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Environmental Health : a Global Access... Apr 2022Exposure to persistent environmental organic pollutants may contribute to the development of obesity among children. Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine...
BACKGROUND
Exposure to persistent environmental organic pollutants may contribute to the development of obesity among children. Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine insecticide with estrogenic properties that was used in the French West Indies (1973-1993) and is still present in the soil and the water and food consumed by the local population. We studied the association between prenatal and childhood exposure to chlordecone and the adiposity of prepubertal children.
METHODS
Within the Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study in Guadeloupe (French West Indies), 575 children had a medical examination at seven years of age, including adiposity measurements. A Structural Equation Modeling approach was used to create a global adiposity score from four adiposity indicators: the BMI z-score, percentage of fat mass, sum of the tricipital and subscapular skinfold thickness, and waist-to-height ratio. Chlordecone concentrations were measured in cord blood at birth and in the children's blood at seven years of age. Models were adjusted for prenatal and postnatal covariates. Sensitivity analyses accounted for co-exposure to PCB-153 and pp'-DDE. Mediation analyses, including intermediate birth outcomes, were conducted.
RESULTS
Prenatal chlordecone exposure tended to be associated with increased adiposity at seven years of age, particularly in boys. However, statistical significance was only reached in the third quartile of exposure and neither linear nor non-linear trends could be formally identified. Consideration of preterm birth or birth weight in mediation analyses did not modify the results, as adjustment for PCB-153 and pp'-DDE co-exposures.
CONCLUSION
Globally, we found little evidence of an association between chlordecone exposure during the critical in utero or childhood periods of development and altered body-weight homeostasis in childhood. Nevertheless, some associations we observed at seven years of age, although non-significant, were consistent with those observed at earlier ages and would be worth investing during further follow-ups of children of the Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study when they reach puberty.
Topics: Adiposity; Child; Chlordecone; Cohort Studies; Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; Female; Guadeloupe; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Mother-Child Relations; Obesity; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; West Indies
PubMed: 35439992
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00850-2 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2021Chlordecone is an endocrine-disrupting chemical with well recognized estrogenic and progestagenic properties. This organochlorine insecticide was extensively used in the...
BACKGROUND
Chlordecone is an endocrine-disrupting chemical with well recognized estrogenic and progestagenic properties. This organochlorine insecticide was extensively used in the French West Indies from 1973 to 1993 to control the banana root borer. Due to its poor degradation in the environment, permanently polluted soil is responsible for the current contamination of the food chain and human beings. We aimed to examine the relationship of exposure to chlordecone and thyroid (thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], free tri-iodothyronine [FT3], free thyroxine [FT4]), metabolic (insulin growth-factor 1, leptin, adiponectin), and sex-steroid (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], total testosterone [TT], dihydrotestosterone [DHT], estradiol [E2]) hormone levels in children at the age of seven years who participated in TIMOUN, an ongoing birth cohort in Guadeloupe.
METHODS
Chlordecone concentrations were measured in cord-blood at delivery. Thyroid, metabolic, and sex-steroid hormone levels were determined in the blood of children at seven years of age. Associations between chlordecone exposure and hormone levels at seven years of age were assessed by multiple linear or logistic regression, controlling for confounding factors.
RESULTS
Among the study population (210 boys and 228 girls), chlordecone and hormone measurements were available for 124 boys and 161 girls. We found the third quartile of chlordecone exposure relative to the lowest quartile to be associated with elevated TSH levels in girls and elevated DHEA, TT, and DHT levels in both sexes. Complementary non-linear analysis (spline regression) confirmed a significant non-linear trend for TSH in girls and DHEA and DHT in boys.
CONCLUSION
chlordecone exposure was associated with elevated levels of selected thyroid (TSH) and sex-steroid (DHEA, TT, and DHT) hormones at seven years in a non-monotonic dose response (inverted U) relationship. The implications for future health and reproductive function in puberty and adulthood should be determined.
Topics: Adiponectin; Child; Chlordecone; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Dihydrotestosterone; Environmental Exposure; Estradiol; Female; Humans; Insecticides; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Leptin; Male; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Testosterone; Thyroid Gland; Thyrotropin; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine
PubMed: 34880833
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.771641 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Nov 2020Chlordecone was used intensively as an insecticide in the French West Indies. Because of its high persistence, the resulting contamination of food and water has led to...
