High serum PCBs are associated with elevation of serum lipids and cardiovascular disease in a Native American population

Abstract

We have investigated the relationships among the concentration of total serum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), various PCB congener groupings, and three pesticides to total serum lipids in humans with and without self-reported cardiovascular disease. Blood samples were obtained from 335 adult Akwesasne Mohawks, and were analyzed for 101 PCB congeners, mirex, DDE, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), as well as serum triglycerides and cholesterol. Structural equation modeling, following the definition of latent variables by means of confirmatory factor analysis, was used to analyze the relationships between serum lipids with PCBs and heart disease. There were significant associations among PCBs, lipids, age, and body mass index (BMI), a fact which justified the application of the structural equation model. Gender of the participant was unrelated to any of the remaining study variables. The results of this study are consistent with a model in which age is considered as both an exogenous explanatory variable and a biological driving mechanism for the acquisition of PCBs. Moreover, the results of this study are consistent with the conclusion that PCBs, acting through P450 enzymes, are directly responsible for increased synthesis of cholesterol and triglycerides, substances known to be major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

High prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes in a population exposed to high levels of an organochlorine cocktail

“…We previously reported significant association of PCBs, p,p′-DDE and HCB with circulating triacylglycerol and of p,p′-DDE and HCB with total cholesterol [21]. Similar an association of PCBs (∼600 ng/g) with triacylglycerol and cholesterol was recently found [35]. It has been repeatedly observed that high exposure to environmental toxicants is linked to an increased risk of diabetes.…”

Potential role for organochlorine pesticides in the prevalence of peripheral arterial diseases in obese persons: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004

“…For example, persons having high concentrations of POPs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin (TCDD) due to occupational or accidental exposures showed weakly or modestly elevated mortality due to cardiovascular events [12][13][14][15][16]. More recently, other studies have shown that residents living near areas contaminated with POPs had greater incidences of heart diseases and hypertension than those living in relatively clean areas [9,17]. Other studies using The NHANES data added to evidence by showing an association between selfreported cardiovascular diseases and hypertension with exposure to both dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs [8,18].…”

“…Experimental studies have shown that animals treated with TCDD and PCBs have elevated serum lipid levels [19][20][21]. In human, increases in serum concentration of lipid were observed in persons exposed to POPs chemicals derived from occupation or environment contaminations [9,21], suggesting that POP causes hyperlipidemia by depressing hepatic low-density lipoprotein binding and lipoprotein lipase activity and thereby increasing the atherogenic form of low-density lipoprotein levels [19,20]. Another important role in the pathogenesis is an increase in oxidative stress.…”

“…An observational study reported that patients with atherosclerosis had higher serum levels of OC pesticides than the control groups [7]. Recent studies using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data have shown a positive association between concentrations of OC pesticides and self-reported cardiovascular diseases [8,9].…”

Augmented atherogenesis in ApoE-null mice co-exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

“…By comparison, relatively little is known regarding POPs exposures as risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, recent emerging epidemiological studies have linked TCDD and PCBs exposure to a higher incidence of hyperlipidemia, atherosclerotic plaques, increased intima-media thickness and ischemic heart Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 276 (2014) [136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146] disease (Bertazzi et al, 1998;Pelclova et al, 2002;Goncharov et al, 2008Goncharov et al, , 2011. These observations are consistent with evidence from animal experiments.…”