Impact of occupational pesticide exposure assessment method on risk estimates for prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Parkinson's disease: results of three meta-analyses

Maternal pesticide exposure and risk of birth defects: a population-based cross-sectional study in China

Objective

This study aimed to examine the association between maternal pesticide exposure during the periconceptional period and birth defects in their offspring.

Methods

A survey was conducted among 29,204 women with infants born between 2010 and 2013 in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China. All cases of birth defects were diagnosed using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Given the multistage sampling design, the generalized estimating equation (GEE) binomial regression models with log link and exchangeable correlation structures were used to analyze the association between maternal pesticide exposures and birth defects.

Results

Among the 29,204 subjects, 562 mothers had children with birth defects, resulting in an incidence rate of 192.44 per 10,000 live births. The incidence of birth defects was higher in the pesticide-exposed group compared to the control group (737.46/10,000 vs. 186.04/10,000). After adjusting for baseline demographic characteristics, fertility status, nutritional factors, and environmental factors in the GEE model, the results indicated that the risk of birth defects and cardiovascular system defects in mothers exposed to pesticides during the periconceptional period was 2.39 times (95% CI: 1.84-3.10) and 3.14 times (95% CI: 1.73-5.71) higher, respectively, compared to the control group.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that maternal exposure to pesticides during the periconceptional period was associated with an increased risk of birth defects, particularly cardiovascular system defects in offspring. Consequently, it would be beneficial to avoid pesticide exposure from three months before pregnancy through the first trimester to lower birth defects in infants.

Non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacters, a Treatable Provocateur of Parkinson's Disease: Hypothesis, Evidence and Species Specificity

Epidemiological and eradication trial evidence indicates that Helicobacter pylori, a major causative factor in peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, is a driver of the hypokinesia of Parkinson's disease (PD). Psychological (cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety) and gastrointestinal (peptic ulceration and constipation) PD features can precede the symptomatic onset of motor features by decades. We hypothesise that the non-H. pylori Helicobacters (NHPH), which have farm, companion and wild animals as their main hosts, can have a role in PD aetiopathogenesis. In those occupationally at risk of NHPH infection, we address whether there is increased mortality with PD, or depression or suicide. Our systematic review gave evidence that occupational exposure to animals/their products is associated with excess mortality with PD. Indeed, whilst livestock farming increased the risk, crop farming decreased it. Moreover, excess mortality from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in livestock farmers is compatible with NHPH being causal. Our scoping review showed that farmers, veterinarians and abattoir workers have an increased risk of depression and suicide; whether their depression is associated with being down the pathway to PD and/or the presence of Helicobacter infection needs investigation. Regarding Helicobacter species specificity, the link between the presence of NHPH in gastric biopsy and PD was described using a ureA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, targeting the most-commonly named NHPH, H. suis. We describe its redesign and optimisation as a probe-based PCR, confirming the exclusion of H. pylori but not H. suis specificity (additionally identifying 6 species of a 22-NHPH-species panel). The exploration of the zoonotic hypothesis requires a non-invasive pan-Helicobacter PCR screen, allowing the detection and molecular grouping of Helicobacter species.

The role and impact of viruses on cancer development

This review focuses on three major aspects of oncoviruses' role in cancer development. To begin, we discuss their geographic distribution, revealing that seven oncoviruses cause 20% of all human cancers worldwide. Second, we investigate the primary carcinogenic mechanisms, looking at how these oncogenic viruses can induce cellular transformation, angiogenesis, and local and systemic inflammation. Finally, we investigate the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection reactivating latent oncoviruses, which could increase the risk of further disease. The development of oncovirus vaccines holds great promise for reducing cancer burden. Many unanswered questions about the host and environmental cofactors that contribute to cancer development and prevention remain, which ongoing research is attempting to address.

