Persistent organic pollutants in adipose tissue should be considered in obesity research

Abstract

Summary Although low doses of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), strong lipophilic chemicals with long half‐lives, have been linked to various endocrine, immune, nervous and reproductive system diseases, few obesity studies have considered adipose tissue as an important POPs exposure source. Because the toxicodynamics of POPs relate directly to the dynamics of adiposity, POPs might explain puzzling findings in obesity research. In two people exposed to the same amounts of environmental POPs, the one having more adipose tissue may be advantaged because POPs storage in adipose tissue can reduce burden on other critical organs. Therefore, adipose tissue can play a protective role against the POPs effects. However, two situations increase the POPs release from adipose tissue into the circulation, thereby increasing the risk that they will reach critical organs: (i) weight loss and (ii) insulin resistance. In contrast, weight gain reduces this possibility. Therefore, avoiding harmful health effects of POPs may mostly contradict conventional judgments about obesity and weight change. These contradictory situations can explain the obesity paradox, the adverse effects of intensive intentional weight loss and the protective effects of obesity against dementia. Future studies should consider that adipose tissue is widely contaminated with POPs in modern society.

Blood screening for heavy metals and organic pollutants in cancer patients exposed to toxic waste in southern Italy: A pilot study

“…POPs are widely dispersed environmental contaminants, including, among others, polybrominated‐diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo‐ p ‐dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), which are all characterized by resistance to biodegradation, environmental persistence, bioaccumulation in the food chain, and toxicity for human health (El‐Shahawi, Hamza, Bashammakh, & Al‐Saggaf, ; Lee, Kim, Jacobs, & Lee, ). POPs were largely used in the industry, and, despite the ban on their use by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001, they can still be released into the environment mainly owing to the industrial emission or incineration of municipal and industrial waste (Esposito et al, ; Hung, Katsoyiannis, & Guardans, ; Trivedi & Majumdar, ).…”

Gut Microbiome, Intestinal Permeability, and Tissue Bacteria in Metabolic Disease: Perpetrators or Bystanders?

“…An exception is the recent evidence of oral bacteria in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) preceding invasive pancreatic cancer [206]. Understanding effects of the (gut) environment on adipose tissue, a metabolically and inflammatory active organ and reservoir of lipids, is of growing importance, as underlined by the presence of environmental pollutants [207,208]. First proof for the transmucosal passage of bacteria has been provided by Amar et al, who could localize gavaged GFP-labeled E. coli in mesenteric adipose tissue of high-fat diet-fed mice.…”

Is Chronic Exposure to Low-Dose Organochlorine Pesticides a New Risk Factor of T-cell Immunosenescence?

“…Furthermore, adipose tissue plays an important role as an internal source of exposure. When OCPs enter into the body from the environment, they are primarily stored in adipose tissue and continuously released into the circulation through controlled and uncontrolled lipolysis (7). Thus, even though there is no external exposure source to these chemicals, OCPs are still detected in the body.…”

“…There is growing evidence that low-dose chlorinated POPs, especially organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), may be important in the development of many obesity-related diseases (6,7). As many pesticides decrease immune-competence or cause inappropriate immune-stimulation in vitro and/or in vivo (8), immunosenescence may also be a possible adverse effect of OCPs.…”