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Shi W, Zhang Z, Li M, Dong H, Li J. Reproductive toxicity of PFOA, PFOS and their substitutes: A review based on epidemiological and toxicological evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118485. [PMID: 38373549 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118485] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have already drawn a lot of attention for their accumulation and reproductive toxicity in organisms. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanoic sulfonate (PFOS), two representative PFAS, are toxic to humans and animals. Due to their widespread use in environmental media with multiple toxicities, PFOA and PFOS have been banned in numerous countries, and many substitutes have been produced to meet market requirements. Unfortunately, most alternatives to PFOA and PFOS have proven to be cumulative and highly toxic. Of the reported multiple organ toxicities, reproductive toxicity deserves special attention. It has been confirmed through epidemiological studies that PFOS and PFOA are not only associated with reduced testosterone levels in humans, but also with an association with damage to the integrity of the blood testicular barrier. In addition, for women, PFOA and PFOS are correlated with abnormal sex hormone levels, and increase the risk of infertility and abnormal menstrual cycle. Nevertheless, there is controversial evidence on the epidemiological relationship that exists between PFOA and PFOS as well as sperm quality and reproductive hormones, while the evidence from animal studies is relatively consistent. Based on the published papers, the potential toxicity mechanisms for PFOA, PFOS and their substitutes were reviewed. For males, PFOA and PFOS may produce reproductive toxicity in the following five ways: (1) Apoptosis and autophagy in spermatogenic cells; (2) Apoptosis and differentiation disorders of Leydig cells; (3) Oxidative stress in sperm and disturbance of Ca2+ channels in sperm membrane; (4) Degradation of delicate intercellular junctions between Sertoli cells; (5) Activation of brain nuclei and shift of hypothalamic metabolome. For females, PFOA and PFOS may produce reproductive toxicity in the following five ways: (1) Damage to oocytes through oxidative stress; (2) Inhibition of corpus luteum function; (3) Inhibition of steroid hormone synthesis; (4) Damage to follicles by affecting gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC); (5) Inhibition of placental function. Besides, PFAS substitutes show similar reproductive toxicity with PFOA and PFOS, and are even more toxic to the placenta. Finally, based on the existing knowledge, future developments and direction of efforts in this field are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshan Shi
- School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zengli Zhang
- School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Mei Li
- School of Civil Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, 215011, China
| | - Huiyu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jiafu Li
- School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
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Alamo A, La Vignera S, Mogioì LM, Crafa A, Barbagallo F, Cannarella R, Aversa A, Calogero AE, Condorelli RA. In-Vitro Effects of Perfluorooctanoic Acid on Human Sperm Function: What Are the Clinical Consequences? J Clin Med 2024; 13:2201. [PMID: 38673474 PMCID: PMC11050799 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13082201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Lifestyle and environmental pollution harm male fertility. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are bio-accumulates in the environment as well as in several human tissues, and one of the most common PFAS is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effects of PFOA with hydrophobic and waterproofing properties on motility and bio-functional sperm parameters. Methods: To accomplish this, 50 healthy men with normozoospermia and not exposed to high doses of PFAS were enrolled. Their spermatozoa were incubated for 3 h with increasing concentrations of PFOA (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mM) to evaluate its effects. In particular, we evaluated the effects of PFOA on total and progressive sperm motility and, by flow cytometry, on the following bio-functional sperm parameters: degree of chromatin compactness, viability, early and late apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, the degree of lipoperoxidation, and concentrations of mitochondrial superoxide anion. Results: The results showed that PFOA decreased both total and progressive sperm motility, impaired chromatin compactness, and increased sperm lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial superoxide anion levels. Conclusions: This study showed that PFOA alters several sperm parameters and thus it may play a negative role in male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Alamo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Sandro La Vignera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Laura M. Mogioì
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Andrea Crafa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Federica Barbagallo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Antonio Aversa
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rosita A. Condorelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (L.M.M.); (A.C.); (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
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Sang L, Ge Y, Liu F, Wei K, Shen X, Zhang Y, Li Z, Lu W, Gao X, Zhang Y. Association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and sex hormone levels in males based on human studies. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115998. [PMID: 38262091 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115998] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous chemicals in the environment and our daily lives. Several epidemiological studies have revealed that PFAS exposure is linked to male sex hormone levels; however, the conclusions are inconsistent across studies. Consequently, we performed a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the association between PFAS exposure and male sex hormones. METHODS The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) standards were followed during the meta-analysis. PubMed, Wed of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Ovid databases were used to identify suitable articles before June 2023. The 95% CI and β values were calculated to assess the association between male sex hormone levels and PFAS exposure. Heterogeneity among the included studies was tested using inconsistency statistics (I2). RESULTS The literature search identified 12 published articles that met our search criteria, involving 7506 participants. Our results revealed that perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposures were negatively correlated with testosterone (β = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.09, -0.02, P = 0.003) and (β = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.08, 0.00, P = 0.049), respectively. CONCLUSION Exposure to PFNA and PFOA is negatively correlated with changes in male testosterone levels. This correlation suggests that we need to pay attention in the future to whether they are potential risk factors for male reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingli Sang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Yue Ge
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Fucun Liu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Kai Wei
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Xingyu Shen
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Wencen Lu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China
| | - Xia Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, XuZhou 2210000, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, China.
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Niu Z, Duan L, Du Y, Yu F, Chen R, Li Z, Ba Y, Zhou G. Effect of zinc intake on association between fluoride exposure and abnormal sex steroid hormones among US pubertal males: NHANES, 2013-2016. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:2759-2772. [PMID: 38063965 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31135-x] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Excessive fluoride exposure can disturb the balance of sex hormones. Zinc is essential for sex hormone synthesis and spermatogenesis. But it is not clear how zinc affects the relationship of fluoride exposure with abnormal sex steroid hormones. Here, a total of 1008 pubertal males from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in two cycles (2013-2014, 2015-2016) were enrolled. The concentrations of water fluoride and plasma fluoride and the levels of serum testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured. Two 24-h dietary recall interviews were conducted to assess the dietary zinc intake. The relationships of fluoride exposure and zinc intake with sex hormones were examined using linear regression and logistic regression models, while the generalized additive model was used to evaluate their non-linear relationship. Our findings revealed that for every two-fold increase in plasma fluoride concentration, testosterone levels decreased by 7.27% (95% CI - 11.49%, - 2.86%) and estradiol levels decreased by 8.73% (95% CI - 13.61%, - 3.57%). There was also significant non-linear association observed between zinc intake and SHBG levels. Being in the first tertile of plasma fluoride had a 60% lower risk of high SHBG (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.18, 0.89) compared with being in the second tertile. When compared to the first tertile, being in the second tertile of zinc intake was associated with a 63% (OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.14, 0.98) lower risk of high SHBG. Furthermore, we observed an interactive effect between the plasma fluoride and zinc intake on estradiol and SHBG, as well as the risk of high SHBG (P-interaction < 0.10). These findings suggest that fluoride exposure and zinc intake can affect sex steroid hormone levels and the risk of high SHBG. Notably, zinc intake may alleviate the increased risk of high SHBG and the abnormal changes of estradiol and SHBG caused by higher fluoride exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyuan Niu
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Leizhen Duan
- Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhui Du
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangfang Yu
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiqin Chen
- Jinshui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Ba
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
- Yellow River Institute for Ecological Protection & Regional Coordinated Development, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoyu Zhou
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China.
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, Henan Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
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Donato F, Rota M, Ceretti E, Viola GCV, Marullo M, Zani D, Amoresano A, Fontanarosa C, Spinelli M, Lorenzetti S, Montano L. Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Semen Quality in Healthy Young Men Living in a Contaminated Area. TOXICS 2023; 12:6. [PMID: 38276719 PMCID: PMC10820147 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors that have been implicated in potential damage to human semen. However, the studies conducted so far provide contrasting results. Our study aimed to investigate the associations between PCB serum and semen levels and semen quality in high school and university students living in a highly PCB-polluted area of Italy. Subjects with a normal body mass index who did not make daily use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or medication were selected. All participants provided a fasting blood and a semen sample. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of 26 PCB congeners. The concentrations of PCB functional groups and total PCBs were also computed. A total of 143 subjects (median age 20, range 18-22 years) were enrolled. The median total PCB concentrations were 3.85 ng/mL (range 3.43-4.56 ng/mL) and 0.29 ng/mL (range 0.26-0.32 ng/mL) in serum and semen, respectively. The analysis of the associations between sperm PCB concentration and semen parameters showed (a) negative associations between some PCB congeners, functional groups and total PCBs and sperm total motility; (b) negative associations of total PCBs with sperm normal morphology; and (c) no association of PCBs with sperm concentration. Subjects at the highest quartile of semen total PCB concentration had 19% and 23% mean reductions in total motility and normal morphology, respectively, compared to those at the lowest quartile. The analysis of the associations of serum PCB levels with sperm parameters yielded null or mixed (some positive, other negative) results. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence of a negative effect of some PCB congeners and total PCBs in semen on sperm motility and normal morphology. However, the associations between the concentration of serum and semen PCB congeners and functional groups and sperm quality parameters were inconsistent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Donato
- Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.); (G.C.V.V.); (M.M.)
| | - Matteo Rota
- Unit of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Elisabetta Ceretti
- Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.); (G.C.V.V.); (M.M.)
| | - Gaia Claudia Viviana Viola
- Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.); (G.C.V.V.); (M.M.)
| | - Monica Marullo
- Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.); (G.C.V.V.); (M.M.)
