Plastic, your crown jewels, and family
Wayne State University
The study, “Mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) alter sperm methylation and long-term reprogramming of
offspring liver and fat transcriptome,” published recently in Environment International, assessed the effect of PFAS
mixtures on the sperm methylome and transcriptional changes in offspring
metabolic tissues such as in the liver and fat.
“PFAS research is important, especially in Michigan,” said Michael C. Petriello, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Department of Pharmacology.
“It has
been recently in the news, since the EPA is finally starting to regulate PFAS
chemicals and include them as part of the Clean Water Act. All over the
country, communities will have standards they will have to meet. PFAS are
associated with many chronic diseases and can impact inflammation and the immune
system, for instance. This work is focused on reproductive outcomes, fertility
and offspring metabolism. The idea that exposure of the father could affect the
health of offspring is entirely new.”
“Dr. Petriello’s prior work has shown that PFAS exposure has effects on cardio-metabolic health,” said J. Richard Pilsner, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, associate director of the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development and the Robert J. Sokol, M.D. Endowed Chair of Molecular Obstetrics and Gynecology.
“What my research has
done is examine paternal exposures and how they may affect the next generation
through sperm-related markers. The burden has always been on maternal health
during pregnancy in regard to the health of offspring. This research shows that
environmental health prior to conception also is a key factor that affects
offspring health and development.”
The team’s results demonstrate that exposure to a mixture
of legacy and newly emerging PFAS chemicals in adult male mice result in
aberrant sperm methylation and altered gene expression of offspring liver and
fat in a sex-specific manner. These data indicate that preconception PFAS
exposure in males can be transmitted to affect phenotype in the next
generation.
“I hope these findings promote an appreciation of male
health on their offspring’s development,” said Pilsner. “In addition to female
partners, clinical doctors advising male partners that their pre-conception
health impacts their children’s health would be a significant change to
positively impact future generations.”
“This cutting-edge research may have a significant impact on how individuals look at harmful chemicals in their communities, and ultimately how medical professionals advise their patients,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for research at Wayne State University.
“Our
researchers are playing a crucial role in investigating new methods to improve
the well-being of people locally, nationally and beyond, and are an excellent
example of how Wayne State is empowering health in our neighborhoods, as
well as fueling innovation with creative solutions to benefit the public.”
To read the full paper, visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001636.
This research is supported by funding from the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health
(ES028214,ES030942, ES030991, ES034407) and pilot funding from the Center for
Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors which is funded by the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30-ES020957).