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Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Feb 2023Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science, we identified nine articles that provide evidence... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science, we identified nine articles that provide evidence of the relationship between persistent organic pollutants and hyperuricemia. Our researchers assess the quality of the included studies and their risk of bias using the recommended method and tool. This study uses meta-analyses of the random effects of each exposure and outcome to estimate combined odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We found that the risk of hyperuricemia was strongly associated with three perfluorinated compounds, PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS, with the OR(95%CI) of 1.26 (1.07-1.47), 1.44(1.15-1.79), and 1.23(1.01-1.50) respectively. We also found a weak association between two other perfluorinated compounds, PFDA and PFHxS. Other than that, the summary ORs (95% CIs) of incident hyperuricemia were 2.34 (1.79-3.08) for DDT, 3.25(2.40-4.39) for DDE, 2.57 (1.37-4.81) for PCBs and 3.05(2.22-4.19) in trans-nonanchlor. Therefore, DDT and its breakdown product, DDE, PCBs, and trans-nonanchlor have also been linked with an increased risk of hyperuricemia in humans. This study finds that persistent organic pollutant is a critical factor for hyperuricemia, and further studies in specific regions will be considered in the future.
Topics: Humans; Hyperuricemia; Persistent Organic Pollutants; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; DDT
PubMed: 36640578
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114525 -
Environmental Research Jul 2020Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are relevant families of persistent organic pollutants, which have been linked to several long-term...
BACKGROUND
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are relevant families of persistent organic pollutants, which have been linked to several long-term adverse health effects. The mechanisms of action of these pollutants are still poorly understood. However, there are some evidences suggesting that inflammation might play a key role on their effects.
AIM
To systematically synthesize the published in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological data assessing the potential influence of exposure to OCPs and PCBs on the development of an inflammatory milieu.
METHODS
A systematic review of peer-reviewed original research papers published until 1st May 2019 was conducted, by using Medline, Web of Science and Scopus databases. A total of 39 articles met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated in this review.
RESULTS
The majority of the studies showed significant associations of PCB and OCP exposure with all inflammatory markers measured (n = 30). Some studies showed positive and negative associations (n = 7) and only two studies evidenced negative associations (n = 2). Most of the available evidences came from in vitro and in vivo studies (n = 31), with few epidemiological studies (n = 8).
CONCLUSIONS
We found consistent positive associations between exposure to PCBs and OCPs and the development of a pro-inflammatory milieu, with only few discrepancies. However, given the limited epidemiological evidence found, our results warrant further research in order to elucidate the real contribution of these pollutants on the inflammatory processes and subsequent diseases.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Epidemiologic Studies; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Pesticides; Polychlorinated Biphenyls
PubMed: 32668538
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109561 -
Biochemical Pharmacology Jul 2024Epidemiological evidence links chemical exposure with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk and prevalence. Chemical exposure may therefore also limit success of weight loss or... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
A systematic review and meta-analysis of environmental contaminant exposure impacts on weight loss and glucose regulation during calorie-restricted diets in preclinical studies: Persistent organic pollutants may impede glycemic control.
