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Xiang T, Liu Y, Guo Y, Zhang J, Liu J, Yao L, Mao Y, Yang X, Liu J, Liu R, Jin X, Shi J, Qu G, Jiang G. Occurrence and Prioritization of Human Androgen Receptor Disruptors in Sewage Sludges Across China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10309-10321. [PMID: 38795035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2024]
Abstract
The global practice of reusing sewage sludge in agriculture and its landfill disposal reintroduces environmental contaminants, posing risks to human and ecological health. This study screened sewage sludge from 30 Chinese cities for androgen receptor (AR) disruptors, utilizing a disruptor list from the Toxicology in the 21st Century program (Tox21), and identified 25 agonists and 33 antagonists across diverse use categories. Predominantly, natural products 5α-dihydrotestosterone and thymidine emerged as agonists, whereas the industrial intermediate caprolactam was the principal antagonist. In-house bioassays for identified disruptors displayed good alignment with Tox21 potency data, validating employing Tox21 toxicity data for theoretical toxicity estimations. Potency calculations revealed 5α-dihydrotestosterone and two pharmaceuticals (17β-trenbolone and testosterone isocaproate) as the most potent AR agonists and three dyes (rhodamine 6G, Victoria blue BO, and gentian violet) as antagonists. Theoretical effect contribution evaluations prioritized 5α-dihydrotestosterone and testosterone isocaproate as high-risk AR agonists and caprolactam, rhodamine 6G, and 8-hydroxyquinoline (as a biocide and a preservative) as key antagonists. Notably, 16 agonists and 20 antagonists were newly reported in the sludge, many exhibiting significant detection frequencies, concentrations, and/or toxicities, demanding future scrutiny. Our study presents an efficient strategy for estimating environmental sample toxicity and identifying key toxicants, thereby supporting the development of appropriate sludge management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Xiang
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang110004, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
| | - Yanna Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
| | - Yunhe Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Jifu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Linlin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
| | - Yuxiang Mao
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
| | - Xiaoxi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
| | - Runzeng Liu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Environmental Processes and Health, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Xiaoting Jin
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao266071, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang110004, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100085, China
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
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Long M, Sonne C, Dietz R, Bossi R, Jørgensen N, Olsen TI, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Diet, lifestyle and contaminants in three east Greenland Inuit municipalities. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140368. [PMID: 37802483 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are environmental contaminants transported over long distances to the Arctic where they biomagnify in marine mammals subsistence hunted by Inuit and may therefore affect human health. Marine mammals in east Greenland are known to have the highest POP concentrations in the circumpolar Arctic area. Due to high intake of marine mammals, east Greenlandic Inuit likewise have the highest POP body burdens across the Arctic. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the levels of POP and metals in Inuit with a high intake of top predatory species including killer whales and polar bears. Study participants include 37 men and 21 women from Kulusuk, Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit during year 2013-2015. Lipophilic POP (11 organochlorine-pesticides, 14 polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCB), 10 polybrominated diphenyl ethers), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFUA) and cotinine were determined in plasma. Fifteen perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) were measured in serum and urine and the renal clearance was estimated. Finally the concentration of 10 metals were measured in whole blood. The median age was 38 years, Ittoqqortoormiit Inuit being the oldest. The smoking rate was around 70%, and Kulusuk participants had the lowest PFUA concentrations. Significant municipality differences were observed for lipophilic POP, serum PFAS, mercury, arsenic and selenium with highest concentrations in Ittoqqortoormiit Inuit. Males had higher blood concentrations of PFAS and lead. The estimated PFAS renal clearance and ratio of urine to serum were significantly higher for females, suggesting a sex difference in excretion via the kidney, maybe partly because men had higher serum PFAS concentrations. We observed that Inuit with intake of >200 g polar bear per week had significantly higher levels of PCB, PFAS, arsenic and selenium. In summary, the level of blood POP and heavy metals seems to relate to sex and the frequency intake of meat from marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Build. 1260, Bartholin Allé 2, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Najannguaq Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Build. 1260, Bartholin Allé 2, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Taatsiannguaq Inuuteq Olsen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Build. 1260, Bartholin Allé 2, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Build. 1260, Bartholin Allé 2, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark; Greenland Center for Health Research, University of Greenland, 3905, Nuuk, Greenland
