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Hood RB, Terrell ML, Smith AK, Curtis S, Conneely K, Pearson M, Barton H, Barr DB, Marder EM, Marcus M. Elimination of PBB-153; findings from a cohort of Michigan adults. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 220:115146. [PMID: 36566966 PMCID: PMC9898188 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An industrial accident led to the widespread contamination of polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), a flame retardant, into the food system in Michigan in the 1970's. PBB continues to be detected in Michiganders' blood some forty years later. It is necessary to understand the elimination rate and half-life of PBB because it may provide clues on how to hasten the elimination of it from the human body. METHODS Serum samples were taken from young adult and adult participants of the Michigan PBB registry from 1974 to 2019. A single compartment model was assumed for the elimination rate for PBB-153 in young adults and adults (≥16 years). Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the average elimination rate of PBB-153 and allowed for a random intercept and slope for the time between measurements. Models were adjusted for age at exposure, body mass index (BMI) at initial measurement, and smoking. Models were also stratified by demographic characteristics. RESULTS In total, 1974 participants contributed 4768 samples over a forty-year span. The median initial PBB-153 level was 1.542 parts per billion (ppb) (Range: 0.001-1442.48 ppb). The adjusted median participant-specific half-life for PBB-153 was 12.23 years. The half-life of PBB-153 was lengthened by higher initial PBB level (∼1.5 years), younger age at exposure (∼5.4 years), higher BMI (∼1.0 years), and increased gravidity (∼7.3 years). Additionally, the half-life of PBB-153 was shortened by smoking status (∼-2.8 years) and breastfeeding (∼-3.5 years). CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous studies, PBB-153 has been demonstrated to have a long half-life in the human body and may be modified by some demographic characteristics. These updated estimates of half-life will further support evaluation of health effects associated with PBB exposure. Investigations into mechanisms to accelerate elimination and reduce body burdens of PBB-153, especially those related to body weight, are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Hood
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Metrecia L Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah Curtis
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen Conneely
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Melanie Pearson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hillary Barton
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Marder
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Redmond LS, Kaufman JA, Terrell ML, Pearson MA, Barton H, Tomlinson MS, Marcus M. Birth outcomes associated with paternal polybrominated and polychlorinated biphenyl exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:114215. [PMID: 36041536 PMCID: PMC9930206 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In 1973-74, a polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) flame retardant mixture was shipped to Michigan livestock feed mills in place of a nutritional supplement and contaminated the food supply. Following the accident, the Michigan PBB Registry was established to study the long-term health effects of halogenated compounds and is now led by a community-academic partnership. PBB exposure is associated with altered DNA methylation in sperm, which may lead to adverse birth outcomes in children whose fathers have increased levels of serum PBB or polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Paternal PBB and PCB levels of men enrolled in the Michigan PBB Registry (n = 155) were analyzed against matched offspring birthweight and gestational age (n = 336). Birthweight and gestational age were dichotomized at the 25th percentile and 37 weeks, respectively, and paternal PBB and PCB levels were examined as continuous measures and divided into tertiles. Associations of offspring birthweight and gestational age with paternal PBB and PCB serum concentrations were modeled using multivariable linear spline and log-risk regression, adjusting for family clustering, paternal health and lifestyle factors, maternal PBB, and PCB serum concentrations, sex, and offspring gestational age (for birthweight). Fathers in the middle and upper PBB and PCB tertiles had increased risks for lowest quartile birthweight compared to the first tertile, with adjusted risk ratios (aRR) = 1.67 (95% CI: 0.93, 2.99) and aRR = 2.06 (95% CI: 1.12, 3.79) for PBB, and aRR = 1.47 (95% CI: 0.79, 2.75) and aRR = 1.34 (95% CI: 0.70, 2.54) for PCB, respectively. Elevated paternal PBB levels were not associated with an increased risk for preterm birth, while PCB levels were associated with a small, but not significant, decrease in gestational age, β = -0.37 (95% CI: -0.76, 0.03) weeks per log unit increase PCB. The findings suggest that increased paternal PBB and PCB levels negatively impact offspring birthweight, and paternal PCB levels may negatively impact gestational age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence S Redmond
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - John A Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Metrecia L Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Melanie A Pearson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Hillary Barton
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Martha Scott Tomlinson
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Faiad W, Soukkarieh C, Murphy DJ, Hanano A. Effects of dioxins on animal spermatogenesis: A state-of-the-art review. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:1009090. [PMID: 36339774 PMCID: PMC9634422 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.1009090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The male reproductive system is especially affected by dioxins, a group of persistent environmental pollutants, resulting in irreversible abnormalities including effects on sexual function and fertility in adult males and possibly on the development of male offspring. The reproductive toxicity caused by dioxins is mostly mediated by an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). In animals, spermatogenesis is a highly sensitive and dynamic process that includes proliferation and maturation of germ cells. Spermatogenesis is subject to multiple endogenous and exogenous regulatory factors, including a wide range of environmental toxicants such as dioxins. This review discusses the toxicological effects of dioxins on spermatogenesis and their relevance to male infertility. After a detailed categorization of the environmental contaminants affecting the spermatogenesis, the exposure pathways and bioavailability of dioxins in animals was briefly reviewed. The effects of dioxins on spermatogenesis are then outlined in detail. The endocrine-disrupting effects of dioxins in animals and humans are discussed with a particular focus on their effects on the expression of spermatogenesis-related genes. Finally, the impacts of dioxins on the ratio of X and Y chromosomes, the status of serum sex hormones, the quality and fertility of sperm, and the transgenerational effects of dioxins on male reproduction are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walaa Faiad
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syria
| | - Chadi Soukkarieh
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syria
| | - Denis J. Murphy
- School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Abdulsamie Hanano
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria (AECS), Damascus, Syria,Correspondence: Abdulsamie Hanano
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Banyeh M, Amidu N. The association between the 2D:4D ratio and offspring sex at birth: A cross-sectional study in Ghana. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23744. [PMID: 35266228 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The 2D:4D ratio is the putative marker of prenatal androgen exposure. Low maternal 2D:4D ratio has been associated with high or male-biased secondary sex ratio. Hitherto, there has not been any study in Ghana regarding the maternal 2D:4D ratio and sex ratio at birth. This study sought to investigate this observation in a Ghanaian population. METHOD The study was cross-sectional from December 2020 to April 2021 involving 272 first-time mothers. The mean ± SD age of the mothers was 23.9 ± 3.67 years. The right (2D:4DR), the left (2D:4DL), the mean (M2D:4D) digit ratios and the right-left difference (Dr-l) of the mothers were measured using computer-assisted analysis. The mothers were stratified by their digit ratios, and the cohort sex ratio (CSR) for each stratum was then calculated as the proportion of sons. RESULTS The mean ± SD of the 2D:4DR of mothers-with-daughters and mothers-with-sons were 0.941 ± 0.032 and 0.933 ± 0.037, respectively. The mean ± SD of the 2D:4DL of mothers-with-daughters was 0.934 ± 0.034, while that of mothers-with-sons was 0.931 ± 0.039. The offspring sex at birth and the CSR was not associated with either the mother's right, left, mean 2D:4D ratio or their difference (Dr-l). However, mothers-with-daughters showed rightward asymmetry in their 2D:4D ratios as the Dr-l significantly and positively deviated from zero (p < .010). CONCLUSION The maternal 2D:4D ratio may not be associated with their offspring sex at birth among first-time mothers. This study adds to the limited data on studies regarding offspring sex at birth and the 2D:4D ratio in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moses Banyeh
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Nafiu Amidu
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
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Abstract
A biased sex ratio at birth in human populations has been associated with numerous economic, psychosocial, environmental and demographic factors, and has been declining in most developed countries. One of the most often invoked explanation for this decline has been the growing environmental and occupational exposure to man-made chemicals that affect the reproductive physiology, putatively leading to altered sex ratios at birth. In this paper the current state of knowledge on the association between toxins and sex ratio at birth is presented and critically assessed. The evidence for the effect of toxins on sex ratio at birth is conflicting, with paternal exposure showing more promising results than maternal exposure. The obstacles in establishing more direct relation between toxins and sex ratio at birth involve different hormonal responses of mothers and fathers under the influence of toxins, the specific metabolic action of toxins, and the constraints of observational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Pavic
- Division of Sociology, Department for Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
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Walker DI, Marder ME, Yano Y, Terrell M, Liang Y, Barr DB, Miller GW, Jones DP, Marcus M, Pennell KD. Multigenerational metabolic profiling in the Michigan PBB registry. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 172:182-193. [PMID: 30782538 PMCID: PMC6534816 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Although polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated biphenyls are no longer manufactured the United States, biomonitoring in human populations show that exposure to these pollutants persist in human tissues. The objective of this study was to identify metabolic variations associated with exposure to 2,2'4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (PBB-153) and 2,2'4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) in two generations of participants enrolled in the Michigan PBB Registry (http://pbbregistry.emory.edu/). Untargeted, high-resolution metabolomic profiling of plasma collected from 156 individuals was completed using liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry. PBB-153 and PCB-153 levels were measured in the same individuals using targeted gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and tested for dose-dependent correlation with the metabolome. Biological response to these exposures were evaluated using identified endogenous metabolites and pathway enrichment. When compared to lipid-adjusted concentrations for adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for years 2003-2004, PCB-153 levels were consistent with similarly aged individuals, whereas PBB-153 concentrations were elevated (p<0.0001) in participants enrolled in the Michigan PBB Registry. Metabolic alterations were correlated with PBB-153 and PCB-153 in both generations of participants, and included changes in pathways related to catecholamine metabolism, cellular respiration, essential fatty acids, lipids and polyamine metabolism. These pathways were consistent with pathophysiological changes observed in neurodegenerative disease and included previously identified metabolomic markers of Parkinson's disease. To determine if the metabolic alterations detected in this study are replicated other cohorts, we evaluated correlation of PBB-153 and PCB-153 with plasma fatty acids measured in NHANES. Both pollutants showed similar associations with fatty acids previously linked to PCB exposure. Thus, the results from this study show metabolic alterations correlated with PBB-153 and PCB-153 exposure can be detected in human populations and are consistent with health outcomes previously reported in epidemiological and mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas I Walker
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford MA 02155, United States; Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - M Elizabeth Marder
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Yukiko Yano
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 50 University Ave Hall #7360, Berkeley CA 94720, United States.
| | - Metrecia Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Yongliang Liang
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Dean P Jones
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta GA 30322, United States.
| | - Kurt D Pennell
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford MA 02155, United States.
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Effect of endocrine disruptors on the ratio of X and Y chromosome-bearing live spermatozoa. Reprod Toxicol 2018; 82:10-17. [PMID: 30219569 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although equal numbers of X and Y spermatozoa are produced during spermatogenesis, the sex chromosome ratio in ejaculated spermatozoa can be altered by exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can be reflected by altered sex ratios at birth. Here, we hypothesized EDCs affect sperm functions and viability of X and Y chromosome-bearing human spermatozoa. After exposure to genistein (Gen), bisphenol A (BPA), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), dibromochloropropane (DBCP), and diazinon (Diaz), we evaluated motility, viability, capacitation, and differential viability of X and Y spermatozoa. All EDCs tested altered sperm viability, motility, and capacitation. Interestingly, the Y/X ratio of live spermatozoa was significantly lower in sperm treated with TCDD, DBCP, and Diaz than control spermatozoa. Our results suggest that some of EDCs have larger effects on the viability of Y spermatozoa than X spermatozoa, implicating that a reduction in Y sperm viability may result in a female-biased sex ratio of offspring at birth.
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Curtis SW, Conneely KN, Marder ME, Terrell ML, Marcus M, Smith AK. Intergenerational effects of endocrine-disrupting compounds: a review of the Michigan polybrominated biphenyl registry. Epigenomics 2018; 10:845-858. [PMID: 29888951 PMCID: PMC6275560 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2017-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are a broad class of chemicals present in many residential products that can disrupt hormone signaling and cause health problems in humans. Multigenerational cohorts, like the Michigan polybrominated biphenyl registry, are ideal for studying the effects of intergenerational exposure. Registry participants report hormone-related health problems, particularly in those exposed before puberty or those in the second generation exposed through placental transfer or breastfeeding. However, more research is needed to determine how EDCs cause health problems and the mechanisms underlying intergenerational exposure. Utilizing existing data in this registry, along with genetic and epigenetic approaches, could provide insight to how EDCs cause human disease and help to determine the risk to exposed populations and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W Curtis
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Mary E Marder
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Metrecia L Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Bae J, Kim S, Barr DB, Buck Louis GM. Maternal and paternal serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and the secondary sex ratio: A population-based preconception cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 161:9-16. [PMID: 29096317 PMCID: PMC5747985 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent declines in the secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of males to females at birth, in some industrialized countries may be attributed to exposure to environmental toxicants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This study aimed to evaluate the association of couples' preconception exposure to POPs with the SSR. The study cohort comprised 235 couples who were enrolled in the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study between 2005 and 2009 prior to conception and prospectively followed through delivery of a singleton birth. Upon enrollment, couples' serum concentrations (ng/g) were measured for 9 organochlorine pesticides, 1 polybrominated biphenyl, 10 polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and 36 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Birth outcome data including infant sex were collected upon delivery. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of a male birth for each chemical. Of the 56 POPs examined, maternal PCB 128 and paternal hexachlorobenzene were significantly associated with a female excess (RRs, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.60-0.94] and 0.81 [95% CI, 0.68-0.97] per 1SD increase in log-transformed serum chemical concentrations, respectively), whereas maternal mirex and paternal PCB 128 and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene were significantly associated with a male excess (RR range, 1.10-1.22 per 1SD increase in log-transformed serum chemical concentrations). After adjusting for multiple comparisons, only maternal mirex remained significantly associated with the SSR. This exploratory study on multiple classes of POPs demonstrated no conclusive evidence on the association between parental preconception exposure to POPs and the SSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisuk Bae
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil Nam-gu, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sungduk Kim
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Germaine M Buck Louis
