Pulmonary phthalate exposure and asthma - is PPAR a plausible mechanistic link?

Due to their extensive use as plasticisers in numerous consumer products, phthalates have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants. An increasing number of epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to phthalates may be associated with worsening or development of airway diseases. Peroxisome Proliferation Activated Receptors (PPAR)s, identified as important targets for phthalates in early studies in rodent liver, have been suggested as a possible mechanistic link. In this review we discuss the likelihood of an involvement of PPARs in asthma development and exacerbation due to pulmonary phthalate exposure. First, we go through the literature on indoor air levels of phthalates and pulmonary phthalate kinetics. These data are then used to estimate the pulmonary phthalate levels due to inhalation exposure. Secondly, the literature on phthalate-induced activation or modulation of PPARs is summarized. Based on these data, we discuss whether pulmonary phthalate exposure is likely to cause PPAR activation, and if this is a plausible mechanism for adverse effects of phthalates in the lung. It is concluded that the pulmonary concentrations of some phthalates may be sufficient to cause a direct activation of PPARs. Since PPARs mainly mediate anti-inflammatory effects in the lungs, a direct activation is not a likely molecular mechanism for adverse effects of phthalates. However, possible modulatory effects of phthalates on PPARs deserve further investigation, including partial antagonist effects and/or cross talk with other signalling pathways. Moreover other mechanisms, including interactions between phthalates and other receptors, could also contribute to possible adverse pulmonary effects of phthalates

Ca2+-mobilizing actions of platelet-derived growth factor differ from those of bombesin and vasopressin in Swiss 3T3 mouse cells

Addition of the mitogenic peptides bombesin and vasopressin to quiescent Swiss 3T3 mouse cells increased the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration without any measurable delay. In contrast, there was a significant lag period (16 +/- 1.2 s) before platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. This lag was not diminished at high concentrations of either porcine or human PDGF. Similar results were obtained in 3T3 cells loaded with quin-2 or fura-2. The differences in the effects of bombesin, vasopressin, and PDGF on Ca2+ movements were also substantiated by measurements of 45Ca2+ efflux and of cellular 45Ca2+ content. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters inhibited Ca2+ mobilization induced by either bombesin or vasopressin. In contrast, phorbol esters had no effect on PDGF-induced cytosolic Ca2+ concentration increase or acceleration of 45Ca2+ efflux. Finally, bombesin and vasopressin caused a rapid increase in the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, whereas PDGF, even at a saturating concentration, exerted only a small effect. These results indicate that the signal transduction pathways activated by PDGF that lead to Ca2+ mobilization can be distinguished from those utilized by bombesin and vasopressin

PVC flooring at home and uptake of phthalates in pregnant women

Phthalates are used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials and it is known that phthalates may migrate into the surrounding environment and then become a source for human uptake. The aim of the study was to investigate whether residential PVC flooring was related to the urinary levels of phthalate metabolites determined in pregnant women. The data were from the Swedish SELMA study where sampling was conducted during the time period 2007-2010. Spot urine samples from 1674 women at the end of the first trimester were analyzed for 14 metabolites from seven phthalates and one phthalate alternative. Data on flooring material in the kitchen and the parents’ bedrooms as well as potential confounders were collected by postal questionnaires at the same time as the urine samples were taken. Multiple regression modeling by least square geometric mean and weighted quantile sum regression was applied to log-transformed and creatinine-adjusted phthalate metabolite concentrations adjusted for potential confounders from questionnaire data. This study has found significantly higher urinary levels of the BBzP metabolite (MBzP) in pregnant women living in homes with PVC flooring as compared to homes with other flooring materials

Prenatal phthalate exposure was associated with croup in Swedish infants

Aim: This study examined whether prenatal phthalate exposure was associated with lower or upper airway inflammation in infants. Methods: From 2007 to 2010, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, adjusted for creatinine, to analyse 14 phthalate metabolites and one phthalate replacement in the urine of 1062 Swedish mothers at a median of 10 weeks of pregnancy. This was used to determine any associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and croup, wheezing or otitis in their offspring until 12 months of age, using logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: There were significant associations between phthalate metabolites of butyl-benzyl phthalate (BBzP) and di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP) concentrations in maternal prenatal urine and croup in 1062 infants during the first year of life, when adjusted for potential confounders. A dose-response relationship was found between prenatal phthalates exposure and maternal reported croup in the children, with a significant association in boys. There was no clear indication with regard to associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and wheezing or otitis media in the children during the first year of life. Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that exposure to BBzP and DEHP phthalates was associated with maternal reports of croup in infants up to 12 months of age