Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36592815›Full record

ReviewEnvironmental research2023

A systematic evidence map of chronic inflammation and immunosuppression related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure.

Luoping Zhang, Allen Louie, Gabrielle Rigutto, Helen Guo, Yun Zhao, Stacy Ahn, Sarah Dahlberg, Michael Sholinbeck, Martyn T Smith

Open access · hybridAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Environmental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed
9.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 95 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) toxicity and mitigation of adipogenic dysregulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association · 2025
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Luoping ZhangDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. Electronic address: luoping@berkeley.edu.
Allen LouieDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Molecular Toxicology Interdepartmental Program, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
Gabrielle RiguttoDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Helen GuoDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Yun ZhaoDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Stacy AhnDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Sarah DahlbergDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Michael SholinbeckBioscience, Natural Resources & Public Health Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Martyn T SmithDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
University of California, Berkeley · USBerkeley Public Health Division · USUniversity of California, Los Angeles · US

Funding

Training CoreP42ES004705 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · PI MCHