New research unwraps the possible connection of PFAS to kidney damage and gut health. PFAS are a family of man-made chemicals, notably referred to as “forever chemicals,” used in a wide range of products. Including furniture, food packaging, and water-repellent materials. Experts refer to these chemicals as “forever chemicals”. Because they persist in the environment and human body, taking a long time to degrade.
PFAS increase the risk of several health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. However, researchers have not identified the biological mechanisms linking chemical exposure to these health issues until now.
This study was led by Hailey Hampson, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Hampson said, “Nearly everybody has PFAS in their blood. And these chemicals have been linked with a range of really harmful health outcomes. But we don’t have any known interventions to reduce PFAS in the body. So we can’t provide clear recommendations to help.”
This new study was based on prior research that suggested a potential connection among kidney damage. PFAS exposure, and gut problems, funded by the NIH. For the first time, the research team looked into these three elements together, kidney function, and gut microbiome to understand how those elements interact.
The results, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, demonstrated that higher exposure to PFAS is linked with decreased kidney function measured four years later. Moreover, changes in the gut microbiome and its related metabolites drove up to 50% of the decreased kidney function.
The gut microbiome is composed of bacteria and other microorganisms residing in the digestive tract. PFAS exposure altered gut microbiome composition, which in turn impacted the production of beneficial metabolites that help reduce inflammation in the body. Thus, with an increase in the level of PFAS, helpful bacteria and anti-inflammatory metabolites decrease in quantity.
As stated by Jesse A. Goodrich, PhD, the senior author of this study, “Our findings represent an important piece of the puzzle regarding the many health risks of PFAS. This can give policymakers information with which to protect the public from these chemicals.”
It analyzed data from 78 participants, aged 17 to 22, who were part of the Southern California Children’s Health Study-a massive undertaking to understand the health impacts of pollution. More than half were Hispanic, a group considered at high risk for chronic kidney disease.
The team took blood and stool samples from each participant at the beginning of the study to measure their exposure to PFAS, assess their gut bacteria, and identify the metabolites-small molecules circulating in the blood produced by the gut microbiome. Four years later, the researchers gathered follow-up data concerning kidney function.
They found that for every one standard deviation increase in PFAS exposure, kidney function declined by an average of 2.4%. Building off this finding, the team analyzed to determine if shifts in the gut microbiome and its associated metabolites played a role in the decline.
Accordingly, their results showed that two groups of bacteria and metabolites explained significant portions of the decline in kidney function. One group explained 38% of the change; the second explained 50%. The important anti-inflammatory effects disrupted by increased PFAS exposure were from both groups of bacteria and metabolites.
According to Hampson, “Exposure to PFAS may be shifting the structure of the microbiome. In a way that could be leading to lower levels of beneficial bacteria and anti-inflammatory metabolites.” These findings suggest two key mechanisms for PFAS-induced kidney damage: inflammation and oxidative stress.
The small sample size limits the study, but it represents an important step in understanding the link between PFAS and kidney health. Dr. Goodrich emphasized the need for larger studies to confirm these findings. And help develop strategies to protect against PFAS-related kidney damage.
The research team will conduct further studies, moving beyond measuring metabolites in the blood. They will focus on detecting these compounds in body tissues, including the kidneys. To better understand how PFAS exposure affects kidney function and overall health.
Therefore, the conclusion would be that this is new evidence showing that PFAS exposure causes kidney dysfunction through changes in the gut microbiome. A new avenue for future research opens up. And it instigates a call for public health policy to reduce exposure to these dangerous chemicals.
ANI