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817, 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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Singer LT, Moore DG, Min MO, Goodwin J, Turner JJD, Fulton S, Parrott AC. Developmental outcomes of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)-exposed infants in the UK. Hum Psychopharmacol 2015; 30:290-4. [PMID: 26216565 PMCID: PMC5107979 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This paper aims to review findings from a longitudinal study of prenatal methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") on infant development. METHODS In a prospective, longitudinal cohort design, we followed 28 MDMA-exposed and 68 non-MDMA-exposed infants from birth to 2 years of age. Women recruited voluntarily into a study of recreational drug use during pregnancy were interviewed to obtain type, frequency, and amount of recreational drug use. Their children were followed for a 2-year period after birth. A large number of drug and environmental covariates were controlled. Infants were seen at 1, 4, 12, 18, and 24 months using standardized normative tests of mental and motor development. RESULTS There were no differences between MDMA-exposed and non-MDMA-exposed infants at birth except that MDMA-exposed infants were more likely to be male. Motor delays were evident in MDMA infants at each age and amount of MDMA exposure predicted motor deficits at 12 months in a dose-dependent fashion. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal MDMA exposure is related to fine and gross motor delays in the first 2 years of life. Follow-up studies are needed to determine long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sarah Fulton
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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12
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Kim YR, Harden FA, Toms LML, Norman RE. Health consequences of exposure to brominated flame retardants: a systematic review. CHEMOSPHERE 2014; 106:1-19. [PMID: 24529398 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.12.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/22/2013] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), are chemicals widely used in consumer products including electronics, vehicles, plastics and textiles to reduce flammability. Experimental animal studies have confirmed that these compounds may interfere with thyroid hormone homeostasis and neurodevelopment but to date health effects in humans have not been systematically examined. OBJECTIVES To conduct a systematic review of studies on the health impacts of exposure to BFRs in humans, with a particular focus on children. METHODS A systematic review was conducted using the MEDLINE and EMBASE electronic databases up to 1 February 2012. Published cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies exploring the relationship between BFR exposure and various health outcomes were included. RESULTS In total, 36 epidemiological studies meeting the pre-determined inclusion criteria were included. Plausible outcomes associated with BFR exposure include diabetes, neurobehavioral and developmental disorders, cancer, reproductive health effects and alteration in thyroid function. Evidence for a causal relationship between exposure to BFRs and health outcomes was evaluated within the Bradford Hill framework. CONCLUSION Although there is suggestive evidence that exposure to BFRs is harmful to health, further epidemiological investigations particularly among children, and long-term monitoring and surveillance of chemical impacts on humans are required to confirm these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Ran Kim
- The University of Queensland, School of Population Health, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
| | - Fiona A Harden
- Queensland University of Technology, School of Clinical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, George St., Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Leisa-Maree L Toms
- Queensland University of Technology, School of Clinical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, George St., Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Rosana E Norman
- The University of Queensland, School of Population Health, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; The University of Queensland, Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
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13
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Forgotten fathers: paternal influences on mammalian sex allocation. Trends Ecol Evol 2014; 29:158-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2013.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 11/25/2013] [Accepted: 12/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Nieminen P, Lehtiniemi H, Huusko A, Vähäkangas K, Rautio A. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in relation to secondary sex ratio--a systematic review of published studies. CHEMOSPHERE 2013; 91:131-138. [PMID: 23260246 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Revised: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
There is reasonably strong evidence linking reduced secondary sex ratio (proportion of males) and environmental exposures. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent contaminants of the environment and several studies have reported an association of PCBs with birth outcomes. A decrease in the male/female sex ratio at birth has been reported in some, but not all studies. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize and pool the research findings about the influence of PCBs on sex ratio. Several article databases and reference lists of identified articles were searched. Studies reporting the proportion of boys and girls born to individuals who were exposed to high PCB concentrations were included. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of males in groups exposed to high or low levels of PCBs. Studies with both direct and indirect surrogate PCB measurements were included. The search and selection resulted in 15 eligible studies on the association between the sex ratio and parental PCB exposures. Analyses of the high exposure groups showed that the sex ratio was not significantly altered from the historical reference range in 13 of the 15 articles. The majority of the exposure studies reported also internal comparisons between high and low PCB exposure levels. The pooled 95% confidence interval estimate for the difference in high and low maternal exposure with direct PCB measure was - 0.048 with 95% CI of (-0.121, 0.026). There was no strong or moderate indication that parental exposure to PCBs alters the sex ratio of the children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pentti Nieminen
- Medical Informatics and Statistics Research Group, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland.