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Long M, Wielsøe M, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Time Trend of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Metals in Greenlandic Inuit during 1994-2015. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:2774. [PMID: 33803338 PMCID: PMC7967253 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organchlorine pesticides and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) and heavy metals bioaccumulate in the marine food chain in the Arctic regions, and thus, the Greenlandic population has a higher body burden due to relatively high intake of marine mammals. We assessed the temporal trend for POPs, including PCB 153; 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE); oxychlordane; six PFASs; mercury; lead and selenium in Inuit from Ilulissat, Nuuk, and across Greenland (including thirteen towns/districts), from 1994 to 2015. Data showed a significant annual decrease of 6.85-8.61% for PCB153, 6.67-8.61% for p,p'-DDE, 6.11-9.52% for oxychlordane, 5.92-6.76% for mercury and 6.48-9.43% for lead in Inuit women from Nuuk, Ilulissat, and across thirteen Greenlandic districts. The blood selenium level of all Greenlandic women increased 1.01% annually, while the trend direction was negative for Nuuk women. A similar pattern was seen for men across Greenland, with a yearly decrease of 11.3% for PCB 153, 8.61% for p,p'-DDE, 15.6% for oxychlordane, 13.1% for mercury and 12.2% for lead. Perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid significantly decreased 5.82-11.7% annually for both women and men across Greenland. For perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid and perfluoroundecanoic acid, we observed an increasing trend for women across Greenland. In conclusion, there was a decreasing trend of the regulated POPs and metals but a potential increasing trend of the nonregulated PFASs in the Greenlandic population between 1994 and 2015. The continuing biomonitoring of contaminants of concern is important to protect the Arctic population heath.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Center for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (M.W.); (E.C.B.-J.)
| | - Maria Wielsøe
- Center for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (M.W.); (E.C.B.-J.)
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Center for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (M.W.); (E.C.B.-J.)
- Greenland Center for Health Research, University of Greenland, 3905 Nuuk, Greenland
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Vinggaard AM, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Jensen TK, Fernandez MF, Rosenmai AK, Taxvig C, Rodriguez-Carrillo A, Wielsøe M, Long M, Olea N, Antignac JP, Hamers T, Lamoree M. Receptor-based in vitro activities to assess human exposure to chemical mixtures and related health impacts. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106191. [PMID: 33068852 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Humans are exposed to a large number of chemicals from sources such as the environment, food, and consumer products. There is growing concern that human exposure to chemical mixtures, especially during critical periods of development, increases the risk of adverse health effects in newborns or later in life. Historically, the one-chemical-at-a-time approach has been applied both for exposure assessment and hazard characterisation, leading to insufficient knowledge about human health effects caused by exposure to mixtures of chemicals that have the same target. To circumvent this challenge researchers can apply in vitro assays to analyse both exposure to and human health effects of chemical mixtures in biological samples. The advantages of using in vitro assays are: (i) that an integrated effect is measured, taking combined mixture effects into account and (ii) that in vitro assays can reduce complexity in identification of Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) in human tissues. We have reviewed the state-of-the-art on the use of receptor-based in vitro assays to assess human exposure to chemical mixtures and related health impacts. A total of 43 studies were identified, in which endpoints for the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), the estrogen receptor (ER), and the androgen receptor (AR) were used. The majority of studies reported biological activities that could be associated with breast cancer incidence, male reproductive health effects, developmental toxicities, human demographic characteristics or lifestyle factors such as dietary patterns. A few studies used the bioactivities to check the coverage of the chemical analyses of the human samples, whereas in vitro assays have so far not regularly been used for identifying CECs in human samples, but rather in environmental matrices or food packaging materials. A huge field of novel applications using receptor-based in vitro assays for mixture toxicity assessment on human samples and effect-directed analysis (EDA) using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for identification of toxic compounds waits for exploration. In the future this could lead to a paradigm shift in the way we unravel adverse human health effects caused by chemical mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Vinggaard
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark; Greenland's Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Dep of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Mariana F Fernandez
