Do changes in persistent organic pollutants after bariatric surgery cause endocrine disruption?

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 313; p. 137461
• Main Authors: Jansen, Aina, Aaseth, Jan O., Lyche, Jan L., Berg, Jens P., Müller, Mette H.B., Lydersen, Stian, Farup, Per G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Bariatric Surgery; Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; Endocrine disrupting chemicals; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Ghrelin; Hexachlorobenzene; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Persistent Organic Pollutants; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Weight loss; Obesity; Ghrelin; Leptin; Bariatric surgery; Weight loss; Persistent organic pollutants; Adiponectin; Endocrine disrupting chemicals
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137461

Bariatric surgery results in weight loss, marked endocrine changes and the release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The release of POPs might cause endocrine disruption. The study aimed to explore associations between POPs and adiponectin, leptin and ghrelin in subjects undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: The study included 63 subjects with severe obesity (men/women: 13/50), age (years): 45.0 (8.5), and BMI (kg/m2) 39.1 (3.4). Analyses of adiponectin, leptin and ghrelin and POPs (hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 118 (dioxin-like compound; dl), and sum 6 PCB (PCB 28, -52, −101, −138, −153, and −180) were performed before and 12 months after bariatric surgery. Results: There were significant increases in adiponectin and all POPs and a fall in leptin after surgery. The main finding was the highly significant associations between adiponectin and all POPs. The increase in HCB explained 38% of the variation in adiponectin. Conclusions: If the POP-associated increase in adiponectin is a causal effect, the release of POPs might have important clinical consequences. Adiponectin has both positive and negative clinical effects exerted by essentially unknown mechanisms. The effects of released POPs on the metabolic functions in subjects undergoing bariatric surgery deserve further evaluation. [Display omitted] •Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are released and adipokines increase in serum after bariatic surgery.•There were strong associations between adiponectin and all POPs, specifically hexachlorobenzene (HCB).•The increase in HCB explained 38% of the increase in adiponectin.•The release of POPs after bariatric surgery might have significant endocrine effects with clinical consequences.