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15
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Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, Heindel JJ, Jacobs DR, Lee DH, Shioda T, Soto AM, vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Zoeller RT, Myers JP. Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev 2012; 33:378-455. [PMID: 22419778 PMCID: PMC3365860 DOI: 10.1210/er.2011-1050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1980] [Impact Index Per Article: 165.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
For decades, studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have challenged traditional concepts in toxicology, in particular the dogma of "the dose makes the poison," because EDCs can have effects at low doses that are not predicted by effects at higher doses. Here, we review two major concepts in EDC studies: low dose and nonmonotonicity. Low-dose effects were defined by the National Toxicology Program as those that occur in the range of human exposures or effects observed at doses below those used for traditional toxicological studies. We review the mechanistic data for low-dose effects and use a weight-of-evidence approach to analyze five examples from the EDC literature. Additionally, we explore nonmonotonic dose-response curves, defined as a nonlinear relationship between dose and effect where the slope of the curve changes sign somewhere within the range of doses examined. We provide a detailed discussion of the mechanisms responsible for generating these phenomena, plus hundreds of examples from the cell culture, animal, and epidemiology literature. We illustrate that nonmonotonic responses and low-dose effects are remarkably common in studies of natural hormones and EDCs. Whether low doses of EDCs influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures to EDCs are associated with human diseases and disabilities. We conclude that when nonmonotonic dose-response curves occur, the effects of low doses cannot be predicted by the effects observed at high doses. Thus, fundamental changes in chemical testing and safety determination are needed to protect human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Tufts University, Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
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16
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Singer LT, Moore DG, Fulton S, Goodwin J, Turner JJ, Min MO, Parrott AC. Neurobehavioral outcomes of infants exposed to MDMA (Ecstasy) and other recreational drugs during pregnancy. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2012; 34:303-10. [PMID: 22387807 PMCID: PMC3367027 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2012.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2011] [Revised: 02/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or "Ecstasy" is one of the most widely used illicit recreational drugs among young adults. MDMA is an indirect monoaminergic agonist and reuptake inhibitor that primarily affects the serotonin system. Preclinical studies in animals have found prenatal exposure related to neonatal tremors and long-term learning and memory impairments. To date, there are no prospective studies of the sequelae of prenatal exposure to MDMA in humans, despite concerns about its potential for harmful effects to the fetus. The present study is the first to prospectively identify MDMA-using women during pregnancy and to document patterns and correlates of use with neonatal and early infancy outcomes of offspring. All mothers and infants were prospectively recruited through the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and University of East London (UEL) Drugs and Infancy Study (DAISY) that focused on recreational drug use in pregnant women. Women were interviewed about substance use prior to and during pregnancy and infants were seen at 1 and 4 months using standardized, normative assessments of neonatal behavior, and cognitive and motor development, including the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS), the Bayley Mental and Motor Development Scales (MDI, PDI), and the Alberta Infant Motor Scales (AIMS). The sample was primarily middle class with some university education and in stable partner relationships. The majority of women recruited had taken a number of illicit drugs prior to or during pregnancy. Group differences between those polydrug using women who had specifically used MDMA during pregnancy (n=28) and those who had not (n=68) were assessed using chi-square and t-tests. MDMA and other drug effects were assessed through multiple regression analyses controlling for confounding variables. Women who used MDMA during pregnancy had fewer prior births and more negative sequelae associated with their drug use, including more health, work, and social problems. MDMA exposed infants differed in sex ratio (more male births) and had poorer motor quality and lower milestone attainment at 4 months, with a dose-response relationship to amount of MDMA exposure. These findings suggest risk to the developing infant related to MDMA exposure and warrant continued follow-up to determine whether early motor delays persist or resolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T. Singer
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, United States 44106
| | - Derek G. Moore
- The University of East London, School of Psychology, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London, United Kingdom E15 4LZ
| | - Sarah Fulton
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, United States 44106
| | - Julia Goodwin
- The University of East London, School of Psychology, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London, United Kingdom E15 4LZ
| | - John J.D. Turner
- The University of East London, School of Psychology, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London, United Kingdom E15 4LZ
| | - Meeyoung O. Min
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, United States 44106
| | - Andrew C. Parrott
- Swansea University, Department of Psychology, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, Wales, United Kingdom
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Thomson B, Poms R, Rose M. Incidents and impacts of unwanted chemicals in food and feeds. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND SAFETY OF CROPS & FOODS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1757-837x.2012.00129.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Thomson
