Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Human Health: Effects on Metabolism, Diabetes and Cancer

Abstract

There is increasing evidence of the role of endocrine disruptors (EDs) derived from commonly employed compounds for manufacturing and processing in altering hormonal signaling and function. Due to their prolonged half-life and persistence, EDs can usually be found not only in industrial products but also in households and in the environment, creating the premises for long-lasting exposure. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are common EDs used in industrial products such as flame retardants, and recent studies are increasingly showing that they may interfere with both metabolic and oncogenic pathways. In this article, a multidisciplinary panel of experts of the Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD), the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), the Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE) and the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) provides a review on the potential role of PBDEs in human health and disease, exploring both molecular and clinical aspects and focusing on metabolic and oncogenic pathways.

Diabetes and Cancer: The Perfect Storm and a PRICE to Pay

“…From a pathophysiological point of view this is not surprising, since obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancer share most risk factors (e.g., insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, lifestyle and voluptuary habits, chronic stress, and so on), thus sketching the mechanistic fundamentals of a ‘dangerous affair’ [ 13 , 14 ]. The Westernization of diet and lifestyle probably played a pivotal role in this process, and emerging evidence shows the additional role played by household and environmental pollution, nanoplastics, and endocrine disruptors too [ 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”