China News Service, Beijing, March 26 (Reporter Sun Zifa) A recent paper published in Nature Neuroscience, a professional academic journal of Springer Nature, stated that researchers found through a laboratory study that some disinfectants and Two types of chemicals found in flame retardants may affect the development of oligodendrocytes, a type of support cell in the brain. The results of this study demonstrate the need to further determine the potential effects of this class of compounds on human health.
According to the paper, the human body is regularly exposed to a variety of environmental chemicals, and the potential effects on health are largely unknown. The developing brain may be particularly sensitive to environmental toxins. Most studies of the effects of environmental chemicals have focused on neurons, while the effects on brain support cells, including oligodendrocytes, are less clear. Oligodendrocytes surround neurons, improve their ability to transmit information, and form the brain's white matter (also called myelin). Oligodendrocyte development continues from prenatal to adulthood, making these cells particularly vulnerable to damage from toxic chemicals.
In this study, Paul J. Tesar, corresponding author of the paper and Case Western Reserve University in the United States, together with colleagues and collaborators, analyzed the effects of 1,823 chemicals on the development of mouse oligodendrocytes in cell culture dishes. Of all the chemicals screened, 292 were found to kill oligodendrocytes, while a further 47 inhibited their production. They identified two categories of chemicals that caused damage: quaternary ammonium compounds found in some disinfectants that selectively kill oligodendrocytes; and quaternary ammonium compounds found in some furniture and building materials. The organic phosphate flame retardant discovered can inhibit the development of oligodendrocytes. These effects were demonstrated in mice and in cultured human oligodendrocytes.
In addition to laboratory experiments, the authors also analyzed data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data collected from 2013 to 2018 showed that the flame retardant metabolite BDCIPP was detected in almost all urine samples of children aged 3-11 years in the survey (detected in 1753 of 1763 children), and The BDCIPP content in urine seems to have an increasing trend in recent years. They noted that higher BDCIPP levels suggest greater exposure to organophosphorus flame retardants and are associated with higher rates of gross motor dysfunction and the need for special education.
The authors of the paper concluded that more research is needed to determine the effects of these chemicals and assess their risks to human health. (over)