Italian Children Exposure to Bisphenol A: Biomonitoring Data from the LIFE PERSUADED Project

A human biomonitoring (HBM) study on bisphenol A (BPA) in Italian children and adolescents was performed within the LIFE PERSUADED project, considering the residing areas, sex and age. The median urinary BPA level was 7.02 mu g/L, with children living in the South of Italy or in urban areas having higher levels than those residing in the North or in rural areas. Children aged 4-6 years had higher BPA levels than those aged 7-10 and 11-14 years, but no differences were detected between sexes. The exposure in Italian children was higher compared to children from other countries, but lower than the HBM guidance value (135 mu g/L). The estimated daily intake was 0.17 mu g/kg body weight (bw) per day, about 24-fold below the temporary Tolerable Daily Intake of 4 mu g/kg bw per day established by the European Food Safety Authority. However, this threshold was exceeded in 1.44% of the enrolled children, raising concern about the overall exposure of Italian young population

Current Knowledge on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) from Animal Biology to Humans, from Pregnancy to Adulthood: Highlights from a National Italian Meeting

Wildlife has often presented and suggested the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Animal studies have given us an important opportunity to understand the mechanisms of action of many chemicals on the endocrine system and on neurodevelopment and behaviour, and to evaluate the effects of doses, time and duration of exposure. Although results are sometimes conflicting because of confounding factors, epidemiological studies in humans suggest effects of EDCs on prenatal growth, thyroid function, glucose metabolism and obesity, puberty, fertility, and on carcinogenesis mainly through epigenetic mechanisms. This manuscript reviews the reports of a multidisciplinary national meeting on this topic

Biomarkers of effect of three pesticides on a human breast cell line

Agrochemicals, including acaricides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, are used on plant production against insects, weeds, fungi and rodents; however, the pesticide exposure can represent a risk for human health, mainly linked to neurological, respiratory and reproductive diseases. In children, the pesticides exposure can be associated with premature sexual maturation, including the premature thelarche, defined as breast development in girls below the age of eight years without other signs of sexual development. Indeed, several pesticides are considered as endocrine disrupting chemicals since they can interfere with the dysregulation of sexual, thyroid and neuro-endocrine hormones, acting via nuclear receptors. The present study aims to evaluate a panel of nuclear receptors as biomarkers of effect of three widely used pesticides such as glyphosate, imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos on a human breast cell line (MCF-7), representing the target organ of the idiopathic premature thelarche. Cytotoxic effects of the three pesticides were evaluated by the MTS and CyQuant assays at 48 and 72 hours(h), using five 10-fold dilutions spanning real exposure concentrations (100 pM –1μM). Proliferation was not affected whereas a dose-dependent decrease of metabolic activity was observed at 72h in all three pesticides, being statistically significant in imidacloprid treated cells. Three concentrations, including the real exposure level occurring in children, were selected for each pesticide to evaluate the gene expression of the estrogen receptor α (ERα), the estrogen receptor β (ERβ), the androgen receptor (AR), the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the progesterone receptor (PgR), by Real Time PCR (qPCR). Preliminary results will be shown. The project (RF-2016-02364628) is funded by the Italian Ministry of Health

PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AND PREMATURE IDIOPATHIC THELARCHE IN GIRLS: THE PEACH PROJECT

This abstract book contains the abstracts presented at the 94th National Congress of the Italian Society for Experimental Biology, Torino, Italy, 6-9 April 2022

PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AND PREMATURE IDIOPATHIC THELARCHE IN GIRLS: THE PEACH PROJECT

This abstract book contains the abstracts presented at the 94th National Congress of the Italian Society for Experimental Biology, Torino, Italy, 6-9 April 2022

Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors (Di(2-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and Bisphenol A (BPA)) in Women from Different Residing Areas in Italy: Data from the LIFE PERSUADED Project

Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are plasticizers used in many industrial products that can act as endocrine disruptors and lead to metabolic diseases. During the LIFE PERSUADED project, we measured the urinary concentrations of BPA and Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) metabolites in 900 Italian women representative of the Italian female adult population (living in the north, centre, and south of Italy in both rural and urban areas). The whole cohort was exposed to DEHP and BPA with measurable levels above limit of detection in more than 99% and 95% of the samples, respectively. The exposure patterns differed for the two chemicals in the three macro-areas with the highest urinary levels for DEHP in south compared to central and northern Italy and for BPA in northern compared to central and southern Italy. BPA levels were higher in women living in urban areas, whereas no difference between areas was observed for DEHP. The estimated daily intake of BPA was 0.11 μg/kg per day, about 36-fold below the current temporary tolerable daily intake of 4 μg/kg per day established by the EFSA in 2015. The analysis of cumulative exposure showed a positive correlation between DEHP and BPA. Further, the reduction of exposure to DEHP and BPA, through specific legislative measures, is necessary to limit the harmfulness of these substances