Chlordecone was used intensively as an insecticide in the French West Indies. Because of its high persistence, the resulting contamination of food and water has led to chronic exposure of the general population as evidenced by its presence in the blood of people of Guadeloupe, in particular in pregnant women and newborns, and in maternal breast milk. Chlordecone is recognized as a reproductive and developmental toxicant, is neurotoxic and carcinogenic in rodents, and is considered as an endocrine-disrupting compound with well-established estrogenic and progestogenic properties both in vitro and in vivo. The question arises of its potential consequences on child neurodevelopment following prenatal and childhood exposure, in particular on behavioral sexual dimorphism in childhood. We followed 116 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort study in Guadeloupe, who were examined at age 7. These children were invited to participate in a 7-min structured play session in which they could choose between different toys considered as feminine, masculine, or neutral. The play session was video recorded, and the percentage of the time spent playing with feminine or masculine toys was calculated. We estimated associations between playtime and prenatal exposure to chlordecone (assessed by concentration in cord blood) or childhood exposure (determined from concentrations in child blood obtained at the 7-year follow-up), taking into account confounders and co-exposures to other environmental chemicals. We used a two-group regression model to take into account sex differences in play behavior. Our results do not indicate any modification in sex-typed toy preference among 7-year-old children in relation with either prenatal or childhood exposure to chlordecone.
Topics: Child; Chlordecone; Cohort Studies; Female; Guadeloupe; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Insecticides; Male; Milk, Human; Pregnancy; West Indies
PubMed: 31264154
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05686-x -
Environmental Health : a Global Access... Feb 2023Chlordecone is a highly persistent organochlorine insecticide that was intensively used in banana fields in the French West Indies, resulting in a widespread...
BACKGROUND
Chlordecone is a highly persistent organochlorine insecticide that was intensively used in banana fields in the French West Indies, resulting in a widespread contamination. Neurotoxicity of acute exposures in adults is well recognized, and empirical data suggests that prenatal exposure affects visual and fine motor developments during infancy and childhood, with greater susceptibility in boys.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the associations between pre- and postnatal exposures to chlordecone and cognitive and behavioral functions in school-aged children from Guadeloupe.
METHODS
We examined 576 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort in Guadeloupe at 7 years of age. Concentrations of chlordecone and other environmental contaminants were measured in cord- and children's blood at age 7 years. Cognitive abilities of children were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (WISC-IV), and externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors documented with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by the child's mother. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations between cord- and 7-years chlordecone concentrations and child outcomes using structural equations modeling, and tested effect modification by sex.
RESULTS
Geometric means of blood chlordecone concentrations were 0.13 µg/L in cord blood and 0.06 µg/L in children's blood at age 7 years. A twofold increase in cord blood concentrations was associated with 0.05 standard deviation (SD) (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.0, 0.10) higher internalizing problem scores, whereas 7-years chlordecone concentrations were associated with lower Full-Scale IQ scores (FSIQ) and greater externalized behavioral problem scores. A twofold increase in 7-year chlordecone concentrations was associated with a decrease of 0.67 point (95% CI: -1.13, -0.22) on FSIQ and an increase of 0.04 SD (95% CI: 0.0, 0.07) on externalizing problems. These associations with Cognitive abilities were driven by decreases in perceptive reasoning, working memory and verbal comprehension. Associations between 7-year exposure and perceptive reasoning, working memory, and the FSIQ were stronger in boys, whereas cord blood and child blood associations with internalizing problems were stronger in girls.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggests that cognitive abilities and externalizing behavior problems at school age are impaired by childhood, but not in utero, exposure to chlordecone, and that prenatal exposure is related to greater internalizing behavioral problems.
Topics: Child; Adult; Male; Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Chlordecone; Guadeloupe; Problem Behavior; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Cognition; Mother-Child Relations
PubMed: 36843015
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00970-3 -
Neurotoxicology Jan 2022Chlordecone is an organochlorine that was largely used as an insecticide to control a species of root borers, the Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), in the French...
BACKGROUND
Chlordecone is an organochlorine that was largely used as an insecticide to control a species of root borers, the Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), in the French West Indies, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Its molecules have been shown to be very persistent in the environment as pollution in soils leading to contamination of water sources and foodstuff will last for several decades. Our team previously reported associations between prenatal chlordecone exposure and poorer fine motor development at two points in time during infancy.
OBJECTIVE
To document whether effects of prenatal exposure to chlordecone previously reported persists until middle-childhood, and whether deleterious effects are observed in domain of visual processing. Associations with postnatal exposure and sex-specific vulnerabilities were also investigated.
METHODS
We examined 410 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort in Guadeloupe at 7 years of age. Concentrations of chlordecone and other environmental contaminants were measured in cord- and children's blood at age 7 years. Fine motor function was assessed using the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition (BOT-2). The Computerized Adaptive Testing System (CATSYS) was used to evaluated postural hand tremor, while non-verbal visuospatial processing was measured using the Stanford Binet copying (S-B copying) test. We used adjusted multiple linear regressions to test the relationship between children's scores and both continuous and categorical blood chlordecone concentrations, adding child sex as a moderator in continuous models.