Epidemiological evidence links chemical exposure with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk and prevalence. Chemical exposure may therefore also limit success of weight loss or restoration of glycemic control during calorie restricted diets. Few human studies examine this hypothesis. This systematic review and clustered meta-analysis examines preclinical evidence that exposure to anthropogenic environmental contaminants impedes weight loss and resumption of glycemic control during calorie restriction. Of five eligible papers from 212 unique citations, four used C57BL/6 mice and one used Sprague Dawley rats. In four the animals received high fat diets to induce obesity and impaired glycemic control. All examined persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 77 exposure did not affect final mass (standardised mean difference (SMD) = -0.35 [-1.09, 0.39]; n = 5 (experiments); n = 3 (papers)), or response to insulin in insulin tolerance tests (SMD = -1.54 [-3.25, 0.16] n = 3 (experiments); n = 2 (papers)), but impaired glucose control in glucose tolerance tests (SMD = -1.30 [-1.96, -0.63]; n = 6 (experiments); n = 3 (papers)). The impaired glycemic control following perfluoro-octane sulphonic acid (PFOS) exposure and enhanced mass loss following dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) exposure have not been replicated. Animal studies thus suggest some chemical groups, especially PCB and PFOS, could impair glucose control management during calorie restriction, similar to conclusions from limited existing clinical studies. We discuss the research that is urgently required to inform weight management services that are now the mainstay prevention initiative for T2DM.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Blood Glucose; Caloric Restriction; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Glycemic Control; Persistent Organic Pollutants; Weight Loss; Disease Models, Animal; Rats
PubMed: 38782075
DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116300 -
Journal of Environmental Management Dec 2021Despite the increasing use of chemical additives in construction and their potential threat to the environment and human health, many C&DW studies lack a comprehensive... (Review)
Review
Despite the increasing use of chemical additives in construction and their potential threat to the environment and human health, many C&DW studies lack a comprehensive view of chemicals of concern (COC) in C&DW. This study systematically reviewed published studies from 2010 to August 2021 using a keyword search methodology to explore COC in C&DW fine residues based on 73 articles identified from 5 prominent databases. Results show that trace/heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Cd, and Pb) as well as high concentrations of toxic gasses (methane, hydrogen sulphide and mercury vapour) have been reported in landfills. Besides, organic chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and brominated flame retardants have been found in landfill leachates in the Netherlands and widely detected in landfill leachates in Sweden, Japan, and Canada. The potential of these contaminants to cause health complications has also been reported. Carcinogenicity, liver and kidney damage, cumulative damage, neurological disorders and foetal damage were reported as associated health implications of exposure to COC from C&DW. A waste disposal lens was used to explore the factors that influence the environment and human health impacts (pH, gypsum and organic content, size fraction, atmospheric exposure and liquid infiltration rate). Despite environmental and health issues relating to C&DW fine residues, the ultimate destination for C&DW fine residues remains in general landfills. Although significant efforts in managing C&DW have been implemented at various levels, those specifically targeting C&DW fine residues remain sparse.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants; Humans; Refuse Disposal; Waste Disposal Facilities; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34482107
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113654 -
Environmental Research Sep 2020Environmental risks are responsible for one in five of all deaths worldwide. Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances are chemicals that can subsist for decades...
Environmental risks are responsible for one in five of all deaths worldwide. Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances are chemicals that can subsist for decades in human tissues and the environment. They include heavy metals, organochlorines, polychlorinated biphenyls, organobromines, organofluorines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among others. Although humans are often exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously, their negative effects on health have generally been studied for each one separately. Among the most severe of these harmful effects is cancer. Here, to compile and analyze the available evidence on the relationship between exposure to mixtures of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals and the risk of developing cancer in the general population, we provide a systematic review based on the main databases (Cochrane, PubMed and Embase), together with complementary sources, using the general methodology of the PRISMA Statement. The articles analyzed were selected by two researchers working independently and their quality was evaluated by reference to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The initial search yielded 2379 results from the main sources of information and 22 from the complementary ones. After the article selection process, 22 were included in the final review (21 case-control studies and one cohort study). Analysis of the selected studies revealed that most of the mixtures analyzed were positively associated with risk of cancer, especially that of the breast, colon-rectum or testis, and more strongly so than each contaminant alone. In view of the possible stronger association observed with the development of cancer for some mixtures of pollutants than when each one is present separately, exposure to mixtures should also be monitored and measured, preferably in cohort designs, to complement the traditional approach to persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals. The results presented should be taken into account in public health policies in order to strengthen the regulatory framework for cancer prevention and control.
