A new study from the Keck School of Medicine at USC has highlighted a concerning link between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and elevated blood pressure in adolescents who have undergone bariatric surgery. POPs—harmful, long-lasting chemicals often found in food and stored in body fat—have been shown to potentially diminish the positive effects of weight-loss surgery on blood pressure in these young patients.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal, suggests that the release of POPs from body fat during bariatric surgery may disrupt lipid metabolism, leading to long-term blood pressure issues. Researchers also outlined a potential biological pathway through which POPs could affect blood pressure regulation.
The findings could pave the way for future treatments aimed at reducing the harmful health impacts of POP exposure, particularly for individuals struggling with obesity and undergoing interventions like bariatric surgery.
“Bariatric surgery is an effective tool for addressing severe obesity and improving cardiometabolic health. However, it also releases stored POPs into the bloodstream, which may interfere with these benefits,” said Shudi Pan, the study’s first author and a fourth-year PhD candidate in Population and Public Health Sciences at USC.
A Global Health Concern
Although many countries have imposed regulations on the use of POPs due to their toxicity, these chemicals remain a global health challenge. Their persistence in the environment means that they are detected in various parts of the world, even in regions where they were never produced or used.
“POPs are emerging as a significant risk factor for hypertension, and our study provided a unique opportunity to explore how exposure to POPs stored in adipose tissue may affect blood pressure,” Pan said. “Until now, there has been limited research on how these chemical mixtures in fat tissue impact blood pressure.”
Research Methodology
The study analyzed data from 57 adolescents who participated in the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) consortium. These participants underwent bariatric surgery, with their adipose tissue analyzed both before the procedure and at intervals post-surgery—six months and five years after the surgery—to determine how POPs influenced their blood pressure over time.
The research revealed that POP mixtures were associated with a higher systolic blood pressure five years after surgery. To further investigate the underlying biological mechanisms, the researchers employed metabolomics—a study of metabolites produced when the body processes food and chemicals. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, the team identified specific biological changes in the body linked to blood pressure fluctuations.
The Prostaglandin Pathway
One of the most significant discoveries from this study was the identification of a biological pathway involving prostaglandins, substances known to regulate blood pressure. Researchers found that POPs disrupt the production of prostaglandins, which could explain the long-term blood pressure changes observed in adolescents after bariatric surgery.
“While our sample size was small, the prostaglandin pathway appears to be a key factor in understanding how POPs contribute to high blood pressure in this demographic,” said Pan. “More research is needed to further investigate this mechanism.”
Long-Term Health Implications
Hypertension in adolescence is a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases later in life. Addressing high blood pressure early in life can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death globally. By exploring the effects of POPs on adolescent blood pressure, this study highlights the need for targeted interventions that can protect the health of individuals undergoing bariatric surgery.
Collaborators and Funding
In addition to Pan, the study involved numerous researchers from the Keck School of Medicine, Emory University, Northwestern University, University of Cincinnati, and several other institutions. The research was primarily funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, with additional support from the American Heart Association and other NIH grants.
The Teen-LABS consortium, which provided the data for this study, is supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and several other NIH programs.
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