| | - Danilo Zani
- Unit of Urology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.A.); (C.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Carolina Fontanarosa
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.A.); (C.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Michele Spinelli
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.A.); (C.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Stefano Lorenzetti
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Luigi Montano
- Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (EcoFoodFertility Project), “Oliveto Citra Hospital”, 84020 Salerno, Italy
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Mínguez-Alarcón L, Gaskins AJ, Meeker JD, Braun JM, Chavarro JE. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and male reproductive health. Fertil Steril 2023; 120:1138-1149. [PMID: 37827483 PMCID: PMC10841502 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Modifiable factors, such as environmental exposures, can impact human fertility. The objective of this review is to summarize the potential effects of exposure to important endocrine-disrupting chemicals on male reproductive health. Most experimental and animal data demonstrate strong evidence for the negative effects of exposure to phenols, phthalates, pesticides, and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances on male reproductive health. Although evidence of negative associations in humans was overall strong for phthalates and pesticides, limited and inconclusive relationships were found for the other examined chemical biomarkers. Reasons for the discrepancies in results include but are not limited to, differences in study populations, exposure concentrations, number of samples collected, sample sizes, study design, and residual confounding. Additional studies are needed, particularly for newer phenols and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, given the scarce literature on the topic and increasing exposures over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
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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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8
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Zhang M, Rifas-Shiman SL, Aris IM, Fleisch AF, Lin PID, Nichols AR, Oken E, Hivert MF. Associations of Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Exposures with Offspring Adiposity and Body Composition at 16-20 Years of Age: Project Viva. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127002. [PMID: 38054701 PMCID: PMC10699168 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Findings on the associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and offspring adiposity are inconsistent. Whether such associations may extend to adolescence is especially understudied. OBJECTIVES We investigated associations of prenatal PFAS exposures with offspring adiposity and body composition at 16-20 years of age. METHODS We studied 545 mother-child pairs in the prospective prebirth cohort Project Viva (Boston, Massachusetts). We measured six PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA) in maternal early pregnancy (median age = 9.6 wk , range: 5.7-19.6 wk) plasma samples. At the late adolescence visit (median age = 17.4 y, range: 15.9-20.0 y), we obtained anthropometric measures and assessed body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We examined associations of individual PFAS with obesity [i.e., age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95 th percentile] and adiposity and body composition using multivariable Poisson and linear regression models, respectively. We assessed PFAS mixture effects using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile g-computation. We used fractional-polynomial models to assess BMI trajectories (at 3-20 years of age) by prenatal PFAS levels. RESULTS Thirteen percent (n = 73 ) of the children had obesity in late adolescence. After multivariable adjustment, higher prenatal PFAS concentrations were associated with higher obesity risk [e.g., 1.59 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.12), 1.24 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.57), and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.99) times the obesity risk per doubling of PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA, respectively]. BKMR showed an interaction between PFOA and PFOS, where the positive association between PFOS and obesity was stronger when PFOA levels were lower. Each quartile increment of the PFAS mixture was associated with 1.52 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.25) times the obesity risk and 0.52 (95% CI: - 0.02 , 1.06) kg / m 2 higher BMI. Children with higher prenatal PFOS, EtFOSAA, and MeFOSAA concentrations had higher rates of BMI increase starting from 9-11 years of age. DISCUSSION Prenatal PFAS exposures may have obesogenic effects into late adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12597.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Izzuddin M. Aris
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Abby F. Fleisch
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, Maine, USA
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - Pi-I Debby Lin
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amy R. Nichols
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Daugherty S, Mulabagal V, Hayworth J, Akingbemi BT. Legacy and Emerging Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Regulate Steroidogenesis in the Male Gonad. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad142. [PMID: 37767721 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in a variety of industrial processes and manufacturing of consumer products. Current efforts by the manufacturing industry will limit use of long-chain or legacy PFAS represented by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and replace with short-chain or emerging PFAS such as perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). However, there is little to no information on the toxicity of new and emerging PFAS. Therefore, we performed experiments in growing Long-Evans male rats to investigate effects of low-dose prepubertal and pubertal exposures to PFAS on gonadal steroid hormone secretion. The results demonstrated that both legacy and emerging PFAS have the capacity to regulate testicular steroidogenesis. For instance, prepubertal exposures to PFOS, PFBA, and PFBS increased serum and testicular testosterone concentrations. Exposure to PFBA increased testicular 17β-estradiol (E2) concentrations, and PFOS and PFBS both decreased serum E2 concentrations while stimulating testicular E2 secretion. The data also demonstrated additive effects due to legacy and emerging PFAS mixtures compared with the individual chemicals. The gonadal effects due to PFAS exposures occurred at nanomolar concentrations, which approximate PFAS levels in the environment. Taken together, the present study supports the need for development of cost-effective and sustainable filtration media for different processes to remove PFAS from water and other sources of exposure. Current action by regulatory agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency to limit use of PFAS in the manufacture of consumer products will protect public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Daugherty
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849, USA
| | - Vanisree Mulabagal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849, USA
| | - Joel Hayworth
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849, USA
| | - Benson T Akingbemi
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849, USA
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10
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Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Remy S, Koppen G, Wauters N, Freire C, Olivas-Martínez A, Schillemans T, Åkesson A, Desalegn A, Iszatt N, den Hond E, Verheyen V, Fábelová L, Murinova LP, Pedraza-Díaz S, Castaño A, García-Lario JV, Cox B, Govarts E, Baken K, Tena-Sempere M, Olea N, Schoeters G, Fernández MF. PFAS association with kisspeptin and sex hormones in teenagers of the HBM4EU aligned studies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 335:122214. [PMID: 37482334 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122214] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAS) can impair human reproductive function, e.g., by delaying or advancing puberty, although their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. We therefore set out to evaluate the relationship between serum PFAS levels, both individually and as a mixture, on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis by analyzing serum levels of reproductive hormones and also kisspeptin in European teenagers participating in three of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. For this purpose, PFAS compounds were measured in 733 teenagers from Belgium (FLEHS IV study), Slovakia (PCB cohort follow-up), and Spain (BEA study) by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) in laboratories under the HBM4EU quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) program. In the same serum samples, kisspeptin 54 (kiss-54) protein, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were also measured using immunosorbent assays. Sex-stratified single pollutant linear regression models for separate studies, mixed single pollutant models accounting for random effects for pooled studies, and g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models for the mixture of the three most available (PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS) were fit. PFAS associations with reproductive markers differed according to sex. Each natural log-unit increase of PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS were associated with higher TT [18.41 (6.18; 32.31), 15.60 (7.25; 24.61), 14.68 (6.18; 24.61), respectively] in girls, in the pooled analysis (all studies together). In males, G-computation showed that PFAS mixture was associated with lower FSH levels [-10.51 (-18.81;-1.36)]. The BKMR showed the same patterns observed in G-computation, including a significant increase on male Kiss-54 and SHBG levels. Overall, effect biomarkers may enhance the current epidemiological knowledge regarding the adverse effect of PFAS in human HPG axis, although further research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rodríguez-Carrillo
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium; Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Gudrun Koppen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Natasha Wauters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Carmen Freire
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Tessa Schillemans
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Agneta Åkesson
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anteneh Desalegn
- Division of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
| | | | - Veerle Verheyen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Lucia Fábelová
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Argelia Castaño
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Bianca Cox
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Kirsten Baken
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Manuel Tena-Sempere
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004., Córdoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, Km. 396. 14071. Córdoba, Spain; University Hospital Reina Sofía, Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004, Córdoba, Spain; CIBER Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition, Carlos III Health Institute, Menéndez Pidal s/n. 14004. Córdoba, Spain
| | - Nicolás Olea
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Greet Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), 2400, Mol, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain.
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11
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Shu Y, Wang Q, Hong P, Ruan Y, Lin H, Xu J, Zhang H, Deng S, Wu H, Chen L, Leung KMY. Legacy and Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Surveillance in Bufo gargarizans from Inlet Watersheds of Chaohu Lake, China: Tissue Distribution and Bioaccumulation Potential. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13148-13160. [PMID: 37565447 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are sensitive biomonitors of environmental pollutants but reports regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic organofluorine substances, are limited. In this study, samples of water and Chinese toads (Bufo gargarizans) were collected in Chaohu Lake, China. Tissue-specific bioaccumulation characteristics of 39 PFAS, including 19 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), 8 emerging PFAS, and 12 PFAA precursors, were investigated, and the levels of some biochemical indicators were determined. The highest PFAS concentrations were found in the liver [215.97 ng/g dry weight (dw)] of Chinese toads, followed by gonads (135.42 ng/g dw) and intestine (114.08 ng/g dw). A similar tissue distribution profile was found between legacy and emerging PFAS in the toads, and the occurrence of two emerging PFAS, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-propanoate (HFPO-DA) and 6:2 hydrogen-substituted polyfluorooctane ether sulfonate (6:2 H-PFESA) in the amphibians were for the first time reported. Field-based bioaccumulation factors of HFPO-DA were higher than perfluorooctanoic acid, indicating the higher bioaccumulation potential of this emerging PFAS than the legacy C8 compound. Males had significantly higher gonad PFAS levels than females while estradiol levels in gonads increased with increasing concentrations of certain PFAS (e.g., 6:2 H-PFESA), implying that PFAS may trigger estrogenic effects in the toads, especially for male toads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Shu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Pei Hong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yuefei Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Huiju Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Shuaitao Deng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
- Shanghai Wildlife and Protected Natural Areas Research Center, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Hailong Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Lianguo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kenneth Mei Yee Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
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12
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India-Aldana S, Yao M, Midya V, Colicino E, Chatzi L, Chu J, Gennings C, Jones DP, Loos RJF, Setiawan VW, Smith MR, Walker RW, Barupal D, Walker DI, Valvi D. PFAS Exposures and the Human Metabolome: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies. CURRENT POLLUTION REPORTS 2023; 9:510-568. [PMID: 37753190 PMCID: PMC10520990 DOI: 10.1007/s40726-023-00269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review There is a growing interest in understanding the health effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through the study of the human metabolome. In this systematic review, we aimed to identify consistent findings between PFAS and metabolomic signatures. We conducted a search matching specific keywords that was independently reviewed by two authors on two databases (EMBASE and PubMed) from their inception through July 19, 2022 following PRISMA guidelines. Recent Findings We identified a total of 28 eligible observational studies that evaluated the associations between 31 different PFAS exposures and metabolomics in humans. The most common exposure evaluated was legacy long-chain PFAS. Population sample sizes ranged from 40 to 1,105 participants at different stages across the lifespan. A total of 19 studies used a non-targeted metabolomics approach, 7 used targeted approaches, and 2 included both. The majority of studies were cross-sectional (n = 25), including four with prospective analyses of PFAS measured prior to metabolomics. Summary Most frequently reported associations across studies were observed between PFAS and amino acids, fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, phosphosphingolipids, bile acids, ceramides, purines, and acylcarnitines. Corresponding metabolic pathways were also altered, including lipid, amino acid, carbohydrate, nucleotide, energy metabolism, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins. We found consistent evidence across studies indicating PFAS-induced alterations in lipid and amino acid metabolites, which may be involved in energy and cell membrane disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra India-Aldana
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Meizhen Yao
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Vishal Midya
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Leda Chatzi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck
School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jaime Chu
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Dean P. Jones
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary,
Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ruth J. F. Loos
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Novo Nordisk
Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Veronica W. Setiawan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck
School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mathew Ryan Smith
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary,
Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Ryan W. Walker
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Dinesh Barupal
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Douglas I. Walker
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New
York, NY 10029, USA
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13
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Wang H, Wei K, Wu Z, Liu F, Wang D, Peng X, Liu Y, Xu J, Jiang A, Zhang Y. Association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and semen quality. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:27884-27894. [PMID: 36396760 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Some studies have suggested that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure may be associated with semen quality in the general population, but with inconsistent results. To identify a more precise relationship between them, a meta-analysis was performed. We searched Embase, the PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Ovid databases, and Web of Science databases (before March 2022) for appropriate studies on the correlations of PFAS exposure with semen parameters. We extracted β value and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to conduct meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses was performed by sample size, geographic location, and sample type. A total of seven articles involving 2190 participants were included in this study. The concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (β value = - 1.38; 95% CI: - 2.44, - 0.32) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (β value = - 1.31, 95% CI: - 2.35, - 0.26) were negatively associated with sperm progressive motility. Subgroup analysis revealed that PFNA exposure was related to sperm morphology in studies with the sample size exceeding 200 people (β value = - 0.14; 95% CI: - 0.26, - 0.01). Our study supports that exposure to some PFASs (e.g., PFNA, PFOA) may be associated with semen quality, such as lower sperm progressive motility. Therefore, it is of great significance for the prevention of male infertility by control the use of PFASs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanqiang Wang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Kai Wei
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Zhixin Wu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Fucun Liu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Danhua Wang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Xianzheng Peng
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
- Department of Nursing, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Yongyou Liu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Jida Xu
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - A'pei Jiang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
- Department of Nursing, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Public Health, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China.
