Day: July 24, 2025

Categories : Immune System PaediatricsTags :

Prenatal Exposure to PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Shapes Baby Immunity

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PFAS lurks in numerous consumer products – from nonstick cookware and food packaging to stain-resistant fabrics and personal care items. Photo by Cooker King on Unsplash

New research reveals that tiny amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS; widely known as “forever chemicals”) cross the placenta and breast milk to alter infants’ developing immune systems, potentially leaving lasting imprints on their ability to fight disease.

University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) researchers tracked 200 local healthy mother–baby pairs, measuring common PFAS compounds in maternal blood during pregnancy and then profiling infants’ key T‑cell populations at birth, six months, and one year. By age 12 months, babies whose mothers had higher prenatal PFAS exposure exhibited significantly fewer T follicular helper (Tfh) cells – vital coaches that help B cells produce strong, long‑lasting antibodies – and disproportionately more Th2, Th1, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), each linked to allergies, autoimmunity, or immune suppression when out of balance.

“This is the first study to identify changes in specific immune cells that are in the process of developing at the time of PFAS exposure,” said Kristin Scheible, MD, an associate professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology at URMC and lead author of the study, which appears in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. “Identification of these particular cells and pathways opens up the potential for early monitoring or mitigation strategies for the effects of PFAS exposure, in order to prevent lifelong diseases.”

Implications for vaccines, allergies, and autoimmunity

Tfh cell depletion helps explain previous findings that higher PFAS levels in children correlate with weaker vaccine responses to tetanus, measles, and other routine immunisations. Conversely, the uptick in Th2 and Treg cells can predispose to allergic inflammation or dampened defences, while excess Th1 activity raises concerns about future autoimmune conditions such as juvenile arthritis or type 1 diabetes.

“The cells impacted by PFAS exposure play important roles in fighting infections and establishing long-term memory to vaccines,” said Darline Castro Meléndez, PhD, a researcher in Scheible’s lab and first author of the study. “An imbalance at a time when the immune system is learning how and when to respond can lead to a higher risk of recurrent infections with more severe symptoms that could carry on through their lifetime.”

Minimising PFAS exposure

Although Rochester’s drinking water meets current safety standards, PFAS lurks in numerous consumer products – from nonstick cookware and food packaging to stain-resistant fabrics and personal care items. The study’s mothers had relatively low PFAS blood levels compared to other regions, yet the immune shifts were pronounced even in this small sample.

While not all environmental exposures can be avoided, families can reduce PFAS contact during critical windows of foetal and infant immune development. “Use water filters, minimise cooking in damaged nonstick pans, switch to alternatives like stainless steel or cast iron, and store food in glass or ceramic containers,” said Scheible. “Small steps can help lower the cumulative burden of exposure.”

The team plans a longer follow-up to determine whether these early T‑cell imbalances persist into toddlerhood and whether they translate into more infections, allergies, or autoimmune diseases. Measuring PFAS in infants directly and unravelling the molecular underpinnings of these immune disruptions are key objectives for future research.

Source: University of Rochester

Categories : Obstetrics & Gynaecology Skeletal SystemTags :

Stopping HRT Leads to a Period of Higher Fracture Risk for Most Women

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Photo by Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz on Unsplash

A new study has found that the bone fracture protection women get from menopausal hormone therapy (MHT, also known as HRT) disappears within a year of stopping treatment.

In the new study, published in Lancet Healthy Longevity, experts from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, also found that in most cases, stopping treatment is then followed by some years of elevated fracture risk compared to women who have never used MHT. Fracture risks then falls to be similar to, and then lower than women who have never used MHT.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) SPCR.

During menopause, all women experience a drop in hormone levels, particularly of oestrogen. This can cause a range of distressing mental and physical side effects, requiring use of MHT. However, oestrogen deficiency in women also leads to increased age-related bone weakening. Previous studies have confirmed a protective role of the oestrogen component in MHT treatments, and MHT is known to decrease fracture risk when it is being used.

However, MHT is also associated with increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots, so long-term MHT use is not recommended. For women using MHT to counteract increasing bone fragility, it is, therefore, important to know the strength and persistence of any protective effect after stopping treatment. Detailed information on this aspect from past studies has been unclear – covering only the first couple of years, and also being somewhat conflicting.

In this new study, experts used data for 6 000 000 women from around 2000 GP surgeries in the UK, which allowed them to follow-up of fracture risk levels for up to 25 years. The researchers identified all women with records of first fracture (cases) and matched each to a number of women of the same age and from the same practice, but without record of fracture (controls). They then compared the MHT use in cases before their fracture with the MHT use among their matched controls.

The findings of our study confirmed that women on MHT show a progressively reducing fracture risk compared with women not using MHT. More importantly, we also observed a clear pattern of risk change after therapy was discontinued. For most women, the bone protective effect of MHT use disappears completely within about one year of treatment being stopped, then their fracture risk rises compared to never users, peaking after about three years, before declining to become again equivalent to never users – about 10 years after discontinuation – and then again continuing to decline relative to never users. So, even after stopping MHT, women should benefit from notably reduced fracture risk in their later decades.”