Topics: Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Male; Neoplasms; Polychlorinated Biphenyls
PubMed: 32798941
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109787 -
Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis 2017The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs), including autism spectrum disorder, attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorder,... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs), including autism spectrum disorder, attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorder, obsessive‑compulsive disorder, and emotional disturbances, has increased notably in the past few decades. To date, debate continues as to the origins of NDs. Increases in widespread exposure to and bioaccumulation of chemical neurotoxicants have paralleled the upsurge in NDs, and are suggested to be causal agents for NDs. One consistent aspect of NDs is the male preponderance. This review considers the issue of male preponderance by reviewing the gender‑specific neurotoxic effects of recognized neurotoxicant chemicals to assess their possible etiology in NDs. This investigation consisted of a systematic literature review of original studies published from 1970-2016 on suspected neurotoxicants, to examine whether they have a disproportionate adverse effect based on gender. Based on that review, the neurotoxicants exhibiting consistent gender‑specific effects, with exposed males being more affected (than similarly exposed females), were: lead, Thimerosal/ethylmercury, some organochlorine pesticides (e.g., dieldrin, endosulfan, and heptachlor), and air pollution. The next group identified were neurotoxicants exhibiting gender‑specific neurotoxic effects, with males being somewhat (but not consistently) more affected than females: mercury vapor, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organophosphate pesticides. Finally, there was a group of studies in which the neurotoxicants exhibited apparent gender‑related neurotoxic effects but failed to show whether exposed males were consistently more affected than females: inorganic mercury salts, methylmercury species, and certain endocrine disruptors (e.g., phthalates and BPA). The overall conclusion from the studies reviewed was that the brain in males is more vulnerable to many toxic exposures than it is in females. Evidence suggests that the reasons for the male brain being more vulnerable include: (1) greater glutathione availability in females; (2) greater sulfate‑based detoxification capacity in females; (3) potentiating effects of co‑exposure to neurotoxicants and testosterone; (4) greater neuroinflammatory response in males; (5) reduced vulnerability to oxidative stress in females; and (6) neuroprotective effects of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone), especially in the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress.
Topics: Brain; Developmental Disabilities; Female; Humans; Male; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Neurotoxins; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 29369294
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2019Impulsive and compulsive traits represent a variety of maladaptive behaviors defined by the difficulties to stop an improper response and the control of a repeated...
Impulsive and compulsive traits represent a variety of maladaptive behaviors defined by the difficulties to stop an improper response and the control of a repeated behavioral pattern without sensitivity to changing contingencies, respectively. Otherwise, human beings are continuously exposed to plenty neurotoxicological agents which have been systematically linked to attentional, learning, and memory dysfunctions, both preclinical and clinical studies. Interestingly, the link between both impulsive and compulsive behaviors and the exposure to the most important xenobiotic compounds have been extensively developed; although the information has been rarely summarized. For this, the present systematic review schedule and analyze in depth the most important works relating different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors with 4 of the most important xenobiotic compounds: Lead (Pb), Methylmercury (MeHg), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and Organophosphates (OP) in both preclinical and clinical models. Systematic search strategy on PubMed databases was developed, and the most important information was structured both in text and in separate tables based on rigorous methodological quality assessment. For Lead, Methylmercury, Polychlorinated biphenyls and organophosphates, a total of 44 (31 preclinical), 34 (21), 38 (23), and 30 (17) studies were accepted for systematic synthesis, respectively. All the compounds showed an important empirical support on their role in the modulation of impulsive and, in lesser degree, compulsive traits, stronger and more solid in animal models with inconclusive results in humans in some cases (i.e., MeHg). However, preclinical and clinical studies have systematically focused on different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors, as well as impulsive choice or habit conformations have been rarely studied. The strong empirical support in preclinical studies contrasts with the lack of connection between preclinical and clinical models, as well as the different methodologies used. Further research should be focused on dissipate these differences as well as deeply study impulsive choice, decision making, risk taking, and cognitive flexibility, both in experimental animals and humans.
PubMed: 31333425
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00139 -
European Journal of Cancer Prevention :... Sep 2019We carryied out a meta-analysis of studies on exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Through a systematic search of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
We carryied out a meta-analysis of studies on exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Through a systematic search of the literature, we identified relative risks (RRs) for PCB exposure and NHL risk in 30 populations (10 occupational exposure, seven high environmental exposure, 13 without special exposure). We performed random effects meta-analyses for exposure to all PCBs, specific PCB congeners and risk of all NHL and NHL subtypes. The meta-RR for studies of occupational exposure, high environmental exposure, and no special exposure were 0.94 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84-1.03], 1.05 (95% CI: 0.94-1.16), and 1.03 (95% CI: 0.72-1.34), respectively, and the cumulative meta-RR was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.85-1.07). No positive associations were found for exposure to specific congeners, nor for NHL subtypes. The meta-RR for an increase of 100 ppb serum or fat PCB level was 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00-1.04). There was weak indication of publication bias. Our meta-analysis found no association between PCB exposure and NHL risk, in particular in studies of occupational exposures. We detected a weak dose-response relation; the possibility of residual confounding and other sources of bias cannot be ruled out. PCBs are not likely to cause NHL in humans.
