cerebral Cortex of Adult Male Wistar Rats. Neurochem Res 2016; 42:428-438. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-2087-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Yildirim A, Zhang J, Manzetti S, van der Spoel D. Binding of Pollutants to Biomolecules: A Simulation Study. Chem Res Toxicol 2016; 29:1679-1688. [PMID: 27603112 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6b00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A number of cases around the world have been reported where animals were found dead or dying with symptoms resembling a thiamine (vitamin B) deficiency, and for some of these, a link to pollutants has been suggested. Here, we investigate whether biomolecules involved in thiamin binding and transport could be blocked by a range of different pollutants. We used in silico docking of five compound classes (25 compounds in total) to each of five targets (prion protein, ECF-type ABC transporter, thi-box riboswitch receptor, thiamin pyrophosphokinase, and YKoF protein) and subsequently performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to assess the stability of the complexes. The compound classes were thiamin analogues (control), pesticides, veterinary medicines, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins, all of which are prevalent in the environment to some extent. A few anthropogenic compounds were found to bind the ECF-type ABC transporter, but none binds stably to prion protein. For the riboswitch, most compounds remained in their binding pockets during 50 ns of MD simulation, indicating that RNA provides a promiscuous binding site. In both YKoF and thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPK), most compounds remain tightly bound. However, TPK biomolecules undergo pollutant-induced conformational changes. Although most compounds are found to bind to some of these targets, a larger data set is needed along with more quantitative methods like free energy perturbation calculations before firm conclusions can be drawn. This study is in part a test bed for large-scale quantitative computational screening of interactions between biological entities and pollutant molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Yildirim
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Art, Siirt University , 56100 Siirt, Turkey.,Uppsala Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University , Husargatan 3, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jin Zhang
- Uppsala Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University , Husargatan 3, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Sergio Manzetti
- Uppsala Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University , Husargatan 3, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David van der Spoel
- Uppsala Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University , Husargatan 3, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
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Šovčíková E, Wimmerová S, Strémy M, Kotianová J, Loffredo CA, Murínová ĽP, Chovancová J, Čonka K, Lancz K, Trnovec T. Simple reaction time in 8-9-year old children environmentally exposed to PCBs. Neurotoxicology 2015; 51:138-44. [PMID: 26480857 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2015.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Simple reaction time (SRT) has been studied in children exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with variable results. In the current work we examined SRT in 146 boys and 161 girls, aged 8.53 ± 0.65 years (mean ± SD), exposed to PCBs in the environment of eastern Slovakia. We divided the children into tertiles with regard to increasing PCB serum concentration. The mean ± SEM serum concentration of the sum of 15 PCB congeners was 191.15 ± 5.39, 419.23 ± 8.47, and 1315.12 ± 92.57 ng/g lipids in children of the first, second, and third tertiles, respectively. We created probability distribution plots for each child from their multiple trials of the SRT testing. We fitted response time distributions from all valid trials with the ex-Gaussian function, a convolution of a normal and an additional exponential function, providing estimates of three independent parameters μ, σ, and τ. μ is the mean of the normal component, σ is the standard deviation of the normal component, and τ is the mean of the exponential component. Group response time distributions were calculated using the Vincent averaging technique. A Q-Q plot comparing probability distribution of the first vs. third tertile indicated that deviation of the quantiles of the latter tertile from those of the former begins at the 40th percentile and does not show a positive acceleration. This was confirmed in comparison of the ex-Gaussian parameters of these two tertiles adjusted for sex, age, Raven IQ of the child, mother's and father's education, behavior at home and school, and BMI: the results showed that the parameters μ and τ significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased with PCB exposure. Similar increases of the ex-Gaussian parameter τ in children suffering from ADHD have been previously reported and interpreted as intermittent attentional lapses, but were not seen in our cohort. Our study has confirmed that environmental exposure of children to PCBs is associated with prolongation of simple reaction time reflecting impairment of cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Šovčíková
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Soňa Wimmerová
- Institute of Biophysics, Informatics and Biostatistics, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maximilián Strémy
- Research Centre of Progressive Technologies, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Hajdóczyho 1, 91724 Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Janette Kotianová
- Institute of Applied Informatics, Automatization and Mechatronics, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Hajdóczyho 1, 91724 Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Christopher A Loffredo
- Department of Oncology & Department of Biostatistics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | | | - Jana Chovancová
- Department of Toxic Organic Pollutants, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kamil Čonka
- Department of Toxic Organic Pollutants, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kinga Lancz
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Trnovec
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Newman J, Behforooz B, Khuzwayo AG, Gallo MV, Schell LM. PCBs and ADHD in Mohawk adolescents. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2014; 42:25-34. [PMID: 24462617 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2014.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The present study examines the relationship between the levels of persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in adolescents' blood serum and concurrent measures of their ADHD-like behavior derived from ratings provided by parents and teachers. Two measures with demonstrated diagnostic validity, the Conners and ADDES scales, are used. The study was conducted in partnership with the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne where the St. Lawrence River and surrounding waterways have been contaminated with PCBs that have entered the food chain. This study examines a subset of the data derived from the Mohawk Adolescent Well-Being Study (MAWBS), which was designed to investigate psychosocial and health related outcomes of 271 adolescents aged 10 years to 17 years and whose mothers were likely to have consumed PCB-contaminated fish and wild game before and during their pregnancy. No evidence of negative effects of adolescent blood PCB levels on ADHD-like behavior was found, and indeed occasional findings were in the unexpected direction. The possibility of negative confounding by SES and breastfeeding history was examined but dismissed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Newman
- Educational Psychology and Methodology, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA.
| | - Bita Behforooz
- Educational Psychology and Methodology, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Amy G Khuzwayo
- School Psychology, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Mia V Gallo
- Department of Anthropology, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA; Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, 1400 Washington Ave., NY 12222, USA
| | - Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Anthropology, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA; Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, 1400 Washington Ave., NY 12222, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, USA
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Hilgier W, Łazarewicz JW, Strużynska L, Frontczak-Baniewicz M, Albrecht J. Repeated exposure of adult rats to Aroclor 1254 induces neuronal injury and impairs the neurochemical manifestations of the NMDA receptor-mediated intracellular signaling in the hippocampus. Neurotoxicology 2011; 33:16-22. [PMID: 22044768 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2011.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2011] [Revised: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 10/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aroclor 1254 is a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a class of environmental toxins which cause a wide spectrum of neurotoxic effects. Learning and memory deficits are the profound effects of PCBs which may be related to hippocampal dysfunction. To get insight into the underlying neurochemical mechanisms, we employed the microdialysis technique to investigate the effect of repeated exposure of adult male Wistar rats to Aroclor 1254 (10mg/kg b.w., daily, ig., for 14days), on the neurochemical parameters of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic signaling in the hippocampus in vivo assessed using the microdialysis technique. The results demonstrated that exposure to Aroclor 1254, which was associated with substantial neuronal damage and loss in the hippocampus, markedly decreased the NMDA-induced extracellular accumulation of newly loaded (45)CaCl(2), cGMP and glutamate, and reduced the basal content of the NO precursor, arginine, indicating inhibition of the NMDA/NO/cGMP pathway. Aroclor 1254 exposure also decreased the basal microdialysate content of glutamate and glutamine, which may cause inadequate supply of the neurotransmitter glutamate, while the level of two other neuroactive amino acids, aspartate or taurine was not affected by the exposure. The results underscore neuronal lesion and inhibition of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic signaling in hippocampus as a potential major contributor to the cognitive deficits associated with exposure to PCB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Hilgier
- Department of Neurotoxicology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
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Antunes Fernandes EC, Hendriks HS, van Kleef RGDM, Reniers A, Andersson PL, van den Berg M, Westerink RHS. Activation and Potentiation of Human GABAA Receptors by Non-Dioxin–Like PCBs Depends on Chlorination Pattern. Toxicol Sci 2010; 118:183-90. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfq257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Fernandes ECA, Hendriks HS, van Kleef RGDM, van den Berg M, Westerink RHS. Potentiation of the human GABA(A) receptor as a novel mode of action of lower-chlorinated non-dioxin-like PCBs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2010; 44:2864-9. [PMID: 20014829 DOI: 10.1021/es902321a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
PCBs are still ubiquitous pollutants despite the ban on their industrial and commercial use. To date, risk characterization and assessment of non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs), especially with respect to neurotoxicity, is hampered by a lack of data. Therefore, the effects of six common NDL congeners (PCB28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180) on human GABA(A) receptors, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, were investigated using the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. When coapplied with GABA (at EC(20)), PCB28 and PCB52 concentration-dependently potentiate the GABA(A) receptor-mediated ion current. Though the LOEC for both PCB28 and PCB52 is 0.3 microM, PCB28 is more potent than PCB52 (maximum potentiation at 10 muM amounting to 98.3 +/- 12.5% and 25.5 +/- 1.4%, respectively). Importantly, coapplication of PCB28 (0.3 microM) and PCB52 (10 microM) resulted in an apparently additive potentiation of the GABA(A) response, whereas coapplication of PCB28 (0.3 microM) and PCB153 (10 microM) attenuated the PCB28-induced potentiation. The present results suggest that the potentiation of human GABA(A) receptor function is specific for lower-chlorinated NDL-PCBs and that higher molecular weight PCBs may attenuate this potentiation as a result of competitive binding to human GABA(A) receptors. Nonetheless, this novel mode of action could (partly) underlie the previously recognized NDL-PCB-induced neurobehavioral alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa C Antunes Fernandes
- Neurotoxicology Research Group, Toxicology Division, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.177, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Sagiv SK, Thurston SW, Bellinger DC, Tolbert PE, Altshul LM, Korrick SA. Prenatal organochlorine exposure and behaviors associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in school-aged children. Am J Epidemiol 2010; 171:593-601. [PMID: 20106937 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwp427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Organochlorines are environmentally persistent contaminants that readily cross the placenta, posing a potential risk to the developing fetus. Evidence for neurodevelopmental effects at low levels of these compounds is growing, though few studies have focused on behavioral outcomes. The authors investigated the association between prenatal polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) levels and behaviors associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), measured with the Conners' Rating Scale for Teachers (CRS-T), in a cohort of 607 children aged 7-11 years (median age, 8.2 years) born in 1993-1998 to mothers residing near a PCB-contaminated harbor in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The median umbilical cord serum level of the sum of 4 prevalent PCB congeners (118, 138, 153, and 180) was 0.19 ng/g serum (range, 0.01-4.41 ng/g serum). The authors found higher risk for ADHD-like behaviors assessed with the CRS-T at higher levels of PCBs and p,p'-DDE. For example, the authors found higher risk of atypical behavior on the Conners' ADHD Index for the highest quartile of the sum of 4 PCB congeners versus the lowest quartile (risk ratio = 1.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 2.92) and a similar relation for p,p'-DDE. These results support an association between low-level prenatal organochlorine exposure and ADHD-like behaviors in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon K Sagiv
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Carpenter DO, Nevin R. Environmental causes of violence. Physiol Behav 2009; 99:260-8. [PMID: 19758571 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2009] [Revised: 08/18/2009] [Accepted: 09/01/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Violent and anti-social behavior is usually attributed to social factors, including poverty, poor education, and family instability. There is also evidence that many forms of violent behavior are more frequent in individuals of lower IQ. The role of exposure to environmental contaminants has received little attention as a factor predisposing to violent behavior. However a number of environmental exposures are documented to result in a common pattern of neurobehavioral effects, including lowered IQ, shortened attention span, and increased frequency of antisocial behavior. This pattern is best described for children exposed to lead early in life, but a similar pattern is seen upon exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and methyl mercury. Although not as extensively studied, similar decrements in IQ are seen upon exposure to arsenic and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure is also associated with increased rates of conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity. Recent evidence suggests that temporal trends in rates of violent crime in many nations are consistent with earlier preschool blood lead trends, with a lag of about 20 years. These ecologic correlations are consistent with many controlled studies suggesting that lead-exposed children suffer irreversible brain alterations that make them more likely to commit violent crimes as young adults. If this pattern is true for lead and other contaminants, the most effective way to fight crime may be to prevent exposure to these contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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Newman J, Gallo MV, Schell LM, DeCaprio AP, Denham M, Deane GD. Analysis of PCB congeners related to cognitive functioning in adolescents. Neurotoxicology 2009; 30:686-96. [PMID: 19465051 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2008] [Revised: 05/08/2009] [Accepted: 05/08/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the characteristics of PCBs that are linked to cognitive functioning, those congeners that were concurrently found in 271 Mohawk adolescents were grouped according to structure (dioxin-like or non-dioxin-like) and persistence (persistent or low-persistent). After the effects of the congener groups were orthogonalized, regression analyses (controlling for a number of variables found to be related to the cognitive outcomes) examined the relationship of each congener group to scores on three cognitive tests (the non-verbal Ravens Progressive Matrices, the Test of Memory and Learning, and the Woodcock Johnson-Revised). Five subtests from these cognitive tests were found to be associated with one or more PCB congener groups, most often at a moderate level. Two measures of long-term memory (Delayed Recall and Long Term Retrieval) were associated with all four congener groups. Nevertheless, examination of the role of individual congeners in the significantly related congener groups revealed that almost all congeners associated with cognitive outcomes were non-dioxin-like and ortho-substituted. A notable exception was the Ravens test where scores were associated only with dioxin-like congeners. This finding adds to the limited evidence of neurotoxic effects of dioxin-like congeners. Auditory Processing was related only to the persistent congener group. The association of the non-persistent congener group with three cognitive test scores (Delayed Recall, Long Term Retrieval and Comprehension-Knowledge) suggests that the Mohawk adolescents have experienced continuing or recent environmental exposure to PCBs that is sufficient to result in detectable cognitive decrements. Comparison of our findings with those of other human studies was limited by the relative lack of specificity of both PCB measures and cognitive outcome measures in much previous work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Newman
- University at Albany, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Education 236, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States.
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Sagiv SK, Nugent JK, Brazelton TB, Choi AL, Tolbert PE, Altshul LM, Korrick SA. Prenatal organochlorine exposure and measures of behavior in infancy using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:666-73. [PMID: 18470320 PMCID: PMC2367684 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2007] [Accepted: 01/22/2008] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous literature suggests an association between organochlorines and behavioral measures in childhood, including inattention. OBJECTIVE This study was designed to assess whether prenatal organochlorine exposure is associated with measures of attention in early infancy. METHODS We investigated an association between cord serum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) levels and measures of attention from the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) in a cohort of 788 infants born 1993-1998 to mothers residing near a PCB-contaminated harbor and Superfund site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. RESULTS Medians (ranges) for the sum of four prevalent PCB congeners and DDE levels were 0.19 (0.01-4.41) and 0.30 (0-10.29) ng/g serum, respectively. For the 542 subjects with an NBAS exam at 2 weeks, we observed consistent inverse associations between cord serum PCB and DDE levels and NBAS measures of alertness, quality of alert responsiveness, cost of attention, and other potential attention-associated measures including self-quieting and motor maturity. For example, the decrement in quality of alert responsiveness score was -0.51 (95% confidence interval, -0.99 to -0.03) for the highest quartile of exposure to the sum of four prevalent PCB congeners compared with the lowest quartile. We found little evidence for an association with infant orientation, habituation, and regulation of state, assessed as summary cluster measures. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence for an association between low-level prenatal PCB and DDE exposures and poor attention in early infancy. Further analyses will focus on whether organochlorine-associated decrements in attention and attention-related skills in infancy persist in later childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon K Sagiv
- Department of Environmental Health, Channing Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Broding HC, Schettgen T, Hillert A, Angerer J, Göen T, Drexler H. Subjective complaints in persons under chronic low-dose exposure to lower polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Int J Hyg Environ Health 2008; 211:648-57. [PMID: 18396099 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2008.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2007] [Revised: 01/31/2008] [Accepted: 02/04/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been in widespread industrial use in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite a worldwide reduction, environmental exposure remains an issue especially in contaminated buildings. Due to the ubiquitous presence and poor degradation of PCBs, public health concerns continue to exist; however, evidence on the actual health effects of chronic low-dose exposure is scanty. The objective of the present study is an assessment of subjective complaints of exposed subjects in comparison to a non-exposed control group and their inter-relation to plasma levels of PCB congeners. The plasma concentrations of PCB congeners were measured in 583 subjects who had worked for an average of 14.7+/-9.6 years in a contaminated building in Germany, and 205 control subjects working in a non-contaminated building. Subjective complaints were assessed with the 24-item 'Giessen Subjective Complaints List' (GSCL-24). The subjects under chronic low-dose exposure scored significantly higher values on all the GSCL subscales except 'stomach complaints' in comparison to the non-exposed subjects and a 'normal' sample derived from the literature. However, thorough statistical analysis revealed no correlation of symptoms and PCB congener plasma concentration; the scores on the subscale 'exhaustion were even higher in subjects with low PCB concentration. Subjects working in a PCB-contaminated building report more subjective complaints in comparison to non-exposed subjects, but the complaints are not related to current PCB plasma concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horst Christoph Broding
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schillerstrasse 25 & 29, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Fitzgerald EF, Belanger EE, Gomez MI, Cayo M, McCaffrey RJ, Seegal RF, Jansing RL, Hwang SA, Hicks HE. Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and neuropsychological status among older residents of upper Hudson River communities. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:209-15. [PMID: 18288320 PMCID: PMC2235204 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2007] [Accepted: 11/11/2007] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may accelerate the cognitive and motor dysfunction found in normal aging, but few studies have examined these outcomes and PCB exposure among older adults. OBJECTIVE We evaluated neuropsychological status and low-level PCB exposure among older adults living along contaminated portions of the upper Hudson River in New York. METHODS A total of 253 persons between 55 and 74 years of age were recruited and interviewed, and provided blood samples for congener-specific PCB analysis. Participants also underwent a neuropsychological battery consisting of 34 tests capable of detecting subtle deficits in cognition, motor function, affective state, and olfactory function. RESULTS After adjustment for potential confounders, the results indicated that an increase in serum total PCB concentration from 250 to 500 ppb (lipid basis) was associated with a 6.2% decrease in verbal learning, as measured by California Verbal Learning Test trial 1 score (p = 0.035), and with a 19.2% increase in depressive symptoms, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that exposure to PCBs may be associated with some measures of memory and learning and depression among adults 55-74 years of age whose current body burdens are similar to those of the general population. Although the results are useful in delineating the neuropsychological effects of low-level exposure to PCBs, further studies of whether older men and women are a sensitive subpopulation are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward F Fitzgerald
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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Slawik M, Klawitter B, Meiser E, Schories M, Zwermann O, Borm K, Peper M, Lubrich B, Hug MJ, Nauck M, Olschewski M, Beuschlein F, Reincke M. Thyroid hormone replacement for central hypothyroidism: a randomized controlled trial comparing two doses of thyroxine (T4) with a combination of T4 and triiodothyronine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007; 92:4115-22. [PMID: 17711927 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2007-0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dosage of T(4) in central hypothyroidism is primarily guided by the free serum T(4) level (fT4). However, the optimum fT4 range is ill defined, and subtle hypothyroidism might be missed using this approach. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to investigate the effects of a body weight (bw)-adapted T(4) treatment, alone or in combination with T(3), on metabolism, well-being, and cognitive function in comparison to a regimen leading to normal fT4. DESIGN This was a placebo-controlled trial (double-blind, crossover). PATIENTS A total of 29 patients (age 52 +/- 2 yr; females/males, 8/21) with hypopituitarism, including TSH deficiency, participated in the study. INTERVENTIONS Three regimens were compared (5 wk each): "EMPIRICAL-T4," empirical T(4) dosage (1 +/- 0.05 microg/kg bw) leading to normal fT4; BW-ADAPTED-T4 (1.6 microg/kg bw T(4)); and "BW-ADAPTED-T3T4," bw-adapted combination of T(3) and T(4) (ratio of 1:10). RESULTS BW-ADAPTED-T4 administration increased mean fT4 concentrations to the upper limit of the normal range (peak levels). Compared with EMPIRICAL-T4, BW-ADAPTED-T4 treatment resulted in a lower body mass index (BMI) (29.0 +/- 0.7 vs. 29.5 +/- 0.7 kg/m(2); P < 0.03), lower total cholesterol (198 +/- 9 vs. 226 +/- 7 mg/dl; P < 0.01), and lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (116 +/- 5 vs. 135 +/- 7 mg/dl; P < 0.01). BW-ADAPTED-T3T4 treatment was associated with additional beneficial effects on ankle reflex time and working memory but resulted in supraphysiological free serum T(3) (fT(3)) levels. LIMITATIONS Long-term side effects may have been missed. CONCLUSIONS Using a dose of 1.6 microg/kg bw improved markers commonly associated with central hypothyroidism. This suggests that T(4) dosage based on bw and aiming at fT4 in the upper reference range is superior to titration of T(4) aiming at middle normal fT4 concentrations in those patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Slawik
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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Orito K, Gotanda N, Murakami M, Ikeda T, Egashira N, Mishima K, Fujiwara M. Prenatal Exposure to 3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) Promotes Anxiogenic Behavior in Rats. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2007; 212:151-7. [PMID: 17548959 DOI: 10.1620/tjem.212.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental contaminants that have adverse effects on the endocrine and nervous systems. As they are still detected in breast milk and adipose tissue in humans, the accumulated PCBs may transfer from mothers to children and damage central nervous system. It is revealed from epidemiological studies that cognitive and motor functions were damaged in children born to mothers who ingested PCBs-contaminated foods. However, it remains unclear whether prenatal exposure to PCBs affects emotionality. In the present study, we therefore examined the effect of prenatal exposure to 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) on emotionality in rats by focusing on anxiogenic behavior and response of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis to stress. Pregnant rats were treated orally with PCB126 at a dose of 30 microg/kg or corn oil, its vehicle, on gestational day 15, and their male offspring were subjected to the following experiments at 4-5 weeks old. In an open field test, rats with prenatal exposure to PCB126 showed anxiogenic behavioral responses, including decrease in time spent in the center of an open field and the number of rearings and extension of grooming duration. Interactive behavior, which is an index of anxiety level, was shortened in the social interaction test. The increase in the serum corticosterone level induced by forced swim stress was facilitated by prenatal exposure to PCB126. This evidence suggests that PCB126 may exert anxiogenicity on the offspring of exposed dams, and dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis may at least in part contribute to this abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Orito
- Department of Pharmacology, Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
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