A Novel and Practical Intervention for Detoxification of PFAS in Humans
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of man-made chemicals. U.S. military Service Members, their families, and the American public have significant and widespread exposure to PFAS because of the use of PFAS-containing aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) in firefighting used by DOD since the 1970s. AFFF use has led to extensive contamination of drinking water supplies on military bases and installations. Service Members are exposed to PFAS while working with AFFF or drinking contaminated water. Once in the body, PFAS do not break down and they persist for decades post-exposure. This is concerning because there is clinical evidence that PFAS are causal in multiple health effects: kidney and testicular cancers, liver damage, increased cholesterol in the blood, and poor response to vaccines. Risk of health problems associated with PFAS can be reduced if PFAS levels in the body are reduced, but currently there is no feasible, effective strategy to increase the rate at which PFAS leave the body. This proposal addresses the Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Program Goal to Develop therapeutics, treatments and strategies to minimize symptoms and disease progression associated with toxic exposures, and the TERP Topic Area Other Military Service-Related Toxic Exposures in General, by advancing a countermeasure to reduce the health problems caused by PFAS. PFAS easily enter the body from contact with AFFF and consumption of contaminated water. PFAS remain in the human body because they cycle between the liver and the gut, rather than being efficiently removed in feces or urine. Using our knowledge of biology and nutrition, we propose to break that cycle. Our work builds on the observation that people who eat high fiber diets tend to have lower PFAS levels in their bodies. Based on the existing science, we suggest that dietary fibers that form a gel in the gut will best trap PFAS so they cannot easily move from the gut back into the liver. This will result in an increased amount of PFAS that can leave the body via feces. To determine which dietary fiber supplements are best able to remove PFAS and cause the fewest undesirable effects, we will use a pre-clinical study approach. We will use a well-characterized animal model that we developed to be as human-like as possible; we have used this model to study health problems caused by PFAS. Both female and male mice will be given PFAS in their drinking water, as how most people are exposed, and then fed diets supplemented with different natural fibers. The first step (Aim 1) will be to test five different natural, dietary fibers (including Metamucil and Benefiber) to identify the dietary fiber supplement that best reduces blood PFAS. The second step (Aim 2) is to do a thorough assessment of the optimal fiber supplement, following the approach used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to characterize food additives. We will measure levels of PFAS in the blood and assess effects on blood cells, blood lipids, the liver, and the gut in the same way clinicians do in patients. We expect that consumption of the optimal fiber supplement will reduce blood PFAS levels, will reduce markers of health problems caused by PFAS, and will increase health overall (reducing bad cholesterol in the blood and improving markers of gut health). The final pre-clinical step (Aim 3) is to show that the optimal fiber supplement reduces PFAS levels in the body by increasing the rate at which they leave the body. We will measure PFAS in blood and feces, as well as liver and kidneys, over 80 days after a single PFAS exposure. Showing that fiber supplementation increases the rate at which PFAS leave the body is important, as this will indicate that the intervention will help people who continue to be exposed to PFAS as well as those who have been exposed to PFAS in the past. Proof of concept and demonstration of effectiveness and health benefits of
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2024
- Source ID
- HT94252310690
Entities
People
- Jennifer Schlezinger
Organizations
- Boston University Medical Campus
- United States Army