Possible Impact of Early-Life Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances on Later Childhood Adipokine Concentrations in Serum

Abstract

Background: Early-life exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been linked to metabolic health changes during later childhood, and a role of adipokines is suspected. Aims: We examined the relative impact of PFAS exposure prenatally and during infancy on childhood adipokine concentrations in serum. Subjects: All children belonged to a prospective birth cohort born in the Faroe Islands in 2007-2009 and followed up through to age 9 years. Study design: Adipokine concentrations in serum were measured at birth and age 9 years. Developmental PFAS exposure was determined from serum concentrations of the five major PFASs at birth and 18 months. Infancy PFAS exposures were estimated by structural equations. Outcome measures: Adipokines measured in serum included adiponectin, leptin, leptin receptor, and resistin. The adjusted regression coefficients for the estimated infancy-age PFAS exposures were compared with those obtained for measured PFAS concentrations at birth and age 18 months, with consideration of potential effect modification by sex. Results: Negative associations were found for resistin at age 9 years in regard to infancy PFAS exposures, and weak, positive associations for infancy exposures were observed for adiponectin. These associations tended to be stronger than prenatal exposures. Sex-dependence of the associations were not observed. Conclusions: Lowered serum-resistin concentrations at age 9 years were most strongly associated with early postnatal PFAS exposures. These findings suggest that infancy may represent a vulnerable time window for PFAS-associated metabolic programming.