ABSTRACT
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as a group of persistent organic pollutants among environmental endocrine disruptors, are widely used in industrial production and daily life. PFASs are widely and persistently present in the environment and organisms due to their bioaccumulation, long half-life, and low degradability properties. Published studies have proved that PFASs have immunotoxicity, endocrine toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and hepatotoxicity. At present, several epidemiological studies have been conducted on the effects of PFASs on allergic diseases, the research endpoints include asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and the expression of allergic biomarkers such as serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), but no consistent results have been observed yet. PFASs have the potential to activate several signaling pathways, including the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and JAK/STAT pathways. These mechanisms, along with increasing mast cell calcium influx and sex hormone synergistic effects, may contribute to immunomodulation in allergic diseases. At present, the exact human effect of PFASs exposure on allergic diseases and the related mechanisms are still uncertain. This review focused on the impacts of PFASs on asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis and their possible mechanisms, so as to provide research ideas for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of allergic diseases.
ABSTRACT
Background Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy might affect thyroid-related hormone levels in pregnant women. However, most previous studies focused on the effects of PFAS containing 8-10 carbon atoms, and few studies have estimated the associations between PFAS with longer carbon chain and thyroid-related hormone levels. Objective To examine the associations between PFAS exposure and thyroid-related hormones in pregnant women. Methods The present study was based on the Jiashan Birth Cohort from September 2016 to April 2018. We analyzed 13 PFAS in maternal blood samples (n=781) by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, as well as total triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxine (T4), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin antibody (TG-Ab), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. PFAS were divided into three groups:low concentration, medium concentration and high concentration according to the tertile of their concentrations. We estimated the associations between PFAS concentrations and thyroid-related hormones in pregnant women by multiple linear regression. Results In the multiple linear regression models, a change in perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) concentrations from the low concentration group to the high concentration group was associated with a −0.10 (95%CI: −0.20, 0) nmol·L−1 change in T3, −0.15 (95%CI: −0.28, −0.02) pmol·L−1 change in FT3, and −3.02 (95%CI: −5.66, −0.39) pmol·L−1 change in FT4, respectively. A change in perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) concentrations from the low concentration group to the high concentration group was associated with a −0.10 (95%CI: −0.20, 0) nmol·L−1 change in T3. Compared with the low concentration group, the concentration of T4 in the medium concentration group of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) increased by 6.10 (95%CI: 0.44, 11.75) nmol·L−1. No statistically significant associations were found between PFAS and TSH concentration. The negative associations of PFAS with thyroid-related hormones were more pronounced in pregnant women with positive TG-Ab and/or TPOAb. Conclusion Exposure to PFAS during pregnancy may affect thyroid-related hormone homeostasis in pregnant women, and the effect is stronger in TG-Ab and/or TPOAb-positive pregnant women.
ABSTRACT
Background Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposure may affect male reproductive health. There are regional differences in PFASs exposure levels among men of childbearing age in China, and current research results on associated influencing factors are inconsistent. Objective To investigate the levels of PFASs in serum and their determinants among men of childbearing age. Methods The participants (n=113, 22-45 years old) were from a cross-sectional study of exposure to environmental pollutants and male reproductive health damage in Hubei Province conducted from April to June 2013 at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei Province. Eleven kinds of PFASs were measured in serum by isotopic dilution-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The included PFASs were prefluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Information about participants' demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and habits was collected by a set of self-designed questionnaires. The associations of demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and habits with exposure to PFASs were analyzed by linear regression. Results The major components of PFASs were PFOS and PFOA, and the concentrations expressed as M (P25, P75) were 8.31 (4.90, 17.79) ng·mL−1 and 2.77 (2.18, 3.46) ng·mL−1, respectively. The positive rates of six PFASs (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA, PFHxS, and PFOS) were 100%, followed by PFDoA and PFTrDA (87.61% and 88.59%, respectively). The linear regression results showed that age was positively associated with the levels of Σ8PFASs (sum of the concentrations of the eight PFASs with a positive rate greater than 80%) (P < 0.05). The concentration of serum PFOA in men with monthly family income of 2000-4000 yuan was 53.73% (P < 0.01) higher than those in men with monthly family income of <2000 yuan. The serum concentrations of PFNA and PFTrDA were both 32.31% (P < 0.05) higher in men with monthly family income ≥4000 yuan than those in men with monthly family income <2000 yuan. The serum concentration of PFHxS in men who used plastic cups was 33.64% (P < 0.01) higher than that in men who did not report oral contact with plastic products (plastic tableware, plastic cups, and plastic bags for packing food). The serum concentrations of PFHxS, PFOS, and Σ8PFASs were 33.64% (P < 0.01), 43.33% (P < 0.01), and 36.34% (P < 0.05) higher in men who bathed with laundry soap than those in men who did not use detergents. Men who bathed with toilet soap had a 34.99% (P < 0.05) higher serum concentration of PFHxS than those who bathed without detergents. Conclusion Men of childbearing age are exposed to PFASs extensively. Age, monthly household income, usage of laundry soap or toilet soap in bathing, and usage of plastic cups may influence the level of PFASs in serum. However, further investigation is needed to confirm these results.