- Department of Nursing, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222000, China.
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14
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Martínez MÁ, Marquès M, Salas-Huetos A, Babio N, Domingo JL, Salas-Salvadó J. Lack of association between endocrine disrupting chemicals and male fertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114942. [PMID: 36436552 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of infertility currently affects about 15% of the world's population. Male factors are estimated to be responsible for up to 40-50% of these cases. While the cause of these reproductive disorders is still unclear, the exposure to a family of ubiquitous compounds in our daily life, named endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could be involved. This paper was aimed at performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of population studies exploring whether human male exposure to EDCs affects male fertility. Clinical and observational studies assessing the exposure to EDCs along with sperm quality, the most common reproductive disorders, sperm DNA damage, sperm oxidative stress, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate, and miscarriage rate were included. The quality assessment tool from the NHLBI-NIH was used to assure that studies met standardized quality criteria. Sensitivity analysis and heterogeneity among studies was assessed. Overall, the 32 selected articles, including 7825 individuals in the systematic review, explored 12 families of EDCs. The results revealed a high heterogeneity among studies in relation to the association between exposure to EDCs and the endpoints analyzed. Meta-analyses were performed with data from 7 articles including 479 individuals, 4 articles assessing the association between BPA in urine and sperm quality, and 3 articles evaluating PCB153 in serum and sperm quality. In the meta-analysis, we identified an unpredicted significant positive association between PCB153 exposure and sperm concentration. However, it would not be clinically relevant. No positive or inverse associations were found neither for BPA, nor for PCB153 and the rest of sperm parameters analyzed. The high disparity between studies made difficult to draw conclusions on the potential harmful effects of EDCs on male fertility. Consequently, to delineate the potential relationship that EDCs can have on male fertility, an important condition stressing the health system, further investigations are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Ángeles Martínez
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Unitat de Nutrició, Reus, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de La Obesidad y La Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Montse Marquès
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Albert Salas-Huetos
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de La Obesidad y La Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and 4 Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, US-02115, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Nancy Babio
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Unitat de Nutrició, Reus, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de La Obesidad y La Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José L Domingo
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Salas-Salvadó
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Unitat de Nutrició, Reus, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de La Obesidad y La Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Thompson KN, Oulhote Y, Weihe P, Wilkinson JE, Ma S, Zhong H, Li J, Kristiansen K, Huttenhower C, Grandjean P. Effects of Lifetime Exposures to Environmental Contaminants on the Adult Gut Microbiome. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16985-16995. [PMID: 36394280 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Emerging experimental evidence indicates that toxicant-induced alterations in gut microbiota composition and activity may affect host homeostasis. However, data from human studies are scarce; to our knowledge, no previous studies have quantified the association of lifetime exposure to environmental chemicals, across multiple time points, with the composition of the adult gut microbiome. Here we studied 124 individuals born in the Faroe Islands in 1986-1987 who were followed approximately every seven years from birth through age 28 years. Organochlorine compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and mercury (Hg), were measured in cord blood and longitudinally in participants' blood. At age 28, the gut microbiome was assessed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Historical contaminant exposures had little direct effect on the adult gut microbiome, while a small number of fastidious anaerobes were weakly linked to recent PFAS/PFOS exposures at age 28. In this cohort, our findings suggest no lasting effects of early life exposures on adult gut microbial composition, but proximal exposures may contribute to gut microbiome alterations. The methods developed and used for this investigation may help in future identification of small but lasting impacts of environmental toxicant exposure on the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey N Thompson
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Pal Weihe
- University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn 100, Faroe Islands
| | - Jeremy E Wilkinson
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Siyuan Ma
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Huanzi Zhong
- Institute of Metagenomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Junhua Li
- Institute of Metagenomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Karsten Kristiansen
- Institute of Metagenomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 København, Denmark
- Institute of Metagenomics, Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, Qingdao 266426, China
| | - Curtis Huttenhower
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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16
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Ermler S, Kortenkamp A. Systematic review of associations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure with declining semen quality in support of the derivation of reference doses for mixture risk assessments. Environ Health 2022; 21:94. [PMID: 36217156 PMCID: PMC9552438 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00904-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mixture risk assessments require reference doses for common health endpoints of all the chemicals to be considered together. In support of a mixture risk assessment for male reproductive health, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on associations between exposures to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and declines in semen quality. PCBs can act as Aryl-hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)-agonists and Androgen Receptor (AR)-antagonists, both mechanisms which can affect sperm parameters. PCBs and other AR-antagonists can produce additive combination effects. Based on these observations our objective was to systematically gather data from animal and human studies to derive a reference dose for declines in semen quality for individual PCB. METHODS We systematically reviewed and evaluated the evidence in human epidemiological and experimental animal studies on associations between PCBs and deteriorations in semen quality. Human data and findings from animal studies with PCB mixtures were considered as supporting evidence. Information for individual congeners from animal studies was required for inclusion in mixture risk assessment. Using a robust confidence rating approach, we identified suitable studies to derive reference doses for individual PCB congeners. RESULTS Evaluation of human epidemiological studies revealed several reports of adverse effects on sperm parameters linked to PCB exposures, although some studies reported improved semen quality. Our review of experimental animal studies found that treatments with PCBs affected semen quality, in most cases adversely. We found robust evidence that PCB-118 and -169 were linked to declines in semen quality. Evidence for adverse effects of PCB-126, -132, -149, and -153 was moderate, whereas for PCB-77 it was slight and for PCB-180 indeterminate. Using widely accepted risk assessment procedures, we estimated reference dose values of 0.0029 µg/kg/day for PCB-118 and 0.00533 µg/kg/day for PCB-169. In addition, we derived values for PCB-126: 0.000073 µg/kg/day, PCB-132: 0.0228 µg/kg/day, PCB-149: 0.656 µg/kg/day, and PCB-153: 0.0058 µg/kg/day. CONCLUSIONS We found robust evidence for links between PCB exposure and deteriorations in semen quality, and derived reference doses for a set of congeners. We intend to use these values in combination with congener-specific exposure data in a mixture risk assessment for declines in semen quality, involving several other antiandrogenic chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibylle Ermler
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
| | - Andreas Kortenkamp
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
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17
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Petersen KU, Hærvig KK, Flachs EM, Bonde JP, Lindh C, Hougaard KS, Toft G, Ramlau-Hansen CH, Tøttenborg SS. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and male reproductive function in young adulthood; a cross-sectional study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113157. [PMID: 35318009 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of persistent industrial chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties. OBJECTIVES To examine biomarkers of reproductive function in young adult males according to current environmental exposure to single and combined PFAS. METHODS The study population consisted of young men (n = 1041, age 18-21) from the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) cohort. These men were recruited from pregnancies included in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) between 1996 and 2002. From 2017 to 2019, participants answered an online questionnaire, completed a clinical examination and provided a blood and a semen sample. Exposure to 15 PFAS was measured in plasma. Six compounds were quantified above the limit of detection in at least 80% of the participants. We applied negative binomial regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models to assess associations between single and combined exposure to PFAS and measures of semen quality, testicular volume and reproductive hormones among the young men. RESULTS We found no consistent associations between plasma concentrations of PFAS, semen quality and testicular volume. Higher levels of single and combined PFAS were associated with slightly higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (WQS 4% difference, 95% confidence interval: 0, 9). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the main contributor to this finding with positive signals also from perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS). DISCUSSION We examined exposure to a range of common PFAS in relation to biomarkers of male reproductive function and found an association with higher levels of FSH among young men from the general population in Denmark. Further studies on especially combined exposure to PFAS are needed to expand our understanding of potential endocrine disruption from both legacy and emerging compounds in relation to male reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Katia Keglberg Hærvig
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Esben Meulengracht Flachs
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Peter Bonde
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Sørig Hougaard
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gunnar Toft
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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18
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Luo K, Huang W, Zhang Q, Liu X, Nian M, Wei M, Wang Y, Chen D, Chen X, Zhang J. Environmental exposure to legacy poly/perfluoroalkyl substances, emerging alternatives and isomers and semen quality in men: A mixture analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155158. [PMID: 35421474 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Multiple studies have examined the relationship between PFAS and semen quality, but none has explored the associations of PFAS mixture that includes emerging alternatives and branched isomers. METHODS 22 PFAS, including 10 linear legacy PFAS, 7 branched isomers, 3 short chain alternatives and 2 components of F53B [e.g., 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (Cl-PFESA)] were quantified in blood plasma among 740 healthy men. Five semen quality parameters (i.e., volume, count, concentration, total motility and progressive rate) were assessed. Multiple linear regression and three multiple pollutant models (i.e., adaptive elastic net regression, quantile based g-computation, and XGBoost method) were used to assess the associations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixture with semen quality and the potential interactive effects among congeners. RESULTS After adjusting for selected confounders, perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) presented significant and negative associations with sperm count [βAENET = -0.09 (95%CI: -0.14, -0.03) for PFBS, and -0.16 (95%CI: -0.25, -0.07) for PFHxS] and sperm concentration [-0.04 (95%CI: -0.08, -0.001) for PFBS and -0.11 (95%CI: -0.17, -0.04) for PFHxS]. 6:2 Cl-PFESA showed negative associations with total motility (-2.33, 95%CI: -3.80, -0.86) and progressive rate (-1.46, 95%CI: -2.79, -0.12). But perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) was positively associated with sperm count and concentration. These associations were supported by the importance assessment of these four congeners in XGBoost analyses. However, no associations were found between PFAS mixture or branched isomers and semen quality; nor were there significant interactions among PFAS congeners. CONCLUSIONS In the current cross-sectional study, we found that two emerging PFAS replacements (i.e., 6:2 Cl-PFESA and PFBS) and PFHxS exposure were associated with reduced semen concentration, total sperm count and motility in men. Meanwhile, significant positive associations between PFHpS and sperm count and concentration were also observed. But there were no consistent associations between PFAS mixture, branched isomers and semen quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Luo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Huang
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qianlong Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaotu Liu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Min Nian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Mengdan Wei
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiangfeng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200135, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China; Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan 570100, China.