- School of Medicine, Center of Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anna Kjerstine Rosenmai
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Camilla Taxvig
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Maria Wielsøe
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Olea
- School of Medicine, Center of Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Timo Hamers
- Vrije Universiteit, Department Environment & Health, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Vrije Universiteit, Department Environment & Health, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Shannon M, Xie Y, Verhaegen S, Wilson J, Berntsen HF, Zimmer KE, Ropstad E, Green BD, Connolly L. A Human Relevant Defined Mixture of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Affects In Vitro Secretion of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1), but Does Not Affect Translocation of Its Receptor. Toxicol Sci 2020; 172:359-367. [PMID: 31432086 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfz192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been suggested as a contributing factor for the increased rate of type 2 diabetes and obesity. A complex mixture of 29 POPs (Total mixture), based on human blood concentrations, was used to expose a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secreting enteroendocrine cell line (pGIP/neo: STC-1) in vitro for 3 and 24 h. Significant increases of GLP-1 occurred when cells were exposed to the Total mixture at ×500 blood levels. Six sub-mixtures representing chlorinated (Cl), brominated (Br), and perfluorinated chemicals (PFAA), and their combinations (Cl + Br, Cl + PFAA, Br + PFAA) were also tested at ×500. Secretion levels seen for these remained lower than the Total mixture, and the Br mixture had no effect. After 24 h, increased secretion was seen with all mixtures at ×1 blood levels. Cytotoxicity was present for ×100 and ×500 blood levels. When tested in a GLP-1 receptor translocation assay (U2OS-GLP1R-EGFP), neither agonistic nor antagonist effects on receptor internalization were seen for any of the mixtures. We conclude individual classes of POPs, alone or in combination, can affect GLP-1 secretion and may contribute as a molecular mechanism linking environmental toxicants and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve Shannon
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Yuling Xie
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Steven Verhaegen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo 0102, Norway
| | - Jodie Wilson
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Hanne F Berntsen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo 0102, Norway.,Department of Administration, Lab Animal Unit, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo 0363, Norway
| | - Karin E Zimmer
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo 0102, Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo 0102, Norway
| | - Brian D Green
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Lisa Connolly
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
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Kassotis CD, Stapleton HM. Endocrine-Mediated Mechanisms of Metabolic Disruption and New Approaches to Examine the Public Health Threat. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:39. [PMID: 30792693 PMCID: PMC6374316 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity and metabolic disorders are of great societal concern and generate substantial human health care costs globally. Interventions have resulted in only minimal impacts on disrupting this worsening health trend, increasing attention on putative environmental contributors. Exposure to numerous environmental contaminants have, over decades, been demonstrated to result in increased metabolic dysfunction and/or weight gain in cell and animal models, and in some cases, even in humans. There are numerous mechanisms through which environmental contaminants may contribute to metabolic dysfunction, though certain mechanisms, such as activation of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma or the retinoid x receptor, have received considerably more attention than less-studied mechanisms such as antagonism of the thyroid receptor, androgen receptor, or mitochondrial toxicity. As such, research on putative metabolic disruptors is growing rapidly, as is our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Concurrent with these advances, new research has evaluated current models of adipogenesis, and new models have been proposed. Only in the last several years have studies really begun to address complex mixtures of contaminants and how these mixtures may disrupt metabolic health in environmentally relevant exposure scenarios. Several studies have begun to assess environmental mixtures from various environments and study the mechanisms underlying their putative metabolic dysfunction; these studies hold real promise in highlighting crucial mechanisms driving observed organismal effects. In addition, high-throughput toxicity databases (ToxCast, etc.) may provide future benefits in prioritizing chemicals for in vivo testing, particularly once the causative molecular mechanisms promoting dysfunction are better understood and expert critiques are used to hone the databases. In this review, we will review the available literature linking metabolic disruption to endocrine-mediated molecular mechanisms, discuss the novel application of environmental mixtures and implications for in vivo metabolic health, and discuss the putative utility of applying high-throughput toxicity databases to answering complex organismal health outcome questions.
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Wielsøe M, Bjerregaard-Olesen C, Kern P, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Receptor activities of persistent pollutant serum mixtures and breast cancer risk. Endocr Relat Cancer 2018; 25:201-215. [PMID: 29237712 DOI: 10.1530/erc-17-0366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Studies on associations between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and breast cancer risk are inconclusive. The majority of studies have evaluated the effect of single compounds, without considering multiple exposures to and interactions between different POPs. The present study aimed at evaluating breast cancer risk related to combined effects of serum POP mixtures on cellular receptor functions. Data on breast cancer cases (n = 77) and controls (n = 84) were collected among Greenlandic Inuit women. Serum mixtures of lipophilic POPs (lipPOPs), perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and dioxin-like POPs were extracted. The effect of the mixture extracts on the estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was determined using cell culture reporter gene assays. The serum mixtures were analyzed alone and upon co-exposure with natural receptor ligands to determine agonistic and antagonistic/competitive activity. We found that the frequency of lipPOP mixtures eliciting no, decreasing, or agonizing xenoandrogenic effect differed by breast cancer status. Using lipPOP mixtures with no effect on AR as reference, the mixtures with decreasing effects reduced breast cancer risk (OR: 0.30 (0.12; 0.76)). The AhR-toxic equivalent of serum mixtures was significantly lower in cases than in controls, and a reduced breast cancer risk was found when comparing the third tertile to the first (OR: 0.34 (0.14; 0.83)). We found no association between the xenoestrogenic activities of lipPOPs or PFAAs and breast cancer risk. Serum lipPOP mixtures are hormone disruptive and may influence breast cancer risk, whereas PFAAs seem to influence breast cancer risk through other pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wielsøe
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Christian Bjerregaard-Olesen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peder Kern
- Department of Gynecology and ObstetricsDronning Ingrid's Hospital, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute for Nursing and Health ScienceUniversity of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
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Ueker ME, Silva VM, Moi GP, Pignati WA, Mattos IE, Silva AMC. Parenteral exposure to pesticides and occurence of congenital malformations: hospital-based case-control study. BMC Pediatr 2016; 16:125. [PMID: 27520287 PMCID: PMC4983026 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-016-0667-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Most fetal defects are associated with genetic and environmental causes, among them, exposure of pregnant women to intensive pesticide use. Agribusiness is the economic basis of the state of Mato Grosso, the largest consumer of pesticides of all Brazilian states. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between past parental exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of congenital malformations in children in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Methods This hospital-based case–control study was conducted in Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso, from March to October 2011. Data was collected in all public, private, and health plan referral hospitals that provide care for pregnant women in the state of Mato Grosso and were situated in Cuiabá. Cases were children under 5 years of age with congenital malformations classified in Chapter XVIII of the International Classification of Diseases-10 and controls were children within the same age range, without congenital malformations, treated at the same hospitals. Malformation-related data was obtained from the patients’ medical records. Socioeconomic data and information about parental exposure to pesticides were obtained in an interview with the mother using a standardized questionnaire. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to assess the relation between parent report of past pesticide use and congenital malformations. We also assessed effect modification to verify whether low maternal education level modified the association between exposure and our outcome. Results We observed positive effect modification of the association of paternal past exposure to pesticide and congenital malformation in the offspring by maternal education for mothers with low educational level (OR = 8.40, 95 % CI 2.17–32.52), father’s work related to farming (OR = 4.65, 95 % CI 1.03–20.98) and paternal past exposure to pesticides (OR = 4.15, 95 % CI 1.24–13.66). Conclusion These findings provide further evidence that paternal exposure to pesticides, especially when associated with a low maternal education level, may be related to higher rates of fetal malformation in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marly Eliane Ueker
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa, 2367. CCBSIII Block, 2nd floor. Boa Esperança, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Vivianne Monteiro Silva
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa, 2367. CCBSIII Block, 2nd floor. Boa Esperança, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | | | - Wanderley Antonio Pignati
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa, 2367. CCBSIII Block, 2nd floor. Boa Esperança, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | | | - Ageo Mário Cândido Silva
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa, 2367. CCBSIII Block, 2nd floor. Boa Esperança, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil. .,University Center of Várzea Grande (UNIVAG/MT), Várzea Grande, Brazil.