RESULTS
Cord chlordecone concentrations are associated with a regular frequency pattern of subtle hand tremors in both hands, and not related to visual processing and fine motor precision. Chlordecone concentrations in blood sample collected at testing time are associated with poorer visual processing when copying geometric figures, but not significantly related to poorer fine movement precision in tasks requiring pencil, scissors and paper. No sex-specific vulnerability was reported in any of the outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
These results at school aged expand those previously reported in the same cohort during infancy at age 7- and 18 months, and corroborate the negative effects of chlordecone exposure on fine motor function in absence of intoxication. Our results support the need to continue public health efforts aimed at reducing exposure especially among women of child bearing age and young children.
Topics: Chlordecone; Environmental Exposure; Female; Guadeloupe; Humans; Insecticides; Male; Motor Skills; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Psychomotor Disorders
PubMed: 34890633
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2021.12.003 -
Environmental Toxicology and... Nov 2020Chlordecone (CLD) is a chlorinated persistent organic pollutant (POP) whose presence despite the 1993 ban in agriculture areas has caused numerous public health...
Chlordecone (CLD) is a chlorinated persistent organic pollutant (POP) whose presence despite the 1993 ban in agriculture areas has caused numerous public health concerns. CLD accumulates in the liver, and the CLD metabolite, chlordecol (CLD-OH) is found in bile, an important site of excretion for cholesterol transported to the liver via lipoproteins. Here, we studied the real-time molecular interaction between CLD and CLD-OH with human serum lipoproteins, LDL and HDL. While no interaction was detected between CLD and HDL, or between CLD-OH and LDL, relatively high specific affinities were observed between CLD and CLD-OH for LDL and HDL, respectively.
Topics: Chlordecone; Humans; Insecticides; Lipoproteins, HDL; Lipoproteins, LDL; Protein Binding
PubMed: 32891758
DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103486 -
Chemosphere Jan 2022The redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, was introduced to Martinique Island for aquaculture purposes at the beginning of the 21st century, in an attempt to...
The redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, was introduced to Martinique Island for aquaculture purposes at the beginning of the 21st century, in an attempt to revitalize the freshwater crustacean aquaculture sector. Mainly due to its high economical value, it was intentionally released in the wild and was caught and sold by fishermen. Martinican rivers are polluted by chlordecone, considered as one of the worst Persistant Organic Pollutants (POP). Despite its dangerousness, it was used until 1993 in the French West Indies against a banana pest and was always found in the ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the level of contamination in the muscle of crayfish caught in the wild, as well as the potential of bioconcentration and depuration in the C. quadricarinatus muscle. This study could allow us to quantify the risk for consumers but also, to evaluate a depuration process to reduce the risk related to its consumption. Using both in-vitro and in-situ experiments, results highlighted the importance of the chlordecone concentration in the water and the time of exposure to the pollutant. The bioconcentration seems to be very quick and continuous in crayfish muscle, as chlordecone can be detectable as early as 6 h of exposure, whatever the concentration tested. Finally, it appears that, even after 20 days of depuration in chlordecone-free water, chlordecone concentrations remained higher to the residual maximum limit (i.e. 20 ng/g wet weight), concluding that the decontamination of the muscle seems not very efficient, and the risk for the Martinican people could be serious.
Topics: Animals; Astacoidea; Bioaccumulation; Chlordecone; Ecosystem; Humans; Insecticides; Martinique
PubMed: 34435577
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131926 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Oct 2016Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine pesticide widely used in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) to control the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus. Although it was...
Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine pesticide widely used in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) to control the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus. Although it was previously highlighted that chlordecone may affect the reproduction and growth of vertebrate species, little information is available on the chlordecone effects in invertebrates. The present study investigated the effects of chlordecone on a hormone and a protein having key roles in reproduction and growth of the decapod crustacean Macrobrachium rosenbergii, by measuring the 20-hydroxyecdysone concentration, vitellogenin, and vitellogenin receptor gene expression, as well as the bioconcentration of chlordecone in exposed prawns. First, the results revealed that chlordecone was accumulated in M. rosenbergii. Then, it was found that Vg and VgR gene expression were increased in male and female M. rosenbergii exposed to chlordecone for 90 and 240 days, while the 20-hydroxyecdysone concentrations were decreased. This work suggests that chlordecone accumulates in prawn tissues and could affect key molecules involved in the reproduction and the growth of the invertebrate M. rosenbergii. However, many questions remain unresolved regarding the impacts of chlordecone on growth and reproduction and the signaling pathways responsible for these effects, as well as the potential role of confounding factors present in in situ studies.
Topics: Animals; Arthropod Proteins; Chlordecone; Ecdysterone; Egg Proteins; Endocrine Disruptors; Female; Gene Expression; Insecticides; Male; Palaemonidae; Receptors, Cell Surface; Vitellogenins; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 27470247
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7273-1