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19
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Xu H, Bo Y. Associations between pyrethroid exposure and serum sex steroid hormones in adults: Findings from a nationally representative sample. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134591. [PMID: 35427660 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pyrethroids have been considered as potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals and have been shown to be associated with endocrine-related health outcomes. However, limited studies directly explored the link between pyrethroid exposure and sex hormones in the general population. OBJECTIVES To explore the associations between exposure to pyrethroids and serum sex steroid hormones in adults. METHODS We evaluated the cross-sectional associations in 1235 adults aged ≥20 years who had been assigned to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014. The urinary concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) was applied as a biomarker of human pyrethroid exposure levels. Information on sex steroid hormones, including total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in serum were measured. Free androgen index (FAI) and the ratio of TT to E2 (TT/E2) were also calculated. The percent changes with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for a doubling of 3-PBA concentrations in the serum sex hormone levels were estimated using generalized linear regression models. RESULTS The overall median concentrations of creatinine-adjusted 3-PBA were 0.58 μg/g creatinine, and 90.0% of adults had a detectable level of 3-PBA. In females, every two-fold increase in 3-PBA was associated with 4.34% (95% CI: 1.58%, 7.18%) higher levels of TT and 4.05% (95% CI: 7.03%, 1.16%) higher levels of SHBG, respectively. In males, a doubling in 3-PBA was associated with 3.02% (95% CI: 1.21%, 4.86%) increase in SHBG but 1.85% (-3.59%, -0.07%) decrease in FAI, respectively. In addition, significant non-linear associations of 3-PBA with SHBG in both males and females and TT in females were observed. CONCLUSIONS Environmental pyrethroid exposure was associated with altered sex hormones in adults. This study provides important epidemiological evidence for the association of pyrethroids with endocrine disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huadong Xu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310013, China.
| | - Yacong Bo
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
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20
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Patch D, O'Connor N, Koch I, Cresswell T, Hughes C, Davies JB, Scott J, O'Carroll D, Weber K. Elucidating degradation mechanisms for a range of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) via controlled irradiation studies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154941. [PMID: 35367256 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a challenging class of environmental pollutants due to a lack of available destructive remediation technologies. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms for degradation of PFAS is key for the development of field scalable and in-situ destructive based remediation technologies. This study aimed to elucidate and refine the current understanding of PFAS degradation mechanisms in water through a series of controlled gamma irradiation studies. Gamma irradiation of PFAS was performed using a cobalt-60 source in a batch irradiation up to 80 kGy at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), and a suite of thirteen different PFAS (including C4-C12 PFCAs, C4, C6, C8 PFSAs, and FOSA) were irradiated to investigate degradation, influence of pH, chain length, and transformation. High resolution mass spectrometry was used to identify more than 80 fluorinated transformation products throughout the degradation experiments. These included the -F/+H, -F/+OH, -F/CH2OH exchanged PFAS and n - 1 PFCA, amongst others. Given the reactive species present (hydroxyl radicals (·OH), hydrogen radicals (·H) and aqueous electrons (e-aq)), and the degradation products formed it was shown that aqueous electrons were the key reactive species responsible for initial PFAS degradation. Most importantly, based on degradation product formation, we found that the initial -F/+H does not have to occur at the α-fluoride (nearest the functional head group), rather occurring throughout the chain length leading to more complex degradation pathways than previously postulated. While our results support some of the reaction steps postulated in the literature, we have developed a unified 16 step and 3 pathway schematic of degradation supported by experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Patch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada
| | - Natalia O'Connor
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada
| | - Iris Koch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada
| | - Tom Cresswell
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Australia
| | - Cath Hughes
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Australia
| | - Justin B Davies
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Australia
| | - Jennifer Scott
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada
| | - Denis O'Carroll
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kela Weber
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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21
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Roos AM, Gamberg M, Muir D, Kärrman A, Carlsson P, Cuyler C, Lind Y, Bossi R, Rigét F. Perfluoroalkyl substances in circum-ArcticRangifer: caribou and reindeer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:23721-23735. [PMID: 34813015 PMCID: PMC8979910 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Livers of caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) from Canada (n = 146), Greenland (n = 30), Svalbard (n = 7), and Sweden (n = 60) were analyzed for concentrations of eight perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and four perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids. In Canadian caribou, PFNA (range < 0.01-7.4 ng/g wet weight, ww) and PFUnDA (<0.01-5.6 ng/g ww) dominated, whereas PFOS predominated in samples from South Greenland, Svalbard, and Sweden, although the highest concentrations were found in caribou from Southwest Greenland (up to 28 ng/g ww). We found the highest median concentrations of all PFAS except PFHxS in Akia-Maniitsoq caribou (Southwest Greenland, PFOS 7.2-19 ng/g ww, median 15 ng/g ww). The highest concentrations of ΣPFAS were also found in Akia-Maniitoq caribou (101 ng/g ww) followed by the nearby Kangerlussuaq caribou (45 ng/g ww), where the largest airport in Greenland is situated, along with a former military base. Decreasing trends in concentrations were seen for PFOS in the one Canadian and three Swedish populations. Furthermore, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed decreasing trends in Canada's Porcupine caribou between 2005 and 2016. In Sweden, PFHxS increased in the reindeer from Norrbotten between 2003 and 2011. The reindeer from Västerbotten had higher concentrations of PFNA and lower concentrations of PFHxS in 2010 compared to 2002. Finally, we observed higher concentrations in 2010 compared to 2002 (albeit statistically insignificant) for PFHxS in Jämtland, while PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed no difference at all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Roos
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, PO Box 570, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland.
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Mary Gamberg
- Gamberg Consulting, Box 11267, Yukon, Y1A 6N5, Whitehorse, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Anna Kärrman
- MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Carlsson
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Fram Centre, Hjalmar Johansens gate 14, 9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christine Cuyler
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, PO Box 570, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Ylva Lind
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rossana Bossi
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Frank Rigét
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, PO Box 570, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland
- Danish Centre for Environment and Energy, Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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22
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Petriello MC, Mottaleb MA, Serio TC, Balyan B, Cave MC, Pavuk M, Birnbaum LS, Morris AJ. Serum concentrations of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Anniston Community Health Surveys (ACHS I and ACHS II). ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106907. [PMID: 34763231 PMCID: PMC9131314 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residents of Anniston Alabama were highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) due to longstanding manufacturing in the area. The Anniston Community Health Surveys (ACHS I-2005-2007 and II, 2014) have linked these exposures with a variety of deletereous health outcomes. In addition to PCBs, these individuals were likely simultaneously exposed to other persistent organic pollutants including per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are an emerging class of ubiquitous industrial chemicals that are measurable in the blood of most individuals and have themselves been linked increased risk of some non communicable diseases. METHODS To characterize PFAS exposures in ACHS I and ACHS II, we measured eight environmentally significant PFAS in serum by UPLC coupled electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorononanoate (PFNA), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), and 4:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (4.2 FTS) were extracted from matched serum samples of individuals who participated in the original ACHS I (2005-2007; n = 297) and the follow up ACHS II (2014; n = 336). Data were collected in negative multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with monitoring of quantitation and qualifier ions for all target PFAS analytes, surrogates and internal standards. VARCLUS procedure was used to create hierarchical clusters between PFAS and other legacy persistent organic pollutants which may share similar exposure routes. RESULTS Overall, circulating PFAS levels decreased approximately 50% from ACHS I (2005-2007) to ACHS II (2014), but these changes varied by compound. Mean levels of PFOS were >3 times higher in ACHS I subjects than in conpemporaneous NHANES subjects (2005-2006; ACHS I mean: 71.1 ng/ml; NHANES mean: 20.2 ng/mL), and this relationship persisted in ACHS II subjects (2014: ACHS II mean: 34.7 ng/ml; NHANES mean: 5.92 ng/mL). PFNA was also higher in both ACHS I and ACHS II subjects in comparision to NHANES whereas levels of PFOA and PFHxS were lower than in NHANES. Finally, cluster analysis revealed that in ACHS II, most PFAS tracked with polybrominated diphenyl ethers, except PFNA and PFHpA which clustered with industrial PCBs. In ACHS I, PFAS analytes correlated more closely with industrial PCBs and chlorinated pesticides. CONCLUSIONS Participants in the Anniston Community Health Surveys have higher levels of PFOS and PFNA than the general population with average PFOS levels >3 times contemporaneous NHANES levels. Since PFAS were not known to be manufactured in the area, more work needs to be completed to determine if population demographics, proximity to a military base, or regional manufacturing can explain the elevated levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Petriello
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - M Abdul Mottaleb
- Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew C Cave
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Marian Pavuk
- CDC Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Andrew J Morris
- Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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23
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Chambers WS, Hopkins JG, Richards SM. A Review of Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substance Impairment of Reproduction. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2021; 3:732436. [PMID: 35295153 PMCID: PMC8915888 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2021.732436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review article, we compiled peer-reviewed literature describing PFAS exposure and reproductive effects in animals and humans. The aim was to compare environmental occurrence and effects of the most prominent long-chain PFAS compounds and their short-chain replacements. Long-chain PFAS compounds are known to persist in the environment due to their chemical stability, and also known to bioaccumulate; hence, these compounds are being replaced globally. Indeed, PFOA and PFOS are considered long-chain "forever pollutants," and thus the potential reproductive risk may continue for decades. Much less is known about their short-chain replacements despite the fact that they becoming more widespread in the environment. Short-chain PFAS are generally less bioaccumulative than long-chain, but they are more mobile and persistent in aquatic ecosystems. The three most prominent of these are commonly referred to as GenX, ADONA and F53B. The short-chain PFAS have similar physical and chemical properties as their predecessors; however, because they are relatively new, much less is known about the potential to disrupt reproduction. Indeed, high-quality epidemiological studies are needed to determine associations between short-chain PFAS exposure and effects on reproductive health. However, epidemiological evidence is mounting that long-chain PFAS exposure is associated with reproductive effects (i.e., decrease in fertility, reduced fetal growth and birth weight, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, thyroid hormone disruption during pregnancy, and preterm birth). Evidence from animal models and human cell lines indicates that short-chain PFAS similarly affect reproductive endpoints; however, epidemiological studies are scarce and inconsistent. Although short-chain PFAS have been quantified in drinking water and sediment worldwide, most of these studies did not focus on quantitation of GenX, ADONA, and F53B. There are also many other short-chain PFAS byproducts of manufacturing that have yet to be identified and studied. When sum total concentration of long- and short-chain PFAS are considered, the concentration rises by an order or magnitude or greater, as will the risk of exposure and subsequent reproductive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weston S. Chambers
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Jaida G. Hopkins
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
| | - Sean M. Richards
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Section on Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, TN, United States
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Britt-Marie B, Sara P, Suzanne F, Frank RF, Anna RM. Temporal and Geographical Variation of Intestinal Ulcers in Grey Seals ( Halichoerus grypus) and Environmental Contaminants in Baltic Biota during Four Decades. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102968. [PMID: 34679987 PMCID: PMC8532654 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the 1970s it was discovered that seal populations in the Baltic Sea had decreased severely due to hunting and high levels of contaminants. Lesions were found in several organs and many of the females became sterile. Since then, most of the organ lesions have decreased and so have the levels of some pollutants. However, ulcers in the large intestines of the grey seals increased in the early 1980s and decreased after the mid-1990s. The aims of this study were to: (1) describe the ulcers and investigate if there is a trend over time that coincides with concentrations of some pollutants in Baltic biota; (2) evaluate the significance of different sea areas in the Baltic, grade of parasite intensity, as well as the sex and age of the seals. The results show that seals with ulcers had, in general, higher parasite intensity. Ulcers were more common in older seals and in the Bothnian Sea. The time trend of ulcers coincides with the trend of certain contaminant levels (BDE-47, PFOS and cadmium). The high prevalence of intestinal ulcers and the high intensity of acanthocephalan parasites appear to be unique to the Baltic population of grey seals. Abstract The prevalence of intestinal ulcers and parasites was investigated in 2172 grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) collected in the Baltic Sea and 49 grey seals collected outside the Baltic Sea (i.e., the Atlantic). An increase in frequency of ileocaeco-colonic ulcers was observed in the early 1980s, followed by a decrease in the mid-1990s. At the same time, there was an increase followed by a decrease in brominated flame retardants, Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and cadmium levels in herring (Clupea harengus), the most common prey item in Baltic grey seal diet, as well as in another top predator in the Baltic, the common guillemot (Uria aalge). The frequency of intestinal ulcers was significantly related to the intensity of acanthocephalan parasites, the age of the seal and the region of the Baltic Sea. Perforation of the intestinal wall was the cause of death in 26 of the investigated Baltic grey seals. In contrast, none of the investigated Atlantic grey seals had intestinal ulcers. They showed a thin colonic wall and very few acanthocephalan parasites. The high prevalence of intestinal ulcers and the high parasite intensity appear to be unique to the Baltic population of grey seals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bäcklin Britt-Marie
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.S.); (F.S.); (R.M.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-851-954-259
| | - Persson Sara
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.S.); (F.S.); (R.M.A.)
| | - Faxneld Suzanne
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.S.); (F.S.); (R.M.A.)
| | - Rigét F. Frank
- Department of Ecoscience, Danish Centre for Environment and Energy, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark;
| | - Roos M. Anna
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.S.); (F.S.); (R.M.A.)