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Long M, Knudsen AKS, Pedersen HS, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Food intake and serum persistent organic pollutants in the Greenlandic pregnant women: The ACCEPT sub-study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 529:198-212. [PMID: 26011616 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The Greenlandic Inuit have high blood concentrations of environmental persistent organic pollutants (POPs). High POP concentrations have been associated with age, smoking and consumption of marine mammals. Studies have indicated that exposure to POPs during pregnancy may adversely affect fetal and child development. To assess geographical differences in diet, lifestyle and environmental contaminant exposure among pregnant women in Greenland, blood samples and questionnaire data were collected from 207 pregnant women in five Greenlandic regions (North, Disco Bay, West, South and East). Blood samples were analyzed for 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 14 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 5 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 15 perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) and 63 metals. A trend of higher intake of marine mammals in the East and North regions was reflected by a higher n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio. Participants in the East region tended also to have higher intake of terrestrial species. A significant higher seabird intake was seen for pregnant women in the West region. Significant regional differences were found for blood concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, PFASs and mercury, with higher levels in the North and East regions. PFASs were significantly associated with PCBs and OCPs in most of the regions. In the North region, PFASs were associated with both selenium and mercury. No significant regional difference was observed for PBDEs. The regional differences of blood levels of POPs and mercury were related to differences in intake of the traditional food. Compared to earlier reports, decreased levels of legacy POPs, Hg and Pb and perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid were observed, but the levels of PFAS congeners perfluorohexane sulfonate and perfluorononanoic acid were sustained. The detection of POPs and heavy metals in maternal blood indicates fetal exposure to these compounds possibly influencing fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Ane-Kersti Skaarup Knudsen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | | | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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10
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Singh K, Bjerregaard P, Chan HM. Association between environmental contaminants and health outcomes in indigenous populations of the Circumpolar North. Int J Circumpolar Health 2014; 73:25808. [PMID: 25491153 PMCID: PMC4261238 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v73.25808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Revised: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 10/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since the 1990s, research has been carried out to monitor environmental contaminants and their effects on human health in the Arctic. Although evidence shows that Arctic indigenous peoples are exposed to higher levels of contaminants and do worse on several dimensions of health compared with other populations, the contribution of such exposures on adverse outcomes is unclear. Objective The purpose of this review is to provide a synopsis of the published epidemiological literature that has examined association between environmental contaminants and health outcomes in Arctic indigenous populations. Design A literature search was conducted in OVID Medline (1946-January 2014) using search terms that combined concepts of contaminant and indigenous populations in the Arctic. No language or date restrictions were applied. The reference lists of review articles were hand-searched. Results Of 559 citations, 60 studies were relevant. The studies fell under the following categories: paediatric (n=18), reproductive health (n=18), obstetrics and gynaecology (n=9), cardiology (n=7), bone health (n=2), oncology (n=2), endocrinology (n=2) and other (n=2). All studies, except one from Arctic Finland, were either from Nunavik or Greenland. Most studies assessed polychlorinated biphenyls (n=43) and organochlorine pesticides (n=29). Fewer studies examined heavy metals, perfluorinated compounds, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Details of study results for each health category are provided. Conclusions It is difficult to make conclusive statements about the effects of environmental contaminants on health due to mixed results, small number of studies and studies being restricted to a small number of regions. Meta-analytical synthesis of the evidence should be considered for priority contaminants and health outcomes. The following research gaps should be addressed in future studies: association of contaminants and health in other Arctic regions (i.e. Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, Alaska, European North and Russian North); assessment of contaminants on chronic diseases; inclusion of clinical endpoints in assessments; and assessment of the emerging contaminants of perfluorinated compounds and polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Bjerregaard
- Department of Health, Centre for Health Research in Greenland, Greenland Government and University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Canada Research Chair in Toxicology and Environmental Health, Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada;
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11