- Food Safety Programme, Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR); Christchurch; New Zealand
| | | | - Martin Rose
- Environmental Contaminants and Food Integrity, Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA); Sand Hutton; York; UK
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18
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Bjerregaard P, Chatwood S, Denning B, Joseph L, Young TK. Sex ratios in the arctic-do man-made chemicals matter? Am J Hum Biol 2012; 24:165-9. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2011] [Revised: 11/22/2011] [Accepted: 11/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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19
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Trnovec T, Dedík L, Jusko TA, Lancz K, Palkovičová L, Kočan A, Šovčíková E, Wimmerová S, Tihányi J, Patayová H, Hertz-Picciotto I. Assessment of exposure to PCB 153 from breast feeding and normal food intake in individual children using a system approach model. CHEMOSPHERE 2011; 85:1687-93. [PMID: 22051344 PMCID: PMC3228605 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2011] [Revised: 08/08/2011] [Accepted: 09/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Investigators have typically relied on a single or few discrete time points as measures of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) body burden, however health effects are more likely to be the result of integrative exposure in time, optionally expressed as an area under the time curve (AUC) of PCB serum concentration. Using data from a subgroup of 93 infants from a birth cohort in eastern Slovakia-a region highly polluted by PCBs-we fit a system type model, customized to our longitudinal measures of serum PCB concentrations in cord, 6, 16, and 45 month blood specimens. The most abundant congener, PCB 153, was chosen for modeling purposes. In addition to currently used methods of exposure assessment, our approach estimates a concentration time profile for each subject, taking into account mean residence time of PCB 153 molecules in the body, duration of breast feeding, hypothetical PCB 153 concentration in steady-state without breast feeding and alternately without normal food intake. Hypothetical PCB 153 concentration in steady-state without normal food intake correlates with AUC (r=0.84, p<0.001) as well as with duration of breast feeding (r=0.64, p<0.001). It makes possible to determine each subject's exposure profile expressed as AUC of PCBs serum concentration with a minimum model parameters. PCB body burden in most infants was strongly associated with duration of breast feeding in most, but not all children, was apparent from model output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Trnovec
- Slovak Medical University, Limbová 12, 83303 Bratislava, Slovakia.
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20
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Scherb H, Voigt K. The human sex odds at birth after the atmospheric atomic bomb tests, after Chernobyl, and in the vicinity of nuclear facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2011; 18:697-707. [PMID: 21336635 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0462-z21336635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE Ever since the discovery of the mutagenic properties of ionizing radiation, the possibility of birth sex odds shifts in exposed human populations was considered in the scientific community. Positive evidence, however weak, was obtained after the atomic bombing of Japan. We previously investigated trends in the sex odds before and after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. In a pilot study, combined data from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, and Sweden between 1982 and 1992 showed a downward trend in the sex odds and a significant jump in 1987, the year immediately after Chernobyl. Moreover, a significant positive association of the sex odds between 1986 and 1991 with Chernobyl fallout at the district level in Germany was observed. Both of these findings, temporality (effect after exposure) and dose response association, yield evidence of causality. The primary aim of this study was to investigate longer time periods (1950-2007) in all of Europe and in the USA with emphasis on the global atmospheric atomic bomb test fallout and on the Chernobyl accident. To obtain further evidence, we also analyze sex odds data near nuclear facilities in Germany and Switzerland. DATA AND STATISTICAL METHODS: National gender-specific annual live births data for 39 European countries from 1975 to 2007 were compiled using the pertinent internet data bases provided by the World Health Organization, United Nations, Council of Europe, and EUROSTAT. For a synoptic re-analysis of the period 1950 to 1990, published data from the USA and from a predominantly western and less Chernobyl-exposed part of Europe were studied additionally. To assess spatial, temporal, as well as spatial-temporal trends in the sex odds and to investigate possible changes in those trends after the atomic bomb tests, after Chernobyl, and in the vicinity of nuclear facilities, we applied ordinary linear logistic regression. Region-specific and eventually changing spatial-temporal trends were analyzed using dummy variables coding for continents, countries, districts, municipalities, time periods, and appropriate spatial-temporal interactions. RESULTS The predominantly western European sex odds trend together with the US sex odds trend (1950-1990 each) show a similar behavior. Both trends are consistent with a uniform reduction from 1950 to 1964, an increase from 1964 to 1975 that may be associated with delayed global atomic bomb test fallout released prior to the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963 and again a more or less constant decrease from 1975 to 1990. In practically all of Europe, including eastern European countries, from 1975 to 1986, and in the USA from 1975 to 2002, there were highly significant uniform downward trends in the sex odds with a reduction of 0.22% to 0.25% per 10 years. In contrast to the USA, in Europe there was a highly significant jump of the sex odds of 0.20% in the year 1987 following Chernobyl. From 1987 to 2000, the European sex odds trend reversed its sign and went upward, highly significantly so, with 0.42% per 10 years relative to the downward trend before Chernobyl. The global secular trend analyses are corroborated by the analysis of spatial-temporal sex odds trends near nuclear facilities (NF) in Germany and Switzerland. Within 35 km distance from those NF, the sex odds increase significantly in the range of 0.30% to 0.40% during NF operating time. CONCLUSIONS The atmospheric atomic bomb test fallout affected the human sex odds at birth overall, and the Chernobyl fallout had a similar impact in Europe and parts of Asia. The birth sex odds near nuclear facilities are also distorted. The persistently disturbed secular human sex odds trends allow the estimation of the global deficit of births in the range of several millions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagen Scherb