How can exposure assessment for pesticides in epidemiological studies be improved? Insights from the IMPRESS project

The IMPRoving Exposure aSSessment Methodologies for Epidemiological Studies on Pesticides (IMPRESS) project (http://www.impress-project.org/) aimed to further the understanding of the performance of pesticide exposure assessment methods (EAMs). To achieve this the IMPRESS project used two approaches to assess EAM performance, using existing and newly collected data from five studies from three different countries and use of published secondary data to undertake three meta-analyses for selected chronic health outcomes. Based on the findings of the IMPRESS project we provide in this paper insights on the overarching research question "How can exposure assessments for pesticides in epidemiological studies be improved"? Exposure assessment is a critical component of pesticide epidemiological studies. EAMs used and epidemiological practices employed need to reflect the changing nature and complexities of pesticide exposure in various occupational settings. To properly assess the association between exposure and selected health outcomes, the choice of EAM should provide a clear exposure contrast within the study population. Acquiring a practical understanding of the pesticide use practices is crucial to determine whether factors such as frequency or intensity of exposure have to be considered in planned analyses. Biomonitoring may be more beneficially applied intensively in a focussed exposure assessment analysis of a particular cohort, which can be used to determine the most relevant exposure factors within that cohort-specific context. Overall, improving pesticide exposure assessment in epidemiological studies requires a multi-disciplinary approach. A next step for the wider scientific community may be to consider the development of a decision tree to aid the selection of suitable EAMs. Such a decision tree would need to consider and be based on multiple parameters including, but not limited to, study type, health endpoint, socio-demographic context, farming system, pesticide used, and application methods.

A Th2-type immune response and low-grade systemic inflammatory reaction as potential immunotoxic effects in intensive agriculture farmers exposed to pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals widely used in agriculture to keep crops healthy and prevent them from being destroyed by pests, thus contributing to a sustainable food and feed production. However, long-term exposure to these compounds may be harmful to human health as they can affect the function of various organs systems, including the immune system. There is growing evidence that pesticides may increase the risk of developing immune-based diseases and inflammation. This study assessed whether greenhouse farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides presented alterations in immunoregulatory proteins, used as surrogate biomarkers of immune function. The study population consisted of 175 greenhouse workers occupationally exposed to pesticides and 91 non-exposed controls. Serum levels of 27 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors were measured using a magnetic bead-based immunoassay in a subpopulation of 111 greenhouse workers and 79 non-exposed controls. Since analytical determinations were performed in two periods of the same crop season with different use of pesticides (period of high and low pesticide exposure), linear mixed models for repeated measures were used to optimize statistical inference. The increase in IL-13, IL-4 and IL-6 observed in greenhouse workers compared to controls, and in the period of high exposure to pesticides relative to that of low exposure, suggest an altered Th1/Th2 balance towards the Th2 response. This finding points to a type-2 inflammation commonly presented as allergic inflammation, which has often been reported in farm-workers and in which pesticide exposure is considered a risk factor. Furthermore, the increase in IL-1β and VEGF, mediators of inflammation and angiogenesis, may suggest a low-grade systemic inflammation that might underlie chronic pathological conditions linked to pesticide exposure.

Identifying pesticides of high concern for ecosystem, plant, animal, and human health: A comprehensive field study across Europe and Argentina

The widespread and excessive use of pesticides in modern agricultural practices has caused pesticide contamination of the environment, animals, and humans, with confirmed serious health consequences. This study aimed to identify the 20 most critical substances based on an analysis of detection frequency (DF) and median concentrations (MC) across environmental and biological matrices. A sampling campaign was conducted across 10 case study sites in Europe and 1 in Argentina, each encompassing conventional and organic farming systems. We analysed 209 active substances in a total of 4609 samples. All substances ranked among the 20 most critical were detected in silicon wristbands worn by humans and animals and indoor dust from both farming systems. Five of them were detected in all environmental matrices. Overall, higher values of DF and MC, including in the blood plasma of animals and humans, were recorded in samples of conventional compared to organic farms. The differences between farming systems were greater in the environmental samples and less in animal and human samples. Ten substances were detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms and eight in animal blood plasma from organic farms. Two of those, detected in both farming systems, are classified as hazardous for mammals (acute). Five substances detected in animal blood plasma from organic farms and seven detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms are classified as hazardous for mammals (dietary). Three substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as carcinogens. Seven of the substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as endocrine disruptors. Six substances, of which five were detected in human blood plasma, are hazardous for reproduction/development. Efforts are needed to elucidate the unknown effects of mixtures, and it is crucial that such research also considers biocides and banned substances, which constitute a baseline of contamination that adds to the effect of substances used in agriculture.

