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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Organophosphorus insecticides exposure and sex hormones in general U.S. population: A cross-sectional study
Yuqing Zhang1, Wanke Wu1, Xingdi Zhu2
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Background:
Evidence showed organophosphorus (OPs) insecticide exposure is common in general population with endocrine-disrupting effects. However, the association between OPs metabolites and sex hormones remains unclear.
Objective:
To investigate the association between OPs metabolites and sex hormones.
Methods:
Data of 1438 participants from NHANES 2015-2016 was applied. Urinary OPs metabolites, dialkyl phosphates (DAPs), and serum sex hormones (total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)) were measured. Free androgen index (FAI) and TT/E2 ratio were also calculated. The generalized linear regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) model were employed to evaluate the association and exposure-response curve of DAPs and sex hormones in males and females. The modulation effect of age on their associations in female participants was also explored.
Results:
After adjusting for confounding factors, DETP was negatively associated with E2 (β = -0.03; 95% CI: -0.05, -0.01) and FAI (β = -0.03; 95% CI: -0.06, -0.001) in males. In females, all the four DAP metabolites (DMP, DEP, DMTP, and DETP) were negatively associated with FAI (DMP: β = -0.06, 95% CI: -0.11, -0.01; DEP: β = -0.06, 95% CI: -0.12, -0.01; DMTP: -0.05, 95% CI: -0.09, -0.02; DETP: -0.09, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.04). DETP was also found negatively associated with TT and TT/E2 ratio in females. The associations between DETP and TT, FAI, and TT/E2 ratio were modified by gender (Pinteraction<0.05). RCS analysis found these associations were in linear decreased exposure-response curves. For females of different age groups, the inverse associations of DETP with TT and FAI remained stable. Decreased FAI with DMP and DMTP was also found in females ≤50 years old.
Conclusions:
Our study indicates OPs metabolites had negative associations with androgen indicators, which was characterized as decreased FAI and E2 in males and decreased TT, FAI, and TT/E2 ratio in females, particularly among females ≤50 years old. Further studies are warranted in larger-scale populations.
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