title: Serum polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in relation to biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004.
abstract: Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with various adverse health outcomes related to liver, neural and endocrine systems. Some of these may be the result of PBDE-induced oxidative stress or inflammation, but these associations have been explored minimally in humans. In the present study we examined the relationship between PBDE concentrations and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation measured in blood samples among a representative US sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Oxidative stress biomarkers showed no significant associations with PBDEs in adjusted regression models. For inflammation biomarkers, we observed small but statistically significant positive associations between BDE-153 and alkaline phosphatase (percent change with an interquartile range [IQR] increase in BDE-153=0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.01, 1.65) and absolute neutrophil count (percent change with IQR increase in BDE-153=0.53%, 95% CI=0.03, 1.04). Associations with other PBDE congeners and inflammation markers were generally positive but did not reach statistical significance. These results are consistent with human research of oxidative stress and inflammation in response to PBDE congeners and mixtures, and support previous reports of inflammation in response to PBDE treatment in animal and in vitro studies. More detailed toxicological and epidemiologic research in humans is needed to confirm the present results, and to determine the potential clinical and public health significance of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Meeker
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA. Electronic address: kelly.ferguson2@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Kelly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
keywords: Blood biomarkers; C-reactive protein; Flame retardants; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; Reactive oxygen species