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Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Ghisari M, Wielsøe M, Bjerregaard-Olesen C, Kjeldsen LS, Long M. Biomonitoring and hormone-disrupting effect biomarkers of persistent organic pollutants in vitro and ex vivo. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2014; 115:118-28. [PMID: 24797035 PMCID: PMC4270256 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.12263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) include lipophilic legacy POPs and the amphiphilic perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs). They have long half-lives and bioaccumulate in the environment, animals and human beings. POPs possess toxic, carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting potentials. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are compounds that either mimic or block endogenous hormones and thus disrupt the normal hormone homeostasis. Biomonitoring assesses the internal doses of a person to provide information about chemical exposures. Effect biomarkers assess chemicals potential to affect cellular functions in vivo/ex vivo. Human beings are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals, having individually very different biological potentials and effects. Therefore, the assessment of the combined, integrated biological effect of the actual chemical mixture in human blood is important. In vitro and ex vivo cell systems have been introduced for the assessment of the integrated level of xenobiotic cellular effects in human beings. Ex vivo studies have shown geographical differences in bioaccumulated POP serum levels, being reflected by the combined biomarker effects of the complex mixture extracted from human serum. Xenohormone receptor transactivities can be used as an ex vivo integrated biomarker of POP exposure and effects. Epidemiological and in vitro/ex vivo studies have supported the potential impact of the combined effect of serum POPs on the activity of hormone and/or dioxin receptors as a risk factor for human health. With focus on hormone disruption, this MiniReview will give an update on recent POP-related endocrine-disrupting effects in vitro/ex vivo/in vivo and some related genetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Arctic Health & Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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12
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Long M, Strand J, Lassen P, Krüger T, Dahllöf I, Bossi R, Larsen MM, Wiberg-Larsen P, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Endocrine-disrupting effects of compounds in Danish streams. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2014; 66:1-18. [PMID: 24145922 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-013-9959-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Effluents from municipal wastewater-treatment plants and scattered dwellings, as well as runoff from agricultural fields, are sources of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the aquatic environment. The present study investigated the correlation between the occurrence of EDCs in nine Danish streams using passive samplers (polar organic integrative samplers and silicone membranes) and determined their possible biological effects as assessed by mammal cell cultures and the mussel (Unio tumidus). The passive samplers and mussels were exposed simultaneously at the study sites. The extracts from the passive samplers were used to measure the concentrations of EDCs and the biological effects on the estrogen (ER), androgen (AR), and aryl hydrocarbon (AhR)-receptor transactivation. Male mussels were investigated for biomarkers of endocrine effects, such as the levels of vitellogenin-like proteins measured as alkali-labile phosphate (ALP). EDC concentrations, hormone-receptor transactivation (ER, AR, AhR), and level of ALP were greater downstream of wastewater-treatment plants compared with upstream sites and sites supposed to be relatively nonimpacted by wastewater. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between in vitro AhR transactivation and frequency of ALP of male mussels. We conclude that wastewater effluent is an important source of endocrine-disrupting effects in the aquatic environment and that the combination of biological effect measurements and chemical analyses based on passive sampling is useful in the assessment of the ecological state of the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhai Long
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Public Health, Centre for Arctic Health, Aarhus University, BartholinsAllé 2, Building 1260, 8000, Århus C, Denmark,
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13
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Krüger T, Long M, Ghisari M, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. The combined effect of persistent organic pollutants in the serum POP mixture in Greenlandic Inuit: xenoestrogenic, xenoandrogenic and dioxin-like transactivities. Biomarkers 2012; 17:692-705. [PMID: 23030067 DOI: 10.3109/1354750x.2012.700950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Greenlandic Inuit have high body burden of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). We analyzed the combined effect of the actual lipophilic serum POP mixture on estrogen-, androgen- and aryl hydrocarbon-receptor functions as effect biomarkers, and the associations between the effect biomarkers and serum POPs, and lifestyle characteristics. The serum POPs were extracted from 232 Inuit from Ittoqqortoormiit, Narsaq and Qeqertarsuaq. The POP-related receptor transactivities correlated negatively to the POP levels and were associated to the lifestyle characteristics. The POP-related receptor transactivities can be used as effect biomarkers. The serum POPs have hormone disruptive potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Krüger
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Arctic Health & Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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14