- Institute of Biomathematics and Biometry, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
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21
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Scherb H, Voigt K. The human sex odds at birth after the atmospheric atomic bomb tests, after Chernobyl, and in the vicinity of nuclear facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2011; 18:697-707. [PMID: 21336635 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE Ever since the discovery of the mutagenic properties of ionizing radiation, the possibility of birth sex odds shifts in exposed human populations was considered in the scientific community. Positive evidence, however weak, was obtained after the atomic bombing of Japan. We previously investigated trends in the sex odds before and after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. In a pilot study, combined data from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, and Sweden between 1982 and 1992 showed a downward trend in the sex odds and a significant jump in 1987, the year immediately after Chernobyl. Moreover, a significant positive association of the sex odds between 1986 and 1991 with Chernobyl fallout at the district level in Germany was observed. Both of these findings, temporality (effect after exposure) and dose response association, yield evidence of causality. The primary aim of this study was to investigate longer time periods (1950-2007) in all of Europe and in the USA with emphasis on the global atmospheric atomic bomb test fallout and on the Chernobyl accident. To obtain further evidence, we also analyze sex odds data near nuclear facilities in Germany and Switzerland. DATA AND STATISTICAL METHODS: National gender-specific annual live births data for 39 European countries from 1975 to 2007 were compiled using the pertinent internet data bases provided by the World Health Organization, United Nations, Council of Europe, and EUROSTAT. For a synoptic re-analysis of the period 1950 to 1990, published data from the USA and from a predominantly western and less Chernobyl-exposed part of Europe were studied additionally. To assess spatial, temporal, as well as spatial-temporal trends in the sex odds and to investigate possible changes in those trends after the atomic bomb tests, after Chernobyl, and in the vicinity of nuclear facilities, we applied ordinary linear logistic regression. Region-specific and eventually changing spatial-temporal trends were analyzed using dummy variables coding for continents, countries, districts, municipalities, time periods, and appropriate spatial-temporal interactions. RESULTS The predominantly western European sex odds trend together with the US sex odds trend (1950-1990 each) show a similar behavior. Both trends are consistent with a uniform reduction from 1950 to 1964, an increase from 1964 to 1975 that may be associated with delayed global atomic bomb test fallout released prior to the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963 and again a more or less constant decrease from 1975 to 1990. In practically all of Europe, including eastern European countries, from 1975 to 1986, and in the USA from 1975 to 2002, there were highly significant uniform downward trends in the sex odds with a reduction of 0.22% to 0.25% per 10 years. In contrast to the USA, in Europe there was a highly significant jump of the sex odds of 0.20% in the year 1987 following Chernobyl. From 1987 to 2000, the European sex odds trend reversed its sign and went upward, highly significantly so, with 0.42% per 10 years relative to the downward trend before Chernobyl. The global secular trend analyses are corroborated by the analysis of spatial-temporal sex odds trends near nuclear facilities (NF) in Germany and Switzerland. Within 35 km distance from those NF, the sex odds increase significantly in the range of 0.30% to 0.40% during NF operating time. CONCLUSIONS The atmospheric atomic bomb test fallout affected the human sex odds at birth overall, and the Chernobyl fallout had a similar impact in Europe and parts of Asia. The birth sex odds near nuclear facilities are also distorted. The persistently disturbed secular human sex odds trends allow the estimation of the global deficit of births in the range of several millions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagen Scherb
- Institute of Biomathematics and Biometry, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
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22
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Terrell ML, Hartnett KP, Marcus M. Can environmental or occupational hazards alter the sex ratio at birth? A systematic review. EMERGING HEALTH THREATS JOURNAL 2011; 4:7109. [PMID: 24149027 PMCID: PMC3168220 DOI: 10.3402/ehtj.v4i0.7109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2010] [Revised: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 01/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
