Environmental Pollution

Benzophenone-1 induced aberrant proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells via activated ERα and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways

Benzophenone-1 (BP-1) belongs to personal care product-related contaminants of emerging concern and has been recently reported to induce xenoestrogenic effects. However, the underlying mechanisms leading to the activation of target receptors and subsequent various adverse outcomes remain unclear, which is beneficial to safety and health risk assessment of benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters with their widespread occurrence. Herein, we investigated disrupting effects of BP-1 at environmentally relevant concentrations (10

Urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and the survival of high-grade serous ovarian cancer with advanced stage

Phthalates have been reported to increase the risk of various hormone-dependent cancers. However, there is still a lack of evidence regarding the association between phthalates and overall survival (OS) in advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). This study investigated the relationship between urinary phthalate metabolites and OS in patients with HGSOC using a nested case-control study within the Ovarian Cancer Follow-Up Study. We matched 159 deceased patients with HGSOC to 159 survivors by age at diagnosis, body mass index, and sampling date. Spot urine samples were analyzed for ten phthalate metabolites and five classes of phthalate molar sums via mass spectrometry. Conditional logistic regression models were employed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), comparing the highest tertile with the lowest. We found that the highest tertiles of mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalates and monoethyl phthalates were associated with poorer OS, with ORs (95%CIs) being 4.24 (1.46, 12.32) and 3.28 (1.16, 9.22), respectively. Additionally, the highest tertiles of the sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites, the sum of high-molar-weight phthalate metabolites, and the sum of 10 phthalate metabolites, were associated with worse OS, with ORs (95%CIs) were 18.4 (4.14, 81.87), 9.28 (2.87, 30.08), and 5.94 (2.00, 17.64), respectively. Our study suggests that exposure to high levels of phthalates may be associated with poorer OS in patients with advanced HGSOC, particularly exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalates. Since it is widely used in personal care products, avoiding the use of these products may improve the OS of patients with HGSOC.

Microplastic accumulation in endometrial cancer tissues and its metabolic impact

With increasing global awareness of plastic pollution, microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a potential environmental health hazard. While MPs have been detected in various human tissues, their relevance to gynecological malignancies, particularly endometrial cancer (EC), remains largely unexplored. This study aims to evaluate MP accumulation in EC tissues and investigate its potential impact on tissue metabolic reprogramming. Raman spectroscopy, combined with untargeted metabolomics, was employed to comprehensively assess both the presence and metabolic consequences of MPs in EC and matched normal endometrial tissues. In 32 analyzed samples, MPs averaged 3.2 ± 2.3 particles/g, with polyethylene (15.7 %), polypropylene (11.8 %), ethylene-acrylic acid (10.8 %), and polystyrene (8.8 %) predominating. Endometrial cancer tissues exhibited significantly higher MP levels (3.7 ± 2.5 particles/g) than normal controls (2.0 ± 1.5 particles/g). Metabolomic profiling revealed that MP exposure is associated with substantial alterations in cancer-related metabolic pathways, with the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway showing the most pronounced enrichment. Key differential metabolites included glycine, N-acetyl-arginine, and 4-aminobutyric acid, which have been implicated in tumor proliferation and immune regulation. These findings suggest that MPs may promote the development of EC through modulation of metabolic pathways, providing novel insights into the role of MPs in gynecological cancers. This study highlights the emerging threat of environmental pollution to women's reproductive health and offers innovative theoretical perspectives for future research.

Exposure to endocrine disruptor alkylphenols and the occurrence of endometrial cancer

Exposure to environmental chemicals with oestrogenic effects has been associated with the development of endometrial cancer (EMCa). EMCa has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer of the female genital tract. To further understand the potential association between exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors and the occurrence of EMCa, we performed a case-control study between 2011 and 2014. We aimed to detect and compare concentrations of a known hormone disruptor, alkylphenol, between women diagnosed with either EMCa or uterine leiomyoma, and those who did not have either of these. Subjects were women diagnosed with either EMCa or uterine leiomyoma (LM) and healthy controls. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect information on lifestyle and health status. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to measure urinary NP and OP concentrations in participants. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association between exposure and outcomes. Overall, 397 women were recruited, including 49 with EMCa, 247 with LM, and 101 controls. Among them, 73.6% showed detectable levels of NP and 61.0% showed detectable levels of OP. The EMCa group had a significantly higher NP concentration than the control group. Higher OP concentrations were also found in participants with EMCa than those with LM and controls. In addition, women in the upper tertile of the NP group had a significantly increased risk of EMCa occurrence (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 4.47 [1.69-11.84] for EMCa vs. control). The same was found in the group of women with more than the median level of OP (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 4.32 [2.01-9.30] for EMCa vs. LM). Stratification of pre- and post-menopausal groups resulted in a similar association. The results show that NP/OP exposure is associated with EMCa. Further investigations and exposure minimisation are suggested.