Relationship between endocrine disrupting chemicals (phthalate metabolites, triclosan and bisphenols) and vitamin D in female subjects: An exploratory pilot study

Edwina Brennan; Alexandra E Butler; Manjula Nandakumar; Kristie Thompson; Thozhukat Sathyapalan; Stephen L Atkin

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140894

Relationship between endocrine disrupting chemicals (phthalate metabolites, triclosan and bisphenols) and vitamin D in female subjects: An exploratory pilot study

Chemosphere. 2024 Feb:349:140894. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140894. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Authors

Edwina Brennan¹, Alexandra E Butler², Manjula Nandakumar³, Kristie Thompson⁴, Thozhukat Sathyapalan⁵, Stephen L Atkin⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Bahrain. Electronic address: ebrennan@rcsi.com.
² School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Bahrain. Electronic address: abutler@rcsi.com.
³ School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Bahrain. Electronic address: mnandakumar@rcsi.com.
⁴ Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: k.leechue@uq.edu.au.
⁵ Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, UK. Electronic address: thozhukat.sathyapalan@hyms.ac.uk.
⁶ School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Bahrain. Electronic address: satkin@rcsi.com.

PMID: 38070612
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140894

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence suggests that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), commonly used in plastics and personal care products, may be associated with reduced levels of vitamin D. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between phthalate metabolites, 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol (triclosan; TCS) and bisphenols (BPs) with vitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) and active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1,25(OH)₂D₃), and their relationship to calcium homeostasis.

Methods: 57 female participants (age 31.8 ± 4.6 years; BMI 25.6 ± 3.7 kg/m²) were analyzed for urinary levels of phthalate metabolites, TCS and BPs, and serum levels of 25(OH)D₃ and 1,25(OH)₂D_3, determined by isotope-dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Serum calcium/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) associated proteins were determined by Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamer (SOMA)-scan.

Results: In the study cohort, 25(OH)D₃ and 1,25(OH)₂D₃ levels were 22.9 ± 11.2 ng/mL and 0.05 ± 0.02 ng/mL, respectively: mono-3-carboxypropyl-phthalate (MCPP) correlated negatively with 25(OH)D₃ (ρ = -0.53, p = 0.01). 28 of the 57 women recruited were 25(OH)D₃ deficient, <20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L): in this group, mono-iso-butylphthalate (MiBP) and mono-butylphthalate (MBP) negatively correlated with 25(OH)D₃; (ρ = -0.47, p = 0.049) and (ρ = -0.64, p = 0.005), respectively. EDCs did not correlate with 1,25(OH)₂D₃, measures of renal function or CaM proteins.

Conclusion: These putative data indicate that MCPP is related to 25(OH)D₃, while MiBP and MBP were related to vitamin D deficiency; however, no correlations were observed with TCS and BPs. No phthalate metabolites correlated with 1,25(OH)₂D₃, CaM associated proteins or renal function, suggesting that effects occur earlier in the vitamin D pathway and not through modulation of cellular calcium flux. The observed correlations are surprisingly strong compared to other predictors of 25(OH)D₃, and larger studies adjusting for potential confounders are warranted.

Keywords: Bisphenols; Cholecalciferol; Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); Phthalate metabolites; Plasticizers; Vitamin D(3).

MeSH terms

Adult
Calcium
Endocrine Disruptors*
Female
Humans
Pilot Projects
Triclosan*
Vitamin D
Vitamins

Substances

Endocrine Disruptors
phthalic acid
Triclosan
Calcium
Vitamin D
Vitamins