More than 100 studies have examined whether environmental or occupational exposures of parents affect the sex ratio of their offspring at birth. For this review, we searched Medline and Web of Science using the terms ‘sex ratio at birth’ and ‘sex ratio and exposure’ for all dates, and reviewed bibliographies of relevant studies to find additional articles. This review focuses on exposures that have been the subject of at least four studies including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, pesticides, lead and other metals, radiation, boron, and g-forces. For paternal exposures, only dioxins and PCBs were consistently associated with sex ratios higher or lower than the expected 1.06. Dioxins were associated with a decreased proportion of male births, whereas PCBs were associated with an increased proportion of male births. There was limited evidence for a decrease in the proportion of male births after paternal exposure to DBCP, lead, methylmercury, non-ionizing radiation, ionizing radiation treatment for childhood cancer, boron, or g-forces. Few studies have found higher or lower sex ratios associated with maternal exposures. Studies in humans and animals have found a reduction in the number of male births associated with lower male fertility, but the mechanism by which environmental hazards might change the sex ratio has not yet been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metrecia L Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Rocheleau CM, Bertke SJ, Deddens JA, Ruder AM, Lawson CC, Waters MA, Hopf NB, Riggs MA, Whelan EA. Maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and the secondary sex ratio: an occupational cohort study. Environ Health 2011; 10:20. [PMID: 21418576 PMCID: PMC3070618 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-10-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Accepted: 03/18/2011] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though commercial production of polychlorinated biphenyls was banned in the United States in 1977, exposure continues due to their environmental persistence. Several studies have examined the association between environmental polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and modulations of the secondary sex ratio, with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate the association between maternal preconceptional occupational polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and the secondary sex ratio. METHODS We examined primipara singleton births of 2595 women, who worked in three capacitor plants at least one year during the period polychlorinated biphenyls were used. Cumulative estimated maternal occupational polychlorinated biphenyl exposure at the time of the infant's conception was calculated from plant-specific job-exposure matrices. A logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between maternal polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and male sex at birth (yes/no). RESULTS Maternal body mass index at age 20, smoking status, and race did not vary between those occupationally exposed and those unexposed before the child's conception. Polychlorinated biphenyl-exposed mothers were, however, more likely to have used oral contraceptives and to have been older at the birth of their first child than non-occupationally exposed women. Among 1506 infants liveborn to polychlorinated biphenyl-exposed primiparous women, 49.8% were male; compared to 49.9% among those not exposed (n = 1089). Multivariate analyses controlling for mother's age and year of birth found no significant association between the odds of a male birth and mother's cumulative estimated polychlorinated biphenyl exposure to time of conception. CONCLUSIONS Based on these data, we find no evidence of altered sex ratio among children born to primiparous polychlorinated biphenyl-exposed female workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa M Rocheleau
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Stephen J Bertke
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - James A Deddens
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Avima M Ruder
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Christina C Lawson
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Martha A Waters
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Applied Research and Technology; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Nancy B Hopf
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Institut universitaire romand de Santé au Travail/Institute for Work and Health (IST), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Margaret A Riggs
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Coordinating Office for Terrorism, Preparedness and Emergency Response (Kentucky Department for Public Health); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Whelan
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Ibhazehiebo K, Iwasaki T, Okano-Uchida T, Shimokawa N, Ishizaki Y, Koibuchi N. Suppression of thyroid hormone receptor-mediated transcription and disruption of thyroid hormone-induced cerebellar morphogenesis by the polybrominated biphenyl mixture, BP-6. Neurotoxicology 2011; 32:400-9. [PMID: 21396401 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2011.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2010] [Revised: 11/29/2010] [Accepted: 02/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are polyhalogenated, bioaccumulative flame retardant chemicals, which have been used in a variety of consumer and household products. They were accidentally introduced into the food chain in Michigan in 1973 and have remained a source of health concern. Studies have shown that exposure to PBB may cause adverse neurotoxic effects. We therefore examined the effects of BP-6, a PBB mixture, on thyroid hormone (TH) receptor (TR)-mediated transcription, on TH-induced Purkinje cell dendritogenesis, and on TH-induced cerebellar granule cell neurite extension. Our study shows that BP-6 suppressed TR-mediated transcription in CV-1 cells. Mammalian two-hybrid studies revealed that BP-6 did not inhibit coactivator binding to TR nor did it recruit corepressors to TR. Further examination using the liquid chemiluminescent DNA pull down assay revealed partial dissociation of TR from TH response element (TRE). In primary rat cerebellar culture, BP-6 significantly suppressed TH-induced dendrite arborization of Purkinje cells, and in reaggregate rat granule cell culture, impaired TH-induced neurite extension of granule cells. Taken together, our results indicate that BP-6 may disrupt TH homeostasis and consequently impair normal neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kingsley Ibhazehiebo
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Division of Biological Regulations, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
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