Topics: Environmental Exposure; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Occupational Exposure; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Risk Factors
PubMed: 30234686
DOI: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000463 -
Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks,... Apr 2024Endometriosis, characterized by endometrial-like mucosal tissue outside the uterine cavity, is a reproductive disorder afflicting about 10% of women within the... (Review)
Review
Endometriosis, characterized by endometrial-like mucosal tissue outside the uterine cavity, is a reproductive disorder afflicting about 10% of women within the reproductive age. The pathogenesis of endometriosis has been attributed to factors like genetics, environmental particles, and hormones. A comprehensive review of studies from July 2010 to July 2023 across multiple databases was done to aid in a better understanding of the same. The investigation focused on studies delineating the correlation between endocrine disruptors, microRNAs, and endometriosis. To optimize the search scope, keywords and subject headings were used as search terms. Then, two authors rigorously assessed studies using criteria, selecting 27 studies from various databases. Notably, dioxins, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls exhibited a solid connection for endometriosis, while bisphenol A and phthalates yielded conflicting results. The heightened presence of bisphenol A, polychlorinated biphenyls, and phthalates was linked to altered gene expression, including genes like AKR1B10, AKR1C3, and FAM49B. MicroRNAs like miRNA-31, miRNA-144, and miRNA-145 emerged as vital factors in the onset of endometriosis and progression. Furthermore, elevated expression of miR-1304-3p, miR-544, and miR-3684 and reduced expression of miR-3935 and miR-4427 exert substantial influence on signaling pathways like NF-κB, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin. Currently, literature shows an independent link between endocrine disruptor exposure and endometriosis and between microRNA dysregulation and endometriosis. However, research lacks the combination of all three factors. The review delves into the effects of endocrine disruptors and microRNAs on the pathogenesis of endometriosis to improve our understanding of the disorder and in finding therapies.
Topics: Humans; Female; MicroRNAs; Endometriosis; Endocrine Disruptors; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Environmental Pollutants; Benzhydryl Compounds; Phenols
PubMed: 38036864
DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01412-8 -
Critical Reviews in Oncology/hematology Dec 2015During the past three decades, large areas of the Naples and the Caserta provinces of the Campania region in Italy have been extensively contaminated by the widespread... (Review)
Review
During the past three decades, large areas of the Naples and the Caserta provinces of the Campania region in Italy have been extensively contaminated by the widespread burial and open-air dumping and incineration of industrial toxic waste. On the basis of the finding that the incidence of bladder cancer appears remarkably high in the Naples province with respect to the rest of Europe and of a potential causative role of environmental contaminants, we sought associations between exposure to toxic agents and increased mortality/incidence of bladder cancer by performing a systematic search of epidemiology and human biomonitoring studies conducted in the provinces of Naples and Caserta. The data show that the incidence of bladder cancer is higher than expected on the basis of regional data in the province of Naples and in certain areas of the province of Caserta, even after accounting for social deprivation, with two clusters of increased mortality rate located in the north-western part of Naples province and in the south-eastern part of the Caserta province. The biomonitoring studies conducted focused on the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are generated by the uncontrolled combustion of refuse abandoned in the territory and have been shown to enter the food chain. While the average values of PCDD/F and PCBs reported in blood serum and human milk of the area population are in accordance with those expected on the basis of studies conducted at a national and international level, five municipalities assessed in the province of Naples, that is Brusciano, Caivano, Giugliano, Mugnano, and Qualiano-Villaricca were clearly characterized by the presence of arsenic, with 62% samples showing serum arsenic levels higher than the 95th percentile of the national distribution. The potential negative synergism of social deprivation, environmental pressure and arsenic contamination may account for the higher than expected bladder cancer incidence and mortality in certain areas of the Campania region and remains to be elucidated via the conduction of ad hoc population-based studies.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Italy; Risk Factors; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
PubMed: 26520458
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2015.07.004