Biomarkers Linking PCB Exposure and Obesity.

Abstract

Recently the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically across much of the world. Obesity, as a complex, multifactorial disease, and its health consequences probably result from the interplay of environmental, genetic, and behavioral factors. Several lines of evidence support the theory that obesity is programmed during early development and that environmental exposures can play a key role. We therefore hypothesize that the current epidemic might associated with the influence of chemical exposures upon genetically controlled developmental pathways, leading to metabolic disorders. Some environmental chemicals, such as PCBs and pesticide residues, are widespread in food, drinking water, soil, and they exert multiple effects including estrogenic on cellular processes; some have been shown to affect the development of obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. To bring these lines of evidence together and address an important health problem, this narrative review has been primarily designed to address PCBs exposures that have linked with human disease, obesity in particular, and to assess the effects of PCBs on gene expression in a highly-exposed population. The results strongly suggest that further research into the specific mechanisms of PCBs-associated diseases is warranted.

Transcriptional profiling and biological pathway analysis of human equivalence PCB exposure in vitro: Indicator of disease and disorder development in humans

“…3). Further in-depth analysis also identified some important pathways, viz., Leptin Signaling in Obesity, Endometrial Cancer Signaling, Cell-cycle: G2/M DNA Damage Checkpoint Regulation, NF- K B Signaling, some of which are in accord with our previous investigations (Ghosh et al, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014). …”

“…There is significant data supporting the idea that metabolic syndrome is programmed during development and that there is a role for maternal diet in its etiology (Boekelheide et al, 2012). While there are few data linking developmental exposures to environmental chemicals to actual metabolic syndrome, there are data showing effects of exposures on the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes (Uemura, 2012; Faerch et al, 2012, Ghosh et al, 2014). …”

“…During last decade, after completion of human genome project, the biomedical research community is focusing increased attention on finding biological markers (Biomarkers) so that early diagnosis and even prevention can be achieved, before the symptoms appear (Thayer et al, 2012, Sexton and Salinas 2014, Ghosh et al, 2014). …”

Metabolism disrupting chemicals and metabolic disorders

“…The most consistent human evidence that prenatal MDC exposure is associated with obesity in offspring is for several organochlorine compounds: the in vivo metabolites of DDT (DDE), as well as hexachlorobenzene (HCB) [311, 312, 380, 381]. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a class of chemicals that bioaccumulate in tissues and magnify in the food chain [382].…”

Endocrine Aspects of Environmental “Obesogen” Pollutants

“…Although PCBs were banned at the end of the 1970s in many countries because of environmental toxicity, these compounds still remain present in the environment due to their high stability and represent one of the key constituents of POPs all over the world [75]. On the basis of their biochemical properties, some PCBs are classified as dioxin-like compounds and exert many effects after their the binding to the AhR.…”