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He QL, Zhang L, Liu SZ. Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls on Animal Reproductive Systems and Epigenetic Modifications. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 107:398-405. [PMID: 34110444 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03285-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of highly toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals comprising 209 homologs. PCBs are extensively found in the environment and can induce typical estrogenic and profound, long-lasting effects on animals. In this article, the introduction of PCB residues into the environment and the pathways of PCB enrichment in animals are described. PCBs are widely deposited and eventually accumulate in human tissues and body fluids through biomagnification. PCBs can significantly decrease animal fertility and interfere with endocrine processes, leading to the development of various diseases and even cancer. The effects of PCBs on the reproductive systems of animals can also be passed to their offspring, indicating that PCBs may affect the epigenetic modification process. There is currently no treatment to effectively inhibit the toxicity of PCBs in organisms; therefore, the severity of PCB toxicity needs to be widely recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Long He
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Shu-Zhen Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China.
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Klenov V, Flor S, Ganesan S, Adur M, Eti N, Iqbal K, Soares MJ, Ludewig G, Ross JW, Robertson LW, Keating AF. The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediates reproductive toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyl congener 126 in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 426:115639. [PMID: 34256052 PMCID: PMC8500329 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are endocrine disrupting chemicals with documented, though mechanistically ill-defined, reproductive toxicity. The toxicity of dioxin-like PCBs, such as PCB126, is mediated via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in non-ovarian tissues. The goal of this study was to examine the uterine and ovarian effects of PCB126 and test the hypothesis that the AHR is required for PCB126-induced reproductive toxicity. Female Holzman-Sprague Dawley wild type (n = 14; WT) and Ahr knock out (n = 11; AHR-/-) rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of either corn oil vehicle (5 ml/kg: WT_O and AHR-/-_O) or PCB126 (1.63 mg/kg in corn oil: WT_PCB and AHR-/-_PCB) at four weeks of age. The estrous cycle was synchronized and ovary and uterus were collected 28 days after exposure. In WT rats, PCB126 exposure reduced (P < 0.05) body and ovary weight, uterine gland number, uterine area, progesterone, 17β-estradiol and anti-Müllerian hormone level, secondary and antral follicle and corpora lutea number but follicle stimulating hormone level increased (P < 0.05). In AHR-/- rats, PCB126 exposure increased (P ≤ 0.05) circulating luteinizing hormone level. Ovarian or uterine mRNA abundance of biotransformation, and inflammation genes were altered (P < 0.05) in WT rats due to PCB126 exposure. In AHR-/- rats, the transcriptional effects of PCB126 were restricted to reductions (P < 0.05) in three inflammatory genes. These findings support a functional role for AHR in the female reproductive tract, illustrate AHR's requirement in PCB126-induced reprotoxicity, and highlight the potential risk of dioxin-like compounds on female reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violet Klenov
- Dept of Ob/Gyn, University of Iowa, United States of America
| | - Susanne Flor
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology and Dept of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, United States of America
| | - Shanthi Ganesan
- Dept of Animal Science, Iowa State University, United States of America
| | - Malavika Adur
- Dept of Animal Science, Iowa State University, United States of America
| | - Nazmin Eti
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology and Dept of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, United States of America
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research and Department of Pathology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America
| | - Michael J Soares
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research and Department of Pathology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America; Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America; Center for Perinatal Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's Mercy, Kansas City, MO, United States of America
| | - Gabriele Ludewig
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology and Dept of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jason W Ross
- Dept of Animal Science, Iowa State University, United States of America
| | - Larry W Robertson
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology and Dept of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, United States of America
| | - Aileen F Keating
- Dept of Animal Science, Iowa State University, United States of America.
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Luo K, Liu X, Nian M, Wang Y, Qiu J, Yu H, Chen X, Zhang J. Environmental exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances mixture and male reproductive hormones. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 152:106496. [PMID: 33744484 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies on the relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and male reproductive hormones were mainly limited to a few legacy PFAS and ignored the possible mixture effects. OBJECTIVES To assess the associations of PFAS mixture, branched isomers and emerging alternatives of PFAS with male reproductive hormones. METHODS A total of 902 men (mean age: 31.3 years) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. We quantified 24 targeted PFAS, including 7 branched PFOS isomers, 2 branched PFOA isomers and 2 components of F-53B, in blood plasma. Five reproductive hormones, including total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and insulin like factor 3 (INSL3), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured in serum. Associations were first assessed by confounder-adjusted multiple linear regression while correcting for multiple comparisons. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and adaptive elastic net (AENET) were further used to assess mixture effects and the adjusted exposure response (ER) relationship of individual PFAS. RESULTS After adjusting for confounders, we found that PFAS mixture was significantly and inversely associated with E2 and E2/TT, with perfluoro-n-undecanoic acid (PFuDA) being the major contributor. Although the associations between PFAS mixture and other hormones were non-significant, certain individual PFAS presented significant associations. Notably, perfluoro-n-tridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) and perfluoro-n-dodecanoic acid (PFDoA) were found to be significantly and inversely associated with INSL3, a unique indicator of Leydig cells function. Meanwhile, significant positive associations were found between perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and FSH and between PFuDA and LH. But the associations with branched isomers or F-53B were sporadic and inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provided the evidence that PFAS mixture may reduce E2 level, and certain PFAS (i.e., PFTrDA and PFDoA) may have negative effects on Leydig cells function among young men. Additional studies are much needed to confirm our results and elucidate potential mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Luo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaotu Liu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Min Nian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jin Qiu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai 200135, China; Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Hao Yu
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiangfeng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai 200135, China; Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai 200135, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
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28
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Feng D, Song C, Mo W. Environmental, human health, and economic implications of landfill leachate treatment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance removal. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 289:112558. [PMID: 33857713 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Landfill leachate is commonly treated offsite with municipal wastewater. This offsite leachate treatment may be limited or no longer applicable due to the increasingly stringent regulations and concerns related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) discharge into the environment, resulting in development of full-scale, onsite leachate treatment facilities. To help landfills prepare for the potential shift from offsite to onsite leachate treatment for PFAS compliance, this study analyzed and compared the environmental, human health, and economic performances of a typical onsite and a typical offsite leachate treatment alternative through life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) using a landfill site located in Zhuzhou, China as a testbed. Two distinct functional units (FUs) were investigated: 1 m3 of leachate treated and 1 g of PFAS removed. Our results show that the onsite scenario offered benefits from human health and economic perspectives, while the offsite scenario generally performed better from the environmental perspective when a leachate PFAS concentration of 150,704 ng/L was assumed. The extent of this tradeoff varied when different functional units were adopted. The onsite scenario will not be competitive from all three perspectives when PFAS concentration in the raw leachate is less than 1666 ng/L.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyi Feng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Cuihong Song
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Weiwei Mo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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Ye WL, Chen ZX, Xie YQ, Kong ML, Li QQ, Yu S, Chu C, Dong GH, Zeng XW. Associations between serum isomers of perfluoroalkyl acids and metabolic syndrome in adults: Isomers of C8 Health Project in China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110430. [PMID: 33181135 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) is known to be associated with metabolic disorders. However, whether PFAAs isomers are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) still remains unknown. OBJECTIVES To explore the associations between serum PFAAs isomers and MetS. METHODS We recruited 1,501 adults from a cross-sectional study, the "Isomers of C8 Health Project in China" to investigate the associations between PFAAs isomers and MetS. A total of 20 PFAAs including the isomers of PFOS and PFOA were detected. Logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used to evaluate the relationship of serum PFAAs isomers exposure with MetS and its components as well after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS The MetS prevalence in our study was 43.0%. The serum levels of both PFOS and PFOA isomers were higher in participants with MetS than that with non-MetS (p < 0.05). We found positive associations for per natural log-transformed ng/mL of branched perfluorooctane sulfonate (br-PFOS) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.38)) linear perfluoronanoic acid (n-PFOA) (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.58) and perfluoro-6-methylpheptanoic acid (6 m-PFOA) (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.57) with higher odds of MetS after covariates adjustment, while null association was observed for linear isomers of PFOS (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.25). We found a nonlinear dose-response relationship with a "threshold" effect in serum br-PFOS isomers with MetS, in which the odds of MetS increased quickly with increasing serum br-PFOS isomers under low exposure (p for nonlinearity = 0.030). CONCLUSION We report new evidence of associations between PFAAs isomers and MetS and the nonlinearity of dose-response relationship with br-PFOS isomers. Our findings indicate that more attention is needed to pay on the nonlinearity of dose-response relationship when investigate the association of PFAAs isomers with human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Lin Ye
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zan-Xiong Chen
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Maoming City, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Qi Xie
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Maoming City, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Min-Li Kong
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Maoming City, Maoming, 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Qing-Qing Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shu Yu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Chu Chu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Zeng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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Tarapore P, Ouyang B. Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals and Male Reproductive Health: Do PFOA and PFOS Increase Risk for Male Infertility? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18073794. [PMID: 33916482 PMCID: PMC8038605 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manmade synthetic chemicals which have been in existence for over 70 years. Though they are currently being phased out, their persistence in the environment is widespread. There is increasing evidence linking PFAS exposure to health effects, an issue of concern since PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) bioaccumulate in humans, with a half-life of years. Many epidemiological studies suggest that, worldwide, semen quality has decreased over the past several decades. One of the most worrying effects of PFOS and PFOA is their associations with lower testosterone levels, similar to clinical observations in infertile men. This review thus focuses on PFOS/PFOA-associated effects on male reproductive health. The sources of PFAS in drinking water are listed. The current epidemiological studies linking increased exposure to PFAS with lowered testosterone and semen quality, and evidence from rodent studies supporting their function as endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system, exhibiting non-monotonic dose responses, are noted. Finally, their mechanisms of action and possible toxic effects on the Leydig, Sertoli, and germ cells are discussed. Future research efforts must consider utilizing better human model systems for exposure, using more accurate PFAS exposure susceptibility windows, and improvements in statistical modeling of data to account for the endocrine disruptor properties of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pheruza Tarapore
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Center of Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Cincinnati Cancer Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +1-513-558-5148
| | - Bin Ouyang
