Lipidomics in the Placenta after High Exposure to PFAS (LIPHES)

A healthy pregnancy controlled by the placenta ensures fetal development. A disruption of the thyroid and lipid systems can lead to impaired liver and cardiovascular function later in life.

PFAS interfere with both, and the placenta has been proposed as a primary target organ.This project aims to analyze 177 placenta samples from the high PFAS-exposed Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort to investigate 1) PFAS distribution, 2) lipid profiles, 3) early biomarkers of liver toxicity and thyroid system dysfunction, and 4) oxidative stress biomarkers, thereby determining, 5) if there is a link between prenatal exposure and early biomarkers of impaired cardiovascular and liver health.The project is planned as a collaboration between Örebro University and Lund University and will include method development as well as routine measurements.

Mixed effect modeling will be used to identify associations among PFAS, lipid profiles, and changes in levels of oxidative stress, thyroxine-binding proteins, and glycogen.This project will investigate the effects of PFAS toxicity on newborns’ health with the aim of guiding public health policy. The results can be applied in targeted interventions in exposed populations to protect unborn children.

Furthermore, causal relationships between PFAS and child development can be strengthened by such studies, which in turn support adequate risk assessment.