Persistent Organic Pollutant-Mediated Insulin Resistance

Chon

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

Persistent organic pollutants(POPs) are suggested to be potential risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM). We examined the hypothesis that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor trans-activating(AhRT) activity, a potential biomarker for the presence of POPs, could be a GDM risk factor in pregnant women. A total of 390 GDM and 100 normal pregnant(non-GDM) subjects in the Korea National Diabetes Program cohort voluntarily participated. We measured AhRT activity and concentrations of ATP and reactive oxygen in the serum collected at the screening of the participants for GDM using recombinant Hepa1c1c7 cells. Odds ratios(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models. The sensitivity and specificity of AhRT activity for GDM diagnostics were measured by receiver operating characteristic(ROC) analysis. Body mass index at pre-pregnancy and delivery and systolic blood pressure were significantly higher in the GDM group. AhRT activity was higher, and ATP concentrations were lower in the GDM group than the non-GDM group(P < 0.0001). AhRT activity was significantly higher in the GDM group(OR 29.3, 95% CI 10.9–79.1) compared with non-GDM(P < 0.0001). Serum glucose concentration at 1 h after a 50 g glucose challenge(glucose-50) was moderately correlated with AhRT activity(r2 = 0.387) and negatively correlated with ATP production(r2 = −0.650). In the ROC curve, AhRT activity had 70.9% sensitivity and 90.0% specificity for glucose-50, a GDM screening method. In conclusion, this study suggests that serum AhRT activity is positively associated with the risk of GDM.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of aryl hydrocarbon receptor transactivating activity, a potential biomarker for persistent organic pollutants, with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

Chon

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

“…BDE-209 also increased LEP and PPARγ levels in serum and the mRNA and protein levels in adipose tissue but reduced Adp content in serum and its mRNA and protein expression in adipose tissue. BDE-209 activates the mouse Adp promoter to stimulate Adp mRNA and protein expression in adipocytes; it also stimulates fatty acid oxidation by reducing the globular domain of Adp[ 22 ], resulting in abnormal differentiation of mouse adipocytes. Decreased levels of secreted Adp by cells ultimately leads to body fat or weight gain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decabromodiphenyl ether causes insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in mice

Alimu

Abudureman

Wang³

et al. 2021

WJD

BACKGROUND Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) is the most commonly used brominated flame retardant. Recently, BDE-209 has been suspected of being an environmental risk factor for metabolic diseases such as obesity, insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. AIM To investigate the effects of BDE-209 on IR and glucose and lipid metabolism in C57BL/6 mice. METHODS Adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into high, medium-high, medium, medium-low, and low dose BDE-209 groups, and a control group ( n = 6 per group), which received 1000, 800, 600, 450, 300, and 0 mg/kg BDE-209, respectively. After BDE-209 exposure for 60 d, the mice were fasted overnight, and then sacrificed to obtain tissues. An automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to detect fasting serum insulin (FINS), leptin (LEP), and adiponectin (Adp) levels; a blood glucose meter was used to detect fasting blood glucose (FBG). Morphological changes of the liver were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to determine the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein levels, respectively, of LEP, Adp, and peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) in mouse liver and adipose tissues. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference in the weight of mice in each group after 45 and 60 d of exposure ( P < 0.05). After 60 d of exposure, the weight of liver and adipose tissues in the exposure groups were greater than that of the control group ( P < 0.05). The liver tissue structure was disordered and the liver tissues were accompanied by local inflammatory cell infiltration in the high, medium-high, and medium dose BDE-209 groups. The levels of FINS, insulin sensitivity index, Adp, and HDL-C were decreased in the BDE-209 group compared with the control group, as were the mRNA and protein levels of Adp in liver and adipose tissues ( P < 0.05). Serum level of FBG and LEP were higher in the BDE-209 group than in controls. TC, TG, and LDL-C levels as well as the mRNA and protein expression of LEP and PPARγ in liver and adipose tissues were higher than those in the control group ( P < 0.05). Homeostatic assessment model of IR was higher in the medium and medium-low dose BDE-209 groups ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION BDE-209 increases the body weight, fat and liver tissue weight, TC, TG, and LDL-C, reduces HDL-C, and causes IR in mice, which may be related to activating the PPARγ receptor.

“…Acute dioxin exposure led to long-term metabolic consequences in mice [59]. Organochlorine pesticides may potentially mediate insulin resistance [60]. Population-based studies demonstrated an association between polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls and the incidence of diabetes and hyperlipidemia [61].…”

Section: Effect Of Environmental Pollutants On Lipid Levels and Cardimentioning

confidence: 99%

Is There a Role for Environmental and Metabolic Factors Predisposing to Severe COVID-19?

Bornstein

Voit-Bak²,

Schmidt³

et al. 2020

Horm Metab Res

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic affects people around the world. However, there have been striking differences in the number of infected individuals and deaths in different countries. Particularly, within Central Europe in countries that are similar in ethnicity, age, and medical standards and have performed similar steps of containment, such differences in mortality rates remain inexplicable. We suggest to consider and explore environmental factors to explain these intriguing variations. Countries like Northern Italy, France, Spain, and UK have suffered from 5 times more deaths from the corona virus infection than neighboring countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark related to the size of their respective populations. There is a striking correlation between the level of environmental pollutants including pesticides, dioxins, and air pollution such as NO2 known to affect immune function and healthy metabolism with the rate of mortality in COVID-19 pandemic in these European countries. There is also a correlation with the use of chlorination of drinking water in these regions. In addition to the improvement of environmental protective programs, there are possibilities to lower the blood levels of these pollutants by therapeutic apheresis. Furthermore, therapeutic apheresis might be an effective method to improve metabolic inflammation, altered vascular perfusion, and neurodegeneration observed as long-term complications of COVID-19 disease.