Dr Yana Vinogradova, from the Centre for Academic Primary Care in the School of Medicine, and lead author of the study

This observed risk pattern was the same for all menopausal hormonal treatments, but the level of excess risk depended on the treatment type and the length of past MHT use.

“Our comparative illustration of observed patterns of fracture risk for short and long use can help doctors and patients when discussing MHT treatment options, and to consider how fracture risk may change after stopping MHT use. Anticipating periods of increased risk might prompt doctors to check patients’ bone health at discontinuation, particularly for patients most at risk with other fracture risk factors such as smoking or inactivity.

“These novel findings may also usefully stimulate further clinical and biological research into these treatments,” adds Dr Vinogradova.

Source: University of Nottingham

Categories : Diseases, Syndromes and ConditionsTags :

New Research Finds that Ivermectin Reduces Malaria Transmission

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Photo by Ekamelev on Unsplash

A collaborative new study involving KEMRI-Wellcome Trust researchers has highlighted a new way to control malaria transmission. The study found that ivermectin, a drug normally used for neglected tropical diseases, led to a 26% reduction in new malaria infections among children aged 5-15 by killing feeding mosquitoes.

Malaria remains a global health challenge, with 263 million cases and 597 000 deaths reported in 2023. Current vector control methods, such as long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying, have become less effective due to insecticide resistance and behavioural adaptations in mosquitoes to bite outdoors and during dusk or dawn, when people are not protected by these measures. This underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions to combat malaria.

The BOHEMIA trial, the largest study on ivermectin for malaria to date, showed a 26% reduction in new malaria infection on top of existing bed nets,providing strong evidence of ivermectin’s potential as a complementary tool in malaria control. Coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) – an institution supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation – in collaboration with the Manhiça Health Research Centre and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, the study has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Ivermectin is a drug traditionally used to treat neglected tropical diseases like onchocerciasis which causes river blindness and lymphatic filariasis which causes elephantiasis. It has now been shown to reduce malaria transmission by killing the mosquitoes that feed on treated individuals. Given the rising resistance to conventional insecticides, ivermectin could offer an effective new approach totackle malaria transmission, especially in regions where traditional methods have become less effective.

The Unitaid-funded BOHEMIA project (Broad One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa) conducted two Mass Drug Administration (MDA) trials in the high-burden malaria regions: Kwale County (Kenya) and Mopeia district (Mozambique). The trials assessed the safety and efficacy of a single monthly dose of ivermectin (400mcg/kg) given for three consecutive months at the start of the rainy season in reducing malaria transmission. In Kenya, the intervention targeted children aged 5–15, while in Mozambique it focused on children under five.

In Kwale County, Kenya, children who received ivermectin experienced a 26% reduction in malaria infection incidence compared to those who received the control drug. The trial involved over 20 000 participants and more than 56 000 treatments, demonstrating that ivermectin significantly reduced malaria infection rates – particularly among children living further from cluster borders or in areas where drug distribution was more efficient. Moreover, the safety profile of ivermectin was favourable, with no severe drug-related adverse events and only mild, transient side effects already seen with ivermectin in campaigns against neglected tropical diseases.

Professor Marta Maia, Associate Professor at the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health and Medical Entomologist based at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, said: ‘The findings suggest that ivermectin MDA could be a valuable complementary strategy for malaria control, particularly in areas where mosquito resistance to insecticides is a growing concern.’

Dr Joseph Mwangangi, Senior Principal Research Scientist at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, added: ‘These results align with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) criteria for new vector control tools.’

Carlos Chaccour, co-principal investigator of the BOHEMIA project said: ‘We are thrilled with these results. Ivermectin has shown great promise in reducing malaria transmission and could complement existing control measures. With continued research, ivermectin MDA could become an effective tool for malaria control and even contribute to elimination efforts.’

In contrast, the implementation of the Mozambique trial in the rural district of Mopeia faced severe disruptions due to Cyclone Gombe in 2022 and a subsequent cholera outbreak, which significantly disrupted operations.

Francisco Saúte, director of the Manhiça Health Research Centre said: ‘One of the most important lessons we learned from the trial in Mopeia is thatstrong community engagement is essential. Building trust with local communities and fostering close collaboration with the Health Ministry, National Malaria Control Program, and local authorities was key to ensuring acceptance of the ivermectin MDA.’

In addition to reducing malaria transmission, ivermectin MDA offers significant collateral benefits. The BOHEMIA team found an important reduction in the prevalence of skin infestations such as scabies and head lice in the ivermectin group in Mozambique, and the community reported a major reduction in bed bugs in Kenya. These effects are particularly valuable when ivermectin is integrated into existing delivery systems, maximising its impact on public health.

The study is part of a larger global effort to assess ivermectin’s potential in malaria control. The findings have been reviewed by the WHO vector control advisory group, which concluded that the study had demonstrated impact and recommended further studies. Findings were also shared with national health authorities as they evaluate the potential inclusion of ivermectin in malaria control programmes.

