PFAS exposure linked to sex-specific steroid hormone disruption in MASLD patients
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Key Takeaway
Consider PFAS exposure as a potential environmental factor in MASLD pathophysiology, but recognize associations do not prove causation.
An observational study examined 104 patients with biopsy-characterized metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to investigate whether steroid hormones mediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-associated metabolic alterations. The study assessed associations between PFAS exposure, steroid hormone profiles, and hepatic metabolic pathways without a formal comparator group.
The main findings showed PFAS exposure was associated with altered steroid profiles in a sexually-dimorphic manner. Dihydrotestosterone showed consistent inverse associations with steatosis, fibrosis, necroinflammation, and insulin resistance, though specific effect sizes and p-values were not reported. Females exhibited stronger associations between PFAS, steroids, and bile acids, while males showed weaker, lipid-centric effects. Mediation analysis supported indirect effects of PFAS on metabolic pathways via steroids.
Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Key limitations include the observational design, which cannot establish causation, and the lack of reported effect sizes, confidence intervals, or p-values for most associations. The study population was limited to 104 patients, and generalizability is uncertain. These findings suggest a potential mechanistic link between environmental exposures and MASLD pathophysiology but do not establish clinical utility or support specific interventions at this time.
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View Original Abstract ↓
Background & Aims: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals associated with metabolic dysfunction, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). While PFAS perturb lipid and bile acid (BA) metabolism in a sex-specific manner, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We tested whether steroid hormones mediate PFAS-associated metabolic alterations. Methods: In 104 patients with biopsy-characterized MASLD, we performed sex-stratified analyses applied liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for chemical analysis, integrating circulating steroids, PFAS exposure, hepatic lipidomics and BA profiles. Results: Steroid hormones were associated with MASLD severity in a sexually-dimorphic manner. Dihydrotestosterone showed consistent inverse associations with steatosis, fibrosis, necroinflammation and insulin resistance, particularly in females. PFAS exposure was associated with altered steroid profiles, predominantly indicating suppressed steroidogenesis in females. These PFAS-associated hormonal changes were linked to downstream alterations in hepatic lipids and BAs. Mediation analysis supported indirect effects of PFAS on metabolic pathways via steroids, including testosterone/epi-testosterone-mediated effects on ether phospholipids and estradiol-mediated effects on lithocholic acid. Females exhibited stronger PFAS-steroid-BA associations, whereas males showed weaker, lipid-centric effects. Conclusions: PFAS exposure is associated with sex-specific disruption of steroid hormone pathways that may link environmental exposure to lipid and BA dysregulation in MASLD. These findings identify steroid hormones as potential key mediators of PFAS-associated metabolic dysfunction and highlight sex as a critical determinant in environmental liver disease.
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