ABSTRACT
Objective · To evaluate the levels of environmental pollutants including lead, mercury, organophosphorus pesticides (OPs), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and triclosan (TCS) and further analyze the correlation between these pollutants in pregnant women.Methods · Pregnant women were recruited from the Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort (LWBC) in Shandong from September 2010 to December 2013. A total of 149 pregnant women were finally enrolled who completed questionnaires and provided sufficient biological samples for pollutants measurement including blood lead, blood mercury, urinary metabolites of OPs[dimethylphosphate (DMP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), diethylphosphate (DEP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), etc.], serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), as well as urinary TCS. Spearman correlation analysis and cosine cluster analysis were used to explore the correlation between pollutants. Results · The detection rates of lead, DMP, PFOA and PFOS were all 100.0％. And the detection rates of mercury, DMTP, DEP, DETP and TCS were 89.3％, 81.2％, 97.3％, 96.6％ and 59.1％, respectively. The median and range of concentrations for lead, mercury, PFOA, PFOS and TCS were 28.40 (11.30–65.70) μg/L, 0.85 (＜LOD–10.98) μg/L, 39.54 (1.16–273.68) μg/L, 4.56 (0.55–15.38) μg/L, 0.58 (＜LOD–58.01) μg/g, respectively. The median and range of concentrations for DMP, DMTP, DEP and DETP were 36.33 (0.55–1 331.04) μg/g, 2.65 (＜LOD–128.84) μg/g, 14.70 (＜LOD–585.05) μg/g, 1.84 (＜LOD–86.21) μg/g, respectively. The concentrations of DMP and DEP were generally higher than those in developed countries. The concentration of PFOA was much higher than those in foreign studies, while the concentrations of PFOS and TCS were relatively lower. Correlation analysis and cosine cluster analysis revealed that mercury was positively correlated with PFOA (r=0.36, P=0.000) and PFOS (r=0.42, P=0.000). Conclusion · The population in LWBC is widely exposed to multiple pollutants and there are certain correlations between mercury and PFASs, suggesting that attention should be paid to emerging pollutants besides traditional ones.
ABSTRACT
Objective • To evaluate the levels of environmental pollutants including lead, mercury, organophosphorus pesticides (OPs), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and triclosan (TCS) and further analyze the correlation between these pollutants in pregnant women. Methods • Pregnant women were recruited from the Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort (LWBC) in Shandong from September 2010 to December 2013. A total of 149 pregnant women were finally enrolled who completed questionnaires and provided sufficient biological samples for pollutants measurement including blood lead, blood mercury, urinary metabolites of OPs[dimethylphosphate (DMP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), diethylphosphate (DEP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), etc.], serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), as well as urinary TCS. Spearman correlation analysis and cosine cluster analysis were used to explore the correlation between pollutants. Results • The detection rates of lead, DMP, PFOA and PFOS were all 100.0%. And the detection rates of mercury, DMTP, DEP, DETP and TCS were 89.3%, 81.2%, 97.3%, 96.6% and 59.1%, respectively. The median and range of concentrations for lead, mercury, PFOA, PFOS and TCS were 28.40 (11.30-65.70) μg/L, 0.85 (