Serum Vaccine Antibody Concentrations in Adolescents Exposed to Perfluorinated Compounds

TY - JOUR

T1 - Serum Vaccine Antibody Concentrations in Adolescents Exposed to Perfluorinated Compounds

AU - Grandjean, Philippe

AU - Heilmann, Carsten

AU - Weihe, Pal

AU - Nielsen, Flemming

AU - Mogensen, Ulla B.

AU - Budtz-Jørgensen, Esben

PY - 2017/7/26

Y1 - 2017/7/26

N2 - BACKGROUND: Postnatal exposure to perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) is associated with lower serum concentrations of specific antibodies against certain childhood vaccines at 7 y. OBJECTIVES: We prospectively followed a Faroese birth cohort to determine these associations at 13 y. METHODS: In 516 subjects (79% of eligible cohort members) who were 13 years old, serum concentrations of PFASs and of antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus were measured and were compared with data from the previous examination at 7 y. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation models were applied to determine the association between postnatal PFAS exposures and antibody concentrations. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of PFASs and antibodies generally declined from 7 y to 13 y. However, 68 subjects had visited the emergency room and had likely received a vaccination booster, and a total of 202 children showed higher vaccine antibody concentrations at 13 y than at 7 y. Therefore, separate analyses were conducted after exclusion of these two subgroups. Diphtheria antibody concentrations decreased at elevated PFAS concentrations at 13 y and 7 y; the associations were statistically significant for perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) at 7 y and for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) at 13 y, both suggesting a decrease by ∼ 25% for each doubling of exposure. Structural equation models showed that a doubling in PFAS exposure at 7 y was associated with losses in diphtheria antibody concentrations at 13 y of 10–30% for the five PFASs. Few associations were observed for anti-tetanus concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: These results are in accord with previous findings of PFAS immunotoxicity at current exposure levels.

AB - BACKGROUND: Postnatal exposure to perfluorinated alkylate substances (PFASs) is associated with lower serum concentrations of specific antibodies against certain childhood vaccines at 7 y. OBJECTIVES: We prospectively followed a Faroese birth cohort to determine these associations at 13 y. METHODS: In 516 subjects (79% of eligible cohort members) who were 13 years old, serum concentrations of PFASs and of antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus were measured and were compared with data from the previous examination at 7 y. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation models were applied to determine the association between postnatal PFAS exposures and antibody concentrations. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of PFASs and antibodies generally declined from 7 y to 13 y. However, 68 subjects had visited the emergency room and had likely received a vaccination booster, and a total of 202 children showed higher vaccine antibody concentrations at 13 y than at 7 y. Therefore, separate analyses were conducted after exclusion of these two subgroups. Diphtheria antibody concentrations decreased at elevated PFAS concentrations at 13 y and 7 y; the associations were statistically significant for perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) at 7 y and for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) at 13 y, both suggesting a decrease by ∼ 25% for each doubling of exposure. Structural equation models showed that a doubling in PFAS exposure at 7 y was associated with losses in diphtheria antibody concentrations at 13 y of 10–30% for the five PFASs. Few associations were observed for anti-tetanus concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: These results are in accord with previous findings of PFAS immunotoxicity at current exposure levels.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Antibodies, Bacterial

KW - Child

KW - Denmark

KW - Diphtheria Toxoid

KW - Environmental Exposure

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - Environmental Pollutants

KW - Female

KW - Fluorocarbons

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Sulfonic Acids

KW - Tetanus Toxoid

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1289/EHP275

DO - 10.1289/EHP275

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28749778

SN - 0091-6765

VL - 125

SP - 1

EP - 7

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 7

M1 - 077018

ER -