Genetic variation and pesticide exposure influence blood DNA methylation signatures in females with early-stage Parkinson's disease

Although sex, genetics, and exposures can individually influence risk for sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), the joint contributions of these factors to the epigenetic etiology of PD have not been comprehensively assessed. Here, we profiled sex-stratified genome-wide blood DNAm patterns, SNP genotype, and pesticide exposure in agricultural workers (71 early-stage PD cases, 147 controls) and explored replication in three independent samples of varying demographics (n = 218, 222, and 872). Using a region-based approach, we found more associations of blood DNAm with PD in females (69 regions) than in males (2 regions, Δβadj| ≥0.03, padj ≤ 0.05). For 48 regions in females, models including genotype or genotype and pesticide exposure substantially improved in explaining interindividual variation in DNAm (padj ≤ 0.05), and accounting for these variables decreased the estimated effect of PD on DNAm. The results suggested that genotype, and to a lesser degree, genotype-exposure interactions contributed to variation in PD-associated DNAm. Our findings should be further explored in larger study populations and in experimental systems, preferably with precise measures of exposure.

Factors influencing occupational exposure to pyrethroids and glyphosate: An analysis of urinary biomarkers in Malaysia, Uganda and the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND

Long-term exposure to pesticides is often assessed using semi-quantitative models. To improve these models, a better understanding of how occupational factors determine exposure (e.g., as estimated by biomonitoring) would be valuable.

METHODS

Urine samples were collected from pesticide applicators in Malaysia, Uganda, and the UK during mixing/application days (and also during non-application days in Uganda). Samples were collected pre- and post-activity on the same day and analysed for biomarkers of active ingredients (AIs), including synthetic pyrethroids (via the metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid [3-PBA]) and glyphosate, as well as creatinine. We performed multilevel Tobit regression models for each study to assess the relationship between exposure modifying factors (e.g., mixing/application of AI, duration of activity, personal protective equipment [PPE]) and urinary biomarkers of exposure.

RESULTS

From the Malaysia, Uganda, and UK studies, 81, 84, and 106 study participants provided 162, 384 and 212 urine samples, respectively. Pyrethroid use on the sampling day was most common in Malaysia (n = 38; 47%), and glyphosate use was most prevalent in the UK (n = 93; 88%). Median pre- and post-activity 3-PBA concentrations were similar, with higher median concentrations post-compared to pre-activity for glyphosate samples in the UK (1.7 to 0.5 μg/L) and Uganda (7.6 to 0.8 μg/L) (glyphosate was not used in the Malaysia study). There was evidence from individual studies that higher urinary biomarker concentrations were associated with mixing/application of the AI on the day of urine sampling, longer duration of mixing/application, lower PPE protection, and less education/literacy, but no factor was consistently associated with exposure across biomarkers in the three studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a need for AI-specific interpretation of exposure modifying factors as the relevance of exposure routes, levels of detection, and farming systems/practices may be very context and AI-specific.

Effects of endocrine active contaminating pesticides on RACK1 expression and immunological consequences in THP-1 cells

We have previously demonstrated that RACK1, which expression is under steroid hormone control, plays an important role in the activation of immune cells and its expression can be useful to evaluate the immunotoxic profile of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Hence, we investigated the effects of three contaminating and persistent pesticides: the fungicide vinclozolin (VIN), the herbicide atrazine (ATR) and the insecticide cypermethrin (CYP) on RACK1 expression and on innate immune response. VIN resulted in modest alteration of RACK1 while ATR and CYP reduced in a dose dependent manner RACK1 expression, ultimately leading to the decrease in lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-8 and TNF-α release and CD86 and CD54 surface marker expression. Moreover, our data indicate that, after exposure to EDCs, alterations of RACK1 expression can also occur with mechanisms not directly mediated by an interaction with a nuclear or membrane steroid receptors. Therefore, RACK1 could represent a useful EDCs screening tool to evaluate their immunotoxic potential and to dissect their mechanisms of action.

Effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on the expression of RACK1 and LPS-induced THP-1 cell activation

The existence of a complex hormonal balance among glucocorticoids, androgens and estrogens involved in the regulation of Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1) expression and its related immune cells activation, highlights the possibility to employ this protein as screening tool for the evaluation of the immunotoxic profile of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), hormone-active substances capable of interfering with the physiologic hormonal signaling. Hence, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of the exposure of EDCS 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE), diethyl phthalate (DEP) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) on RACK1 expression and on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of the human monocytic cell line THP-1, a validated model for this investigation. In line with our previous results with estrogen-active compounds, EE treatment significantly induced RACK1 promoter transcriptional activity, mRNA expression, and protein levels, which paralleled an increase in LPS-induced IL-8, TNF-α production and CD86 expression, previously demonstrated to be dependent on RACK1/PKCβ activation. EE mediates its effect on RACK1 expression through G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) and androgen receptor (AR) ligand-independent cascade, as also suggested by in silico molecular docking simulation. Conversely, DEP and PFOS induced a dose-dependent downregulation of RACK1 promoter transcriptional activity, mRNA expression, and protein levels, which was mirrored by a reduction of IL-8, TNF-α production and CD86 expression. Mifepristone pre-treatments abolish DEP and PFOS effects, confirming their GR agonist profile, also corroborated by molecular docking. Altogether, our data confirm that RACK1 represents an interesting target of steroid active compounds, which expression offers the opportunity to screen the immunotoxic potential of different hormone-active substances of concerns due to their human exposure and environmental persistence.

Occupational factors associated with hematological neoplasms in a fruit production pole: a case-control study

Abstract Objectives: to identify the occupational risk factors for hematological neoplasms, specifically leukemia, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma. Methods: this is a case-control study. Cases were individuals with hematological neoplasms and controls were individuals with other diagnoses; frequency-matched by sex and age. Individual interviews were conducted by trained researchers using a structured questionnaire. We collected information on participants’ occupational history and chemicals use and exposure, in general, and pesticides, in particular. Odds ratios (OR) were used as association measurements, estimated by multivariate non-conditional logistic regression models for exploratory analysis. Results: 61 cases and 146 controls were included. We found that agricultural work (OR: 2.18; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.10;4.30), occupational exposure to pesticides (OR: 2.37; 95%CI: 1.18;4.77), and total occupational exposure to pesticides throughout their working life (in hours) - both short (OR: 3.52; 95%CI: 1.25;9.87) and long (OR: 3.95; 95%CI: 1.54;10.14) - constituted risk factors for hematological neoplasms, when compared to those unexposed. We adjusted these measures for alcohol consumption and smoking, physical activity, income, education, and history of occupational exposure to chemicals. Conclusion: occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with hematological neoplasms regardless of lifestyle and socioeconomic status.

Fatores ocupacionais associados a neoplasias hematológicas em um polo fruticultor: estudo de caso-controle

Resumo Objetivos: identificar fatores de risco ocupacionais para neoplasias hematológicas, leucemia, linfomas e mieloma múltiplo. Métodos: estudo caso-controle conduzido com casos de neoplasias hematológicas e controles recrutados do mesmo serviço, com outros diagnósticos, pareados por frequência, sexo e idade. Entrevistas individuais foram realizadas por pesquisadores treinados, utilizando um questionário estruturado. Informações sobre a história ocupacional, uso e características de exposições a substâncias químicas, em geral, e a agrotóxicos foram registradas. Foram estimadas odds ratios (OR), por meio de modelos de regressão logística não-condicional multivariável para análise exploratória. Resultados: foram incluídos 61 casos e 146 controles. Trabalho na agropecuária (OR: 2,18; intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC95%): 1,10;4,30), exposição ocupacional a agrotóxicos (OR: 2,37; IC95%: 1,18;4,77), e tempo total de exposição ocupacional a agrotóxicos na vida laboral em horas - curto (OR: 3,52; IC95%: 1,25;9,87) e longo (OR: 3,95; IC95%: 1,54;10,14) - foram fatores de risco para neoplasias hematológicas, em comparação aos não expostos. Essas medidas foram ajustadas por consumo de álcool e tabagismo, prática de atividade física, renda, escolaridade e história de exposição ocupacional a produtos químicos. Conclusão: a exposição ocupacional a agrotóxicos se associa a neoplasias hematológicas, independentemente de características do estilo de vida e nível socioeconômico.