Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3

Chemicals in personal care and consumer products are suspected to disrupt endocrine function and affect reproductive health. However, the link between mixed exposure and long-term amenorrhea is not well understood. This study analyzed data from 684 women (2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Exam...

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Main Authors: Ziyi Li, Xue Song, Daniel Abdul Karim Turay, Yanling Chen, Guohong Zhao, Yingtong Jiang, Kun Zhou, Xiaoming Ji, Xiaoling Zhang, Minjian Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Toxics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/3/187
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author Ziyi Li
Xue Song
Daniel Abdul Karim Turay
Yanling Chen
Guohong Zhao
Yingtong Jiang
Kun Zhou
Xiaoming Ji
Xiaoling Zhang
Minjian Chen
author_facet Ziyi Li
Xue Song
Daniel Abdul Karim Turay
Yanling Chen
Guohong Zhao
Yingtong Jiang
Kun Zhou
Xiaoming Ji
Xiaoling Zhang
Minjian Chen
author_sort Ziyi Li
collection DOAJ
description Chemicals in personal care and consumer products are suspected to disrupt endocrine function and affect reproductive health. However, the link between mixed exposure and long-term amenorrhea is not well understood. This study analyzed data from 684 women (2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) to assess exposure to eight polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), 15 phthalates (PAEs), six phenols, and four parabens. Various statistical models for robustness tests and mediation analysis were used to explore associations with long-term amenorrhea and the role of serum globulin. Biological mechanisms were identified through an integrated strategy involving target analysis of key chemicals and long-term amenorrhea intersections, pathway analysis, and target validation. Results showed that women with long-term amenorrhea had higher exposure levels of Perfluorodecanoic acid, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), Perfluorononanoic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid (n_PFOA), n-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, and Perfluoromethylheptane sulfonic acid isomers. Logistic regression with different adjustments consistently found significant associations between elevated PFAS concentrations and increased long-term amenorrhea risk, confirmed by Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis. Mediation analysis revealed that serum globulin partially mediated the relationship between PFAS exposure and long-term amenorrhea. Network and target analysis suggested that PFHxS and n_PFOA may interact with Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3). This study highlights significant associations between PFAS exposure, particularly PFHxS and n_PFOA, and long-term amenorrhea, with serum globulin and STAT3 serving as mediators in the underlying mechanisms.
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spelling doaj-art-ec0d21ec4f55437cbae88e677eb8ab872025-08-20T03:43:40ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-03-0113318710.3390/toxics13030187Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3Ziyi Li0Xue Song1Daniel Abdul Karim Turay2Yanling Chen3Guohong Zhao4Yingtong Jiang5Kun Zhou6Xiaoming Ji7Xiaoling Zhang8Minjian Chen9State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaDepartment of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety and Emergency Prevention and Control Technology of Higher Education Institutions in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaDepartment of Hygienic Analysis and Detection, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, ChinaChemicals in personal care and consumer products are suspected to disrupt endocrine function and affect reproductive health. However, the link between mixed exposure and long-term amenorrhea is not well understood. This study analyzed data from 684 women (2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) to assess exposure to eight polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), 15 phthalates (PAEs), six phenols, and four parabens. Various statistical models for robustness tests and mediation analysis were used to explore associations with long-term amenorrhea and the role of serum globulin. Biological mechanisms were identified through an integrated strategy involving target analysis of key chemicals and long-term amenorrhea intersections, pathway analysis, and target validation. Results showed that women with long-term amenorrhea had higher exposure levels of Perfluorodecanoic acid, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), Perfluorononanoic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid (n_PFOA), n-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, and Perfluoromethylheptane sulfonic acid isomers. Logistic regression with different adjustments consistently found significant associations between elevated PFAS concentrations and increased long-term amenorrhea risk, confirmed by Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis. Mediation analysis revealed that serum globulin partially mediated the relationship between PFAS exposure and long-term amenorrhea. Network and target analysis suggested that PFHxS and n_PFOA may interact with Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3). This study highlights significant associations between PFAS exposure, particularly PFHxS and n_PFOA, and long-term amenorrhea, with serum globulin and STAT3 serving as mediators in the underlying mechanisms.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/3/187personal care productslong-term amenorrheapolyfluorinated alkyl substancesmixed exposuremediation analysismolecular docking
spellingShingle Ziyi Li
Xue Song
Daniel Abdul Karim Turay
Yanling Chen
Guohong Zhao
Yingtong Jiang
Kun Zhou
Xiaoming Ji
Xiaoling Zhang
Minjian Chen
Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
Toxics
personal care products
long-term amenorrhea
polyfluorinated alkyl substances
mixed exposure
mediation analysis
molecular docking
title Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
title_full Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
title_fullStr Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
title_full_unstemmed Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
title_short Association of Personal Care and Consumer Product Chemicals with Long-Term Amenorrhea: Insights into Serum Globulin and STAT3
title_sort association of personal care and consumer product chemicals with long term amenorrhea insights into serum globulin and stat3
topic personal care products
long-term amenorrhea
polyfluorinated alkyl substances
mixed exposure
mediation analysis
molecular docking
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/3/187
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