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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Human Health: Effects on Metabolism, Diabetes and Cancer
Summary
This review by a panel of Italian medical experts examines how polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), flame retardant chemicals commonly found in plastics and electronics, affect human metabolism and may contribute to diabetes and cancer. PBDEs persist in the environment and accumulate in human tissues, where they disrupt hormone signaling and activate pathways linked to metabolic disease and tumor growth. These chemicals are relevant to microplastic concerns because they leach from plastic products and can be carried into the body on microplastic surfaces.
There is increasing evidence of the role of endocrine disruptors (EDs) derived from commonly employed compounds for manufacturing and processing in altering hormonal signaling and function. Due to their prolonged half-life and persistence, EDs can usually be found not only in industrial products but also in households and in the environment, creating the premises for long-lasting exposure. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are common EDs used in industrial products such as flame retardants, and recent studies are increasingly showing that they may interfere with both metabolic and oncogenic pathways. In this article, a multidisciplinary panel of experts of the Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD), the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), the Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE) and the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) provides a review on the potential role of PBDEs in human health and disease, exploring both molecular and clinical aspects and focusing on metabolic and oncogenic pathways.
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