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Center of Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Wang Y, Aimuzi R, Nian M, Zhang Y, Luo K, Zhang J. Perfluoroalkyl substances and sex hormones in postmenopausal women: NHANES 2013-2016. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 149:106408. [PMID: 33548847 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although an alteration in sex hormones has been linked to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in premenopausal women and girls, whether such associations exist in postmenopausal women remains uncertain. OBJECTS To examine the associations between serum PFAS concentrations and sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women. METHODS Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2016 waves were used. A total of 706 postmenopausal women with information on serum PFAS [perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), pefluorodecanoic acid (PFDA); perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA); linear perfluorooctanoate (n-PFOA); linear perfluorooctane sulfonate (n-PFOS); monomethyl branched isomers of PFOS (Sm-PFOS)], sex hormones indicators [e.g., total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)] as well as selected covariates were included. An indicator of circulating free testosterone (FT), and ratio of TT to E2 (TT/E2) were generated. Multiple linear regression accounting for the primary sampling unit, strata, and environmental sampling weights of PFAS was used for association analyses. Effect modification by obesity and type of menopause was explored via stratified analyses as well as the testing of interaction terms. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were conducted to assess these relationships in a multiple PFAS exposure setting. RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, total perfluorooctanoate (TPFOA: n-PFOA + Sb-PFOA) and total perfluorooctane sulfonate (TPFOS: n-PFOS + Sm-PFOS), and their linear and branched isomers were positively associated with two androgen indicators (i.e., TT and FT). PCA results revealed that the principal component (PC) composed of n-PFOA was positively associated with ln (TT) [β = 0.09, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.02, 0.16; per ln-ng/mL increase in exposure], and ln (FT) (β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.2) in overweight/obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2] women, but not in those with BMI < 25 kg/m2. Additionally, among overweight/obese women, PFHxS was positively associated with androgens and negatively with ln (SHBG) (β = -0.06, 95% CI: -0.12, -0.01). The PC composed of Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHxS was positively associated with ln (TT) levels among overweight/obese women. Results from BKMR also confirmed the findings on n-PFOA and PFHxS. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that n-PFOA and PFHxS were positively associated with levels of several androgen indicators in postmenopausal women, particularly among overweight/obese ones. Given the higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases associated with elevated levels of androgens in postmenopausal women, future studies are needed to explore the potential underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruxianguli Aimuzi
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Nian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Luo
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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Yan H, Li C, Zou C, Xin X, Li X, Li H, Li Y, Li Z, Wang Y, Chen H, Ge RS. Perfluoroundecanoic acid inhibits Leydig cell development in pubertal male rats via inducing oxidative stress and autophagy. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 415:115440. [PMID: 33549592 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) is one of long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids. However, the effect of PFUnA on pubertal development of Leydig cells remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of PFUnA on Leydig cell development in pubertal male rats. We orally dosed male Sprague-Dawley rats (age 35 days) with PFUnA at doses of 0, 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg/day from postnatal day (PND) 35 to PND 56. Serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were remarkably reduced by PFUnA at ≥1 mg/kg while serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels were lowered at 5 and 10 mg/kg. PFUnA down-regulated the expression of Lhcgr, Scarb1, Star, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1, Cyp17a1, Hsd17b3, Hsd11b1, Insl3, Nr5a1, Fshr, Dhh, Sod1, and Sod2 and their proteins in the testis and the expression of Lhb and Fshb in the pituitary. PFUnA reduced Leydig cell number at 5 and 10 mg/kg. PFUnA induced oxidative stress and increased autophagy. These may result from the inhibition of phosphorylation of mTOR, AKT1, AKT2, and ERK1/2 in the testis. In conclusion, PFUnA exhibits inhibitory effects on pubertal Leydig cell development possibly via inducing oxidative stress and increasing autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoni Yan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Changchang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cheng Zou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiu Xin
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoheng Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huitao Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zengqiang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiyan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haolin Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ren-Shan Ge
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Green MP, Harvey AJ, Finger BJ, Tarulli GA. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Impacts on human fertility and fecundity during the peri-conception period. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 194:110694. [PMID: 33385395 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid exposure to man-made endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and environmental toxicants. This escalating yet constant exposure is postulated to partially explain the concurrent decline in human fertility that has occurred over the last 50 years. Controversy however remains as to whether associations exist, with conflicting findings commonly reported for all major EDC classes. The primary aim of this extensive work was to identify and review strong peer-reviewed evidence regarding the effects of environmentally-relevant EDC concentrations on adult male and female fertility during the critical periconception period on reproductive hormone concentrations, gamete and embryo characteristics, as well as the time to pregnancy in the general population. Secondly, to ascertain whether individuals or couples diagnosed as sub-fertile exhibit higher EDC or toxicant concentrations. Lastly, to highlight where little or no data exists that prevents strong associations being identified. From the greater than 1480 known EDCs, substantial evidence supports a negative association between exposure to phthalates, PCBs, PBDEs, pyrethroids, organochloride pesticides and male fertility and fecundity. Only moderate evidence exists for a negative association between BPA, PCBs, organochloride pesticides and female fertility and fecundity. Overall fewer studies were reported in women than men, with knowledge gaps generally evident for both sexes for all the major EDC classes, as well as a paucity of female fertility studies following exposure to parabens, triclosans, dioxins, PFAS, organophosphates and pyrethroids. Generally, sub-fertile individuals or couples exhibit higher EDC concentrations, endorsing a positive association between EDC exposure and sub-fertility. This review also discusses confounding and limiting factors that hamper our understanding of EDC exposures on fertility and fecundity. Finally, it highlights future research areas, as well as government, industry and social awareness strategies required to mitigate the negative effects of EDC and environmental toxicant exposure on human fertility and fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Green
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Alexandra J Harvey
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bethany J Finger
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gerard A Tarulli
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Kahn LG, Harley KG, Siegel EL, Zhu Y, Factor-Litvak P, Porucznik CA, Klein-Fedyshin M, Hipwell AE. Persistent organic pollutants and couple fecundability: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 27:339-366. [PMID: 33147335 PMCID: PMC7903116 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite increasing regulation, exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remains a serious public health concern due to their accumulation in the environment and ability to biomagnify up the food chain. POPs are associated with endocrine-disrupting effects including adverse reproductive outcomes that could affect fecundability, i.e. the capacity to conceive a pregnancy, quantified as time to pregnancy (TTP). OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Results of epidemiologic studies that examine the impact of various chemical classes of POPs on TTP have not been synthesised. We undertook a systematic review to summarise the strength of evidence for associations of four common groups of POPs with couple fecundability and to identify gaps and limitations in the literature in order to inform policy decisions and future research. SEARCH METHODS We performed an electronic search of literature published between 1 January 2007 and 6 August 2019 in MEDLINE, EMBASE.com, Global Health, DART/TOXLINE and POPLINE. We included empirical research papers that examined human exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated organic compounds and/or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and considered TTP or fecundability as an outcome. Standardised forms for screening, data extraction and study quality were developed using DistillerSR software, and all reviews were completed in duplicate. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess risk of bias and devised additional quality metrics based on specific methodological features of fecundability studies. OUTCOMES The search returned 4573 articles, and 28 papers from 19 different studies met inclusion criteria. Among them, four studies measured TTP prospectively, three had data on participants' prenatal exposure, three examined associations in both male and female partners and one focused exclusively on males. Analyses varied widely in terms of exposure characterisation, precluding a meta-analytic approach. Evidence was strongest for adverse associations of female exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls with TTP, with some additional support for associations of female exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and PFAS with longer TTP. Our review provided little or no support for associations between female exposure to OC pesticides or male exposure to any of the POP groups and TTP. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Evidence suggests that female exposure to at least some POPs may reduce fecundability. Although many of these chemicals are no longer in production, they are still detectable in human biosamples because of their persistence in the environment. Replacement chemicals that are being introduced as older ones are restricted may have similar reproductive consequences. Future studies should examine these newer POPs, assess interactions between POPs and other chemical and non-chemical exposures, investigate how POPs are distributed in and metabolised by the human body and focus on populations that may be disproportionately exposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda G Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Kim G Harley
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Eva L Siegel
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christina A Porucznik
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | | | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Xie X, Weng X, Liu S, Chen J, Guo X, Gao X, Fei Q, Hao G, Jing C, Feng L. Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure and association with sex hormone concentrations: Results from the NHANES 2015-2016. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE 2021; 33:69. [PMID: 36061407 PMCID: PMC9440377 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-021-00508-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing global concern regarding the health impacts of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are emerging environmental endocrine disruptors. Results from previous epidemiological studies on the associations between PFAS exposure and sex hormone levels are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We examined the associations between serum PFAS compounds (PFDeA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS) and sex hormones, including total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), estrogen (E), and serum hormone binding globulin (SHBG). RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, PFDeA, PFOS, and PFHxS exposures were significantly associated with increased serum testosterone concentrations in males. PFDeA, PFOA, and PFOS exposures were positively correlated with FT levels in 20-49 years old women while PFOS exposure was negatively associated with TT levels in 12-19 years old girls. PFAS exposure was negatively associated with estradiol levels including: PFDeA in all females, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOS, and PFOA in 12-19 years old girls, PFNA in women above 50 years old, and PFOA in 12-19 years old boys while PFDeA and PFOS exposures were positively associated with estradiol levels in these boys. n-PFOS exposure was positively associated with SHBG levels in men older than 20 and in all females. CONCLUSIONS Using a large cohort of males and females aged from 12-80, we found that PFAS exposure appears to disrupt sex hormones in a gender-, age-, and compound-specific manner. Future work is warranted to clarify the causality and mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xie
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xueqiong Weng
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingmin Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinrong Guo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinyu Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiaoyuan Fei
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Guang Hao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunxia Jing
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Liping Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Rodprasert W, Toppari J, Virtanen HE. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Reproductive Health in Boys and Men. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:706532. [PMID: 34690925 PMCID: PMC8530230 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.706532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive health has declined as indicated by increasing rates of cryptorchidism, i.e., undescended testis, poor semen quality, low serum testosterone level, and testicular cancer. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been proposed to have a role in this finding. In utero exposure to antiandrogenic EDCs, particularly at a sensitive period of fetal testicular development, the so-called 'masculinization programming window (MPW)', can disturb testicular development and function. Low androgen effect during the MPW can cause both short- and long-term reproductive disorders. A concurrent exposure to EDCs may also affect testicular function or damage testicular cells. Evidence from animal studies supports the role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in development of male reproductive disorders. However, evidence from epidemiological studies is relatively mixed. In this article, we review the current literature that evaluated relationship between prenatal EDC exposures and anogenital distance, cryptorchidism, and congenital penile abnormality called hypospadias. We review also studies on the association between early life and postnatal EDC exposure and semen quality, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormone levels and testicular cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiwat Rodprasert
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jorma Toppari
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Helena E. Virtanen
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- *Correspondence: Helena E. Virtanen,