Regina Rabinovich, BOHEMIA PI and Director of ISGlobal’s Malaria Elimination Initiative said: ‘This research has the potential to shape the future of malaria prevention, particularly in endemic areas where existing tools are failing. With its novel mechanism of action and proven safety profile, ivermectin could offer a new approach using a well-known, safe drug that can add to the effect of other mosquito control tools available today.’

Source: Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease Diet and NutritionTags :

Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure in Older People by Changing Oral Microbiome

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Pic by Jim Wileman – University of Exeter images

The blood pressure lowering effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in older people may be due to specific changes in their oral microbiome, according to the largest study of its kind.

Researchers at the University of Exeter conducted the study, published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, comparing responses between a group of older adults to that of younger adults. Previous research has shown that a high nitrate diet can reduce blood pressure, which can help reduce risk of heart disease.

Nitrate is crucial to the body and is consumed as a natural part of a vegetable-rich diet.  When the older adults drank a concentrated beetroot juice ‘shot’ twice a day for two weeks*, their blood pressure decreased – an effect not seen in the younger group.

The new study, funded by a BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award, provides evidence that this outcome was likely caused by the suppression of potentially harmful bacteria in the mouth.  An imbalance between beneficial and harmful oral bacteria can decrease the conversion of nitrate (abundant in vegetable-rich diets) to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is key to healthy functioning of the blood vessels, and therefore the regulation of blood pressure.

Study author Professor Anni Vanhatalo, of the University of Exeter, said: “We know that a nitrate-rich diet has health benefits, and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age. They also tend to have higher blood pressure, which can be linked to cardiovascular complications like heart attack and stroke. Encouraging older adults to consume more nitrate-rich vegetables could have significant long term health benefits. The good news is that if you don’t like beetroot, there are many nitrate-rich alternatives like spinach, rocket, fennel, celery and kale.”

The study recruited 39 adults aged under 30, and 36 adults in their 60s and 70s through the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility. The trial was supported by the Exeter Clinical Trials Unit. Each group spent two weeks taking regular doses of nitrate-rich beetroot juice and two weeks on a placebo version of the juice with nitrate stripped out. Each condition had a two week “wash out” period in between to reset. The team then used a bacterial gene sequencing method to analyse which bacteria were present in the mouth before and after each condition.

In both groups, the make-up of the oral microbiome changed significantly after drinking the nitrate-rich beetroot juice, but these changes differed between the younger and older age groups.

The older age group experienced a notable decrease in the mouth bacteria Prevotella after drinking the nitrate rich juice, and an increase in the growth of bacteria known to benefit health such as Neisseria. The older group had higher average blood pressure at the start of the study, which fell after taking the nitrate-rich beetroot juice, but not after taking the placebo supplement.

Co-author Professor Andy Jones, of the University of Exeter, said: “This study shows that nitrate-rich foods alter the oral microbiome in a way that could result in less inflammation, as well as a lowering of blood pressure in older people. This paves the way for larger studies to explore the influence of lifestyle factors and biological sex in how people respond to dietary nitrate supplementation.”

Dr Lee Beniston FRSB, Associate Director for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Research and Development at BBSRC, said: “This research is a great example of how bioscience can help us better understand the complex links between diet, the microbiome and healthy ageing. By uncovering how dietary nitrate affects oral bacteria and blood pressure in older adults, the study opens up new opportunities for improving vascular health through nutrition. BBSRC is proud to have supported this innovative partnership between academic researchers and industry to advance knowledge with real-world benefits.”

Source: University of Exeter

Categories : Addiction Mental HealthTags :

Teen Smokers and Vapers Have Higher Rates of Depression and Anxiety, Study Finds

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Study analysed data from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey on more than 60 000 middle and high school students.

Photo by Nery Zarate on Unsplash

Adolescents who use either e-cigarettes or conventional tobacco products (CTP) – like cigarettes, cigars, hookah and pipes – are significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety than teens who don’t use tobacco products at all, according to a study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Noor Abdulhay of West Virginia University, USA, and colleagues.

Tobacco use and mental health challenges are known to have a complex, bidirectional relationship. Understanding the interplay between adolescent tobacco use and mental health is particularly important, since adolescence is a critical developmental period during which many health-related risk-taking behaviors begin. Moreover, there are increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among adolescents in the U.S. as well as shifting patterns of tobacco use.

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In the new study, researchers used data on tobacco use, depression and anxiety symptoms, among different demographics, from the 2021-2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among the 60,072 middle and high school students who had completed all questionnaires in full, 21.37% had used tobacco products, with 9.94% using only e-cigarettes, 3.61% using only CTPs, and 7.80% using both.

Overall, 25.21% of respondents reported symptoms associated with depression and 29.55% reported anxiety symptoms. Compared to adolescents who had not used any tobacco products, users of e-cigarettes or CTPs displayed a potentially heightened risk of depression and anxiety, whilst those who used both CTPs and e-cigarettes had the highest odds of reporting mental health struggles

The authors conclude that “while causality cannot be determined, the results from this study showed that all forms of tobacco use were significantly associated with mental health issues. There is a need to continue promoting mental health support and implementing tailored interventions to combat all forms of tobacco use among adolescents”.

Provided by PLOS