Associations of Single and Multiple Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure with Serum Pepsinogens Among Young and Middle-Aged Adults in Shanghai, China

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread and persistent pollutants that have been extensively detected in human body. Currently, no study has evaluated the associations of PFAS exposure with serum pepsinogens. We quantified 17 legacy, 3 emerging PFAS, and pepsinogens biomarkers in serum samples from 335 young and middle-aged adults. Among the 7 target PFAS, PFNA, n-PFHxS, and br-PFHxS exhibited the highest serum concentrations. n-PFHxS, br-PFHxS, PFDA concentration showed a positive correlation with PG II concentrations, while br-PFHxS, PHNA concentration displayed a negative correlation with PG I / II concentrations and some nonlinear effects were also observed. Bayesian kernel machine regression showed that elevation of PFAS concentration from the 55th percentile significantly coincided with a proportional increase in pepsinogen II concentration.  This study is the first to establish a correlation between PFAS exposure and peptic pepsinogens at the population level, offering new evidence on the potential roles and mechanisms of gastrointestinal health in PFAS-exposed populations.

Note:
Funding declaration: The study was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (23ZR1463600), Shanghai Pudong New Area Health Commission Research Project (PW2021A-69), and Research project of Clinical Research Center of Shanghai Health Medical University (22MC2022002).

Conflict of Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Ethical Approval: The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Shanghai Zhoupu Hospital (Project No.2022-C-068-E01).

Keywords: PFAS, pepsinogen II, gastrointestinal toxin, young and middle-aged population