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Calvert L, Green MP, De Iuliis GN, Dun MD, Turner BD, Clarke BO, Eamens AL, Roman SD, Nixon B. Assessment of the Emerging Threat Posed by Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances to Male Reproduction in Humans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:799043. [PMID: 35356147 PMCID: PMC8959433 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.799043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Per-fluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of synthetic fluorinated chemicals used widely in industry and consumer products. Due to their extensive use and chemical stability, PFAS are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and as such, form an emerging risk factor for male reproductive health. The long half-lives of PFAS is of particular concern as the propensity to accumulate in biological systems prolong the time taken for excretion, taking years in many cases. Accordingly, there is mounting evidence supporting a negative association between PFAS exposure and an array of human health conditions. However, inconsistencies among epidemiological and experimental findings have hindered the ability to definitively link negative reproductive outcomes to specific PFAS exposure. This situation highlights the requirement for further investigation and the identification of reliable biological models that can inform health risks, allowing sensitive assessment of the spectrum of effects of PFAS exposure on humans. Here, we review the literature on the biological effects of PFAS exposure, with a specific focus on male reproduction, owing to its utility as a sentinel marker of general health. Indeed, male infertility has increasingly been shown to serve as an early indicator of a range of co-morbidities such as coronary, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases. It follows that adverse associations have been established between PFAS exposure and the incidence of testicular dysfunction, including pathologies such as testicular cancer and a reduction in semen quality. We also give consideration to the mechanisms that render the male reproductive tract vulnerable to PFAS mediated damage, and discuss novel remediation strategies to mitigate the negative impact of PFAS contamination and/or to ameliorate the PFAS load of exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Calvert
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
| | - Mark P. Green
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Geoffry N. De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew D. Dun
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Brett D. Turner
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Bradley O. Clarke
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew L. Eamens
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
| | - Shaun D. Roman
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Drug Development, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Brett Nixon,
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DeLuca NM, Angrish M, Wilkins A, Thayer K, Cohen Hubal EA. Human exposure pathways to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from indoor media: A systematic review protocol. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106308. [PMID: 33395950 PMCID: PMC8118191 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been primarily attributed to contaminated food and drinking water. However, additional PFAS exposure pathways have been raised by a limited number of studies reporting correlations between commercial and industrial products and PFAS levels in human media and biomonitoring. Systematic review (SR) methodologies have been widely used to evaluate similar questions using an unbiased approach in the fields of clinical medicine, epidemiology, and toxicology, but the deployment in exposure science is ongoing. Here we present a systematic review protocol that adapts existing systematic review methodologies and study evaluation tools to exposure science studies in order to investigate evidence for important PFAS exposure pathways from indoor media including consumer products, household articles, cleaning products, personal care products, plus indoor air and dust. OBJECTIVES We will systematically review exposure science studies that present both PFAS concentrations from indoor exposure media and PFAS concentrations in blood serum or plasma. Exposure estimates will be synthesized from the evidence to answer the question, "For the general population, what effect does exposure from PFAS chemicals via indoor media have on blood, serum or plasma concentrations of PFAS?" We adapt existing systematic review methodologies and study evaluation tools from the U.S. EPA's Systematic Review Protocol for the PFBA, PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFDA IRIS Assessments and the Navigation Guide for exposure science studies, as well as present innovative developments of exposure pathway-specific search strings for use in artificial intelligence screening software. DATA SOURCES We will search electronic databases for potentially relevant literature, including Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest. Literature search results will be stored in EPA's Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) database. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA Included studies will present exposure measures from indoor media including consumer products, household articles, cleaning products, personal care products, plus indoor air and dust, paired with PFAS concentrations in blood, serum or plasma from adults and/or children in the general population. We focus on a subset of PFAS chemicals including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS Studies will be prefiltered at the title and abstract level using computationally intelligent search strings to expedite the screening process for reviewers. Two independent reviewers will screen the prefiltered studies against inclusion criteria at the title/abstract level and then full-text level, after which the reviewers will assess the studies' risk of bias using an approach modified from established systematic review tools for exposure studies. Exposure estimates will be calculated to investigate the proportion of blood, serum or plasma) PFAS concentrations that can be explained by exposure to PFAS in indoor media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M DeLuca
- US EPA, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
| | - Michelle Angrish
- US EPA, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Amina Wilkins
- US EPA, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Kris Thayer
- US EPA, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Elaine A Cohen Hubal
- US EPA, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
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Lambertino A, Persky V, Freels S, Anderson H, Unterman T, Awadalla S, Turyk M. Associations of PCBS, dioxins and furans with follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in postmenopausal women: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 262:128309. [PMID: 33182091 PMCID: PMC7670081 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The general population is exposed to the group of endocrine disrupting chemicals persistent organic pollutants (POPs), that includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). OBJECTIVES The aim of this research was to evaluate the associations of serum levels of PCB, PCDD, and PCDF congeners with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in postmenopausal women not taking exogenous hormones. We hypothesized that associations of POPs with these gonadotropins could be modified by factors affecting endogenous hormones. METHODS Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on data from 89 postmenopausal women using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). POPs were summarized based on classification schemes thought to reflect toxicological properties. Associations of POPs and gonadotropin hormones were modeled with multivariable regression models. When evidence of interaction was found, conditional effects were estimated. RESULTS We found inverse associations of LH, but not FSH, with exposure to anti-estrogenic and/or dioxin-like POPs, but not with non dioxin-like PCBs. A doubling of dioxin-like toxic equivalents (TEQs) was associated with a decrease in LH of 11.9% (95% CI = -21.3%, -1.4%, p = 0.03). Inverse associations were enhanced by potential effect modifiers related to both direct and indirect estrogenicity, including obesity and the obesity-related condition inflammation. CONCLUSIONS These investigations support a pattern of endocrine-disrupting effects by dioxin-like POPs among postmenopausal women, especially those with conditions related to peripheral estrogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Lambertino
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Victoria Persky
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sally Freels
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Henry Anderson
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Terry Unterman
- Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Saria Awadalla
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mary Turyk
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Plunk EC, Richards SM. Endocrine-Disrupting Air Pollutants and Their Effects on the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239191. [PMID: 33276521 PMCID: PMC7731392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can contaminate air, soil, and water. Human exposures to EDCs occur through inhalation, absorption, and ingestion. EDCs act by disrupting various pathways in the endocrine system. When the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis is disrupted by EDCs, there can be effects on fertility in both men and women. Not only can fertility be indirectly affected by EDC disruptions of the HPG axis, but EDCs can also directly affect the menstrual cycle and sperm morphology. In this review, we will discuss the current findings on EDCs that can be inhaled. This review examines effects of exposure to prominent EDCs: brominated and organophosphate flame retardants, diesel exhaust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cadmium and lead, TCDD, and polychlorinated biphenyls on fertility through alterations that disrupt the HPG axis and fertility through inhalation. Although the studies included herein include multiple exposure routes, all the studies indicate receptor interactions that can occur from inhalation and the associated effects of all compounds on the HPG axis and subsequent fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C. Plunk
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Sean M. Richards
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
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Cui Q, Pan Y, Wang J, Liu H, Yao B, Dai J. Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in serum versus semen and their association with male reproductive hormones. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 266:115330. [PMID: 32781340 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Given that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exhibit different distribution in the serum and semen of adult men, improving our understanding of the predictors of PFAS concentrations in paired serum and semen samples from an individual is essential. Here, we investigated and compared the effects of emerging and legacy PFAS concentrations in serum and semen on reproductive hormone levels in serum within a Chinese adult male population. We explored the relationships among perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA) in serum and semen with reproductive hormones in serum among 651 adult men from Nanjing, China. Significant relationships among all analyzed serum and semen PFASs and decreased total testosterone (total T) were found. Serum and semen PFOA levels were associated with significant decreases in free T. Furthermore, the levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were significantly decreased in association with PFNA, PFOS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure. Negative relationships between the total T/luteinizing hormone (LH) ratio and semen concentrations of selected PFASs were also observed. After adjustment of PFAS concentrations (in both semen and serum), stronger associations of PFASs with total T, free T, estradiol (E2), SHBG, and total T/LH were observed in semen than in serum. We found that 84.8% of the associations between serum PFOA with total T were mediated by semen PFOA. Thus, elevated PFAS exposure may have negative effects on male reproductive health, and semen PFAS may be a better exposure indicator for the male reproductive system than serum PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Cui
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yitao Pan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jinghua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hongxiu Liu
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Bing Yao
- Reproductive Medical Center, Nanjing Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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42
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Deng P, Wang C, Wahlang B, Sexton T, Morris AJ, Hennig B. Co-exposure to PCB126 and PFOS increases biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease risk and liver injury in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 409:115301. [PMID: 33096110 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)126 and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are halogenated organic pollutants of high concern. Exposure to these chemicals is ubiquitous, and can lead to potential synergistic adverse effects in individuals exposed to both classes of chemicals. The present study was designed to identify interactions between PCB126 and PFOS that might promote acute changes in inflammatory pathways associated with cardiovascular disease and liver injury. Male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to vehicle, PCB126, PFOS, or a mixture of both pollutants. Plasma and liver samples were collected at 48 h after exposure. Changes in the expression of hepatic genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and atherosclerosis were investigated. Plasma and liver samples was analyzed using untargeted lipidomic method. Hepatic mRNA levels for Nqo1, Icam1, and PAI1 were significantly increased in the mixture-exposed mice. Plasma levels of PAI1, a marker of fibrosis and thrombosis, were also significantly elevated in the mixture-exposed group. Liver injury was observed only in the mixture-exposed mice. Lipidomic analysis revealed that co-exposure to the mixture enhanced hepatic lipid accumulation and elevated oxidized phospholipids levels. In summary, this study shows that acute co-exposure to PCB126 and PFOS in mice results in liver injury and increased cardiovascular disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Deng
- Superfund Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Chunyan Wang
- Superfund Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Banrida Wahlang
- Superfund Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Travis Sexton
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, and Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Andrew J Morris
- Superfund Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, and Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Bernhard Hennig
- Superfund Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Animal and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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Rahban R, Nef S. Regional difference in semen quality of young men: a review on the implication of environmental and lifestyle factors during fetal life and adulthood. Basic Clin Androl 2020; 30:16. [PMID: 33072332 PMCID: PMC7559360 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-020-00114-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of low semen quality and the incidence of testicular cancer have been steadily increasing over the past decades in different parts of the World. Although these conditions may have a genetic or epigenetic origin, there is growing evidence that multiple environmental and lifestyle factors can act alone or in combination to induce adverse effects. Exposure to these factors may occur as early as during fetal life, via the mother, and directly throughout adulthood after full spermatogenic capacity is reached. This review aims at providing an overview of past and current trends in semen quality and its relevance to fertility as well as a barometer of men’s general health. The focus will be on recent epidemiological studies of young men from the general population highlighting geographic variations in Europe. The impact of some lifestyle and environmental factors will be discussed with their role in both fetal life and adulthood. These factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, psychological stress, exposure to electromagnetic radiation, and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Finally, the challenges in investigating the influence of environmental factors on semen quality in a fast changing world are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Rahban
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Switzerland and Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Switzerland and Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
