Perfluorinated compounds linked to central precocious puberty in girls during COVID-19: an untargeted metabolomics study

Abstract

Background and objectiveThe incidence of central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the impact of perfluorinated endocrine disruptors on CPP through metabolomics analysis in girls from Hainan Province, China.MethodsSerum samples from 100 girls with CPP and 100 healthy controls were collected. Untargeted metabolomics profiling was performed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS). Differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were screened, and pathway enrichment analysis was conducted.ResultsPrincipal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles between the CPP and control groups. A total of 511 metabolites were identified, including 296 up-regulated DEMs and 255 down-regulated DEMs. Three perfluorinated compounds—PFSM-perfluoroalkyl_sulfonamide_Me, PFSM-FSAA, and PFCA-unsaturated—were significantly upregulated in the CPP group. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested the involvement of multiple pathways in the CPP process regulated by these compounds.ConclusionsPerfluorinated compounds may promote CPP in girls by interfering with various pathways and affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function. This study highlighted the need for further research and public health measures to address environmental endocrine disruptors.