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Bonefeld-Jorgensen EC, Long M, Bossi R, Ayotte P, Asmund G, Krüger T, Ghisari M, Mulvad G, Kern P, Nzulumiki P, Dewailly E. Perfluorinated compounds are related to breast cancer risk in Greenlandic Inuit: a case control study. Environ Health 2011; 10:88. [PMID: 21978366 PMCID: PMC3203030 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-10-88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Accepted: 10/06/2011] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer for women in the western world. From very few cases an extraordinary increase in BC was observed in the Inuit population of Greenland and Canada although still lower than in western populations. Previous data suggest that exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) might contribute to the risk of BC. Rat studies showed that perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) cause significantly increase in mammary fibroadenomas. This study aimed at evaluating the association between serum levels of POPs/PFCs in Greenlandic Inuit BC cases and their controls, and whether the combined POP related effect on nuclear hormone receptors affect BC risk. METHODS Thirty-one BC cases and 115 controls were sampled during 2000-2003 from various Greenlandic districts. The serum levels of POPs, PFCs, some metals and the combined serum POP related effect on estrogen- (ER), androgen- (AR) and Ah-receptor (AhR) transactivity were determined. Independent student t-test was used to compare the differences and the odds ratios were estimated by unconditional logistic regression models. RESULTS We observed for the very first time a significant association between serum PFC levels and the risk of BC. The BC cases also showed a significantly higher concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls at the highest quartile. Also for the combined serum POP induced agonistic AR transactivity significant association to BC risk was found, and cases elicited a higher frequency of samples with significant POP related hormone-like agonistic ER transactivity. The AhR toxic equivalent was lowest in cases. CONCLUSIONS The level of serum POPs, particularly PFCs, might be risk factors in the development of BC in Inuit. Hormone disruption by the combined serum POP related xenoestrogenic and xenoandrogenic activities may contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer in Inuit. Further investigations are needed to document these study conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Bonefeld-Jorgensen
- Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Rossana Bossi
- National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Gert Asmund
- National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Tanja Krüger
- Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Mandana Ghisari
- Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | | | - Peder Kern
- Dronning Ingrids Hospital, Nuuk Greenland
| | | | - Eric Dewailly
- Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
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15
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Sharpe RM. Environmental/lifestyle effects on spermatogenesis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2010; 365:1697-712. [PMID: 20403879 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The high incidence of low sperm counts in young (European) men and evidence for declining sperm counts in recent decades mean that the environmental/lifestyle impact on spermatogenesis is an important health issue. This review assesses potential causes involving adverse effects on testis development in perinatal life (primarily effects on Sertoli cell number), which are probably irreversible, or effects on the process of spermatogenesis in adulthood, which are probably mainly reversible. Several lifestyle-related (obesity, smoking) and environmental (exposure to traffic exhaust fumes, dioxins, combustion products) factors appear to negatively affect both the perinatal and adult testes, emphasizing the importance of environmental/lifestyle impacts throughout the life course. Apart from this, public concern about adverse effects of environmental chemicals (ECs) (pesticides, food additives, persistent pollutants such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls) on spermatogenesis in adult men are, in general, not supported by the available data for humans. Where adverse effects of ECs have been shown, they are usually in an occupational setting rather than applying to the general population. In contrast, a modern Western lifestyle (sedentary work/lifestyle, obesity) is potentially damaging to sperm production. Spermatogenesis in normal men is poorly organized and inefficient so that men are poorly placed to cope with environmental/lifestyle insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Sharpe
- MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Centre for Reproductive Biology, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
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16
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Krüger T, Ghisari M, Hjelmborg PS, Deutch B, Bonefeld-Jorgensen EC. Xenohormone transactivities are inversely associated to serum POPs in Inuit. Environ Health 2008; 7:38. [PMID: 18627625 PMCID: PMC2503956 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2008] [Accepted: 07/15/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are highly lipophilic and resistant to biodegradation and found in e.g. seafood and marine mammals. Greenlandic Inuit have high intake of marine food and thus high POP burden that varies according to local conditions and dietary preference. We do for the very first time report the serum POP related non-steroidal xenohormone activity of Inuit across Greenland. The aims were 1) to determine the integrated xenohormone bioactivities as an exposure biomarker of the actual lipophilic serum POP mixture measuring the effect on estrogen (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) transactivity in citizens from different Greenlandic districts and 2) to evaluate associations to serum POP markers (14 PCBs and 10 pesticides) and lifestyle characteristics. METHODS Serum samples from 121 men and 119 women from Nuuk, Sisimiut and Qaanaaq were extracted using SPE-HPLC fractionation to obtain the serum POP fraction free of endogenous hormones. The serum POP fraction was used for determination of xenohormone transactivity using ER and AR reporter gene assays. RESULTS In overall, the xenohormone transactivities differed between districts as well as between the genders. Associations between the transactivities and age, n-3/n-6 and smoker years were observed. The xenoestrogenic and xenoandrogenic transactivities correlated negatively to the POPs for the combined female and male data, respectively. CONCLUSION The non-steroidal xenohormone transactivities can be used as an integrated biomarker of POP exposure and lifestyle characteristics. The actual serum POP mixtures antagonized the age adjusted sex hormone receptor functions. Comparison of different study populations requires in addition to age inclusion of diet and lifestyle factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Krüger
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Mandana Ghisari
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Philip S Hjelmborg
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Bente Deutch
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Eva C Bonefeld-Jorgensen
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Centre for Arctic Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, Build 1260, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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17
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Bonde JP, Toft G, Rylander L, Rignell-Hydbom A, Giwercman A, Spano M, Manicardi GC, Bizzaro D, Ludwicki JK, Zvyezday V, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Pedersen HS, Jönsson BAG, Thulstrup AM. Fertility and markers of male reproductive function in Inuit and European populations spanning large contrasts in blood levels of persistent organochlorines. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:269-77. [PMID: 18335090 PMCID: PMC2265036 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2007] [Accepted: 11/23/2007] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We synthesized the main findings from an international epidemiologic study on the impact of biopersistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human reproductive function. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION We used a database with interview and biological data from 2,269 women and their spouses, and 18 published core papers. DATA SYNTHESIS The study did not provide direct evidence of hormone-like activity of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener CB-153 and the main dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolite, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as serum concentrations of these compounds were not consistently related to either endogenous or exogenous hormone activity in serum. Nevertheless several links bewteen POP exposure and biomarkers of male reproductive function were identified. First, an association between high CB-153 serum levels and low sperm counts was detected within a subgroup of men with short androgen receptor CAG repeat length. Second, a relationship between increased CB-153 serum concentrations and decreased sperm motility was seen in all four studied regions, and indications of reduced neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in seminal plasma point to a post-testicular effect. Third, damage of sperm chromatin integrity was considerably less frequent in Greenlandic Inuits compared with that in European groups, and only in the latter was impairment of sperm chromatin integrity related to POPs. Despite these effects, fertility in terms of time taken to conceive was not related to POPs except in Inuits. A likely explanation of the latter was not identified. CONCLUSIONS POPs may interfere with male reproductive function without major impact on fertility. The data do not provide direct evidence for endocrine disruption, hence other mechanisms should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Peter Bonde
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Arhus, Denmark.
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18
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Toft G, Long M, Krüger T, Hjelmborg PS, Bonde JP, Rignell-Hydbom A, Tyrkiel E, Hagmar L, Giwercman A, Spanó M, Bizzaro D, Pedersen HS, Lesovoy V, Ludwicki JK, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Semen quality in relation to xenohormone and dioxin-like serum activity among Inuits and three European populations. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115 Suppl 1:15-20. [PMID: 18174945 PMCID: PMC2174408 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2006] [Accepted: 09/05/2006] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Semen quality in humans may be influenced by exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds. OBJECTIVES We analyzed associations between semen characteristics and serum xenoestrogen receptor (XER), xenoandrogen receptor (XAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transactivity. XER and XAR activity were measured in serum samples cleared for endogenous steroid hormones and AhR activity in raw lipophilic serum extracts free of proteins. RESULTS All together, 319 men from Warsaw (Poland), Greenland, Kharkiv (Ukraine), and Sweden provided semen and blood samples. No strong and consistent associations between xenobiotic activity and semen quality measures were observed in the four populations. However, when the data were combined across populations sperm concentration increased 40% per unit increase in XER activity [95% confidence interval (CI), 1-79%] in the subgroup with XER activity below the reference level. Among subjects with XER activity above the reference level an increase of 14% (95% CI, 2-28%) was found. Furthermore, an increase of 10% motile sperm per unit increase in XER activity below reference level (95% CI, 0.2-20) was found. We are unable to exclude that the associations are chance findings. CONCLUSION Alteration of XER, XAR, or AhR transactivity within the range found in serum from the general European and Inuit population seems not to markedly deteriorate sperm cell concentration, motility, or morphology in adult men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Toft
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
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