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Mitro SD, Sagiv SK, Fleisch AF, Jaacks LM, Williams PL, Rifas-Shiman SL, Calafat AM, Hivert MF, Oken E, James-Todd TM. Pregnancy Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Concentrations and Postpartum Health in Project Viva: A Prospective Cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:dgaa431. [PMID: 32620010 PMCID: PMC7418448 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental chemicals linked to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE We examined the extent to which PFAS plasma concentrations during pregnancy were associated with postpartum anthropometry and biomarkers. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND MEASURES We studied women recruited between 1999 and 2002 in the Project Viva prospective cohort with pregnancy plasma concentrations of PFAS, including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetic acid (EtFOSAA). Three-year postpartum anthropometry measurements were available from 786 to 801 women, blood pressure from 761 women, and blood biomarkers from 450 to 454 women. We used multivariable regression to evaluate the association of log2-transformed PFAS with postpartum anthropometry, blood pressure, and blood biomarkers (leptin, adiponectin, sex hormone binding globulin [SHBG], hemoglobin A1c, interleukin-6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein), adjusting for age, prepregnancy body mass index, marital status, race/ethnicity, education, income, smoking, parity, and breastfeeding history. RESULTS Pregnancy concentrations of certain PFAS were associated with greater adiposity (eg, 0.4 cm [95% confidence interval [95%CI]: -0.1, 0.9] greater waist circumference per doubling in EtFOSAA; 0.2 cm [95%CI: -0.1, 0.5] greater mid-upper arm circumference per doubling in PFOA; 1.2 mm [95%CI: 0.1, 2.2] thicker sum of subscapular and triceps skinfolds per doubling in PFOS) and higher systolic blood pressure (eg, 1.2 mm Hg [95%CI: 0.3, 2.2] per doubling in PFOS) at 3 years postpartum. Higher EtFOSAA concentrations were also associated with 10.8% higher IL-6 (95%CI: 3.3, 18.9) and 6.1% lower SHBG (95%CI: 0.7, 11.2) per doubling. CONCLUSIONS Pregnancy concentrations of EtFOSAA, PFOS, and PFOA were associated with adverse postpartum cardiometabolic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna D Mitro
- Population Health Sciences Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, US
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, US
| | - Abby F Fleisch
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Maine Medical Center; and Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, ME, US
| | - Lindsay M Jaacks
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, US
| | - Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, US
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, US
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, US
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, US
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, US
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, US
| | - Tamarra M James-Todd
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, US
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, US
- Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US
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45
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Petersen KU, Larsen JR, Deen L, Flachs EM, Hærvig KK, Hull SD, Bonde JPE, Tøttenborg SS. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and male reproductive health: a systematic review of the epidemiological evidence. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2020; 23:276-291. [PMID: 32741292 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2020.1798315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental pollutants may produce impairment of male reproductive health. The epidemiological literature evaluating potential consequences of human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has grown in recent years with concerns for both pre- and postnatal influences. The aim of this systematic review was to assess available evidence on associations between PFAS exposures in different stages of life and semen quality, reproductive hormones, cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and testicular cancer. A systematic search of literature published prior to March 9th, 2020, was performed in the databases PubMed and Embase®. Predefined criteria for eligibility were applied by two authors screening study records independently. Among the 242 study records retrieved in the literature search, 26 studies were eligible for qualitative assessment. While several investigations suggested weak associations for single compounds and specific outcomes, a lack of consistency across studies limited conclusions of overall evidence. The current gap in knowledge is particularly obvious regarding exposures prior to adulthood, exposure to combinations of both PFAS and other types of environmental chemicals, and outcomes such as cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and testicular cancer. Continued efforts to clarify associations between PFAS exposure and male reproductive health through high-quality epidemiological studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Josefine Rahbæk Larsen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura Deen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Esben Meulengracht Flachs
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katia Keglberg Hærvig
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sidsel Dan Hull
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
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46
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Zhu Q, Li H, Wen Z, Wang Y, Li X, Huang T, Mo J, Wu Y, Zhong Y, Ge RS. Perfluoroalkyl substances cause Leydig cell dysfunction as endocrine disruptors. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 253:126764. [PMID: 32464778 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of man-made organic substances. Some of PFASs have been classified as persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors. They might interfere with the male sex endocrine system, causing the abnormal development of the male reproductive tract and failure of pubertal onset and infertility. The present review discusses the development and function of two generations of Leydig cells in rodents and the effects of PFASs on Leydig cell development after their exposure in gestational and postnatal periods. We also discuss human epidemiological data for the effects of PFASs on male sex hormone levels. The structure-activity relationship of PFASs on Leydig cell steroidogenesis and enzyme activities are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huitao Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zina Wen
- Chengdu Xi'nan Gynecological Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiyang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoheng Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tongliang Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaying Mo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Zhong
- Chengdu Xi'nan Gynecological Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Ren-Shan Ge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Trowbridge J, Gerona RR, Lin T, Rudel RA, Bessonneau V, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances in a Cohort of Women Firefighters and Office Workers in San Francisco. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:3363-3374. [PMID: 32100527 PMCID: PMC7244264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Studies of firefighters have shown increased exposures to carcinogenic compounds and elevated rates of certain cancers compared to the general population, yet this research has focused almost exclusively on men. To address this gap, the Women Firefighters Biomonitoring Collaborative created a biological sample archive and analyzed levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) among women firefighters (N = 86) and office workers (N = 84) in San Francisco. Serum samples were collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure and compare PFAS levels between firefighters and office workers. 7 of 12 PFAS congeners were detected in the least 70% of the study population, and 4 congeners were detected in 100% of participants. In regression models comparing PFAS levels by occupation and adjusting for potential confounders, firefighters had higher geometric mean concentrations of PFAS compared to office workers PFHxS (2.22 (95% CI = 1.55, 3.18)), PFUnDA (1.83 (95% CI = 0.97, 3.45)), and PFNA (1.26 (95% CI = 1.01, 1.58)). Among firefighters, occupational position predicted exposure-firefighters and officers had higher PFNA, PFOA, PFDA, and PFUnDA levels compared to drivers. Women firefighters are exposed to higher levels of some PFAS compared to office workers, suggesting that some of these exposures may be occupationally related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Trowbridge
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Roy R. Gerona
- Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Thomas Lin
- Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | | | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Corresponding author: Rachel Morello-Frosch, , 510-643-6358, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, 130 Mulford, Hall #3144, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720
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Jensen RC, Glintborg D, Gade Timmermann CA, Nielsen F, Kyhl HB, Frederiksen H, Andersson AM, Juul A, Sidelmann JJ, Andersen HR, Grandjean P, Andersen MS, Jensen TK. Prenatal exposure to perfluorodecanoic acid is associated with lower circulating concentration of adrenal steroid metabolites during mini puberty in human female infants. The Odense Child Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 182:109101. [PMID: 32069767 PMCID: PMC7117803 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal programming of the endocrine system may be affected by exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAAs), as they easily cross the placental barrier. In vitro studies suggest that PFAAs may disrupt steroidogenesis. "Mini puberty" refers to a transient surge in circulating androgens, androgen precursors, and gonadotropins in infant girls and boys within the first postnatal months. We hypothesize that prenatal PFAA exposure may decrease the concentrations of androgens in mini puberty. OBJECTIVES To investigate associations between maternal serum PFAA concentrations in early pregnancy and serum concentrations of androgens, their precursors, and gonadotropins during mini puberty in infancy. METHODS In the prospective Odense Child Cohort, maternal pregnancy serum concentrations of five PFAAs: Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured at median gestational week 12 (IQR: 10, 15) in 1628 women. Among these, offspring serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), testosterone, luteinizing (LH) and follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) were measured in 373 children (44% girls; 56% boys) at a mean age of 3.9 (±0.9 SD) months. Multivariate linear regression models were performed to estimate associations. RESULTS A two-fold increase in maternal PFDA concentration was associated with a reduction in DHEA concentration by -19.6% (95% CI: -32.9%, -3.8%) in girls. In girls, also, the androstenedione and DHEAS concentrations were decreased, albeit non-significantly (p < 0.11), with a two-fold increase in maternal PFDA concentration. In boys, no significant association was found between PFAAs and concentrations of androgens, their precursors, and gonadotropins during mini puberty. CONCLUSION Prenatal PFDA exposure was associated with significantly lower serum DHEA concentrations and possibly also with lower androstenedione and DHEAS concentrations in female infants at mini puberty. The clinical significance of these findings remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Christian Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark; Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Blvd. 29, Odense C, Denmark.
| | - Dorte Glintborg
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Blvd. 29, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Clara Amalie Gade Timmermann
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Henriette Boye Kyhl
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Blvd. 29, 5000, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Hanne Frederiksen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 6, 2100, Copenhagen OE, Denmark
| | - Anna-Maria Andersson
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 6, 2100, Copenhagen OE, Denmark
| | - Anders Juul
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 6, 2100, Copenhagen OE, Denmark
| | - Johannes J Sidelmann
- Unit for Thrombosis Research, Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, and Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Finsensgade 35, 6700, Esbjerg, Denmark
| | - Helle Raun Andersen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, 677 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Marianne S Andersen
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Blvd. 29, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense C, Denmark; Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Blvd. 29, 5000, Odense C, Denmark; Odense Patient Data Explorative Network (OPEN), University of Southern, J. B. Winsløws Vej 9a, Odense C, Denmark
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Yilmaz B, Terekeci H, Sandal S, Kelestimur F. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: exposure, effects on human health, mechanism of action, models for testing and strategies for prevention. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2020; 21:127-147. [PMID: 31792807 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-019-09521-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are a global problem for environmental and human health. They are defined as "an exogenous chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that can interfere with any aspect of hormone action". It is estimated that there are about 1000 chemicals with endocrine-acting properties. EDCs comprise pesticides, fungicides, industrial chemicals, plasticizers, nonylphenols, metals, pharmaceutical agents and phytoestrogens. Human exposure to EDCs mainly occurs by ingestion and to some extent by inhalation and dermal uptake. Most EDCs are lipophilic and bioaccumulate in the adipose tissue, thus they have a very long half-life in the body. It is difficult to assess the full impact of human exposure to EDCs because adverse effects develop latently and manifest at later ages, and in some people do not present. Timing of exposure is of importance. Developing fetus and neonates are the most vulnerable to endocrine disruption. EDCs may interfere with synthesis, action and metabolism of sex steroid hormones that in turn cause developmental and fertility problems, infertility and hormone-sensitive cancers in women and men. Some EDCs exert obesogenic effects that result in disturbance in energy homeostasis. Interference with hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid and adrenal axes has also been reported. In this review, potential EDCs, their effects and mechanisms of action, epidemiological studies to analyze their effects on human health, bio-detection and chemical identification methods, difficulties in extrapolating experimental findings and studying endocrine disruptors in humans and recommendations for endocrinologists, individuals and policy makers will be discussed in view of the relevant literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayram Yilmaz
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hakan Terekeci
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Suleyman Sandal
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Fahrettin Kelestimur
- Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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50
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Jansen A, Berg JP, Klungsøyr O, Müller MHB, Lyche JL, Aaseth JO. The Influence of Persistent Organic Pollutants on Thyroidal, Reproductive and Adrenal Hormones After Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg 2019; 30:1368-1378. [DOI: 10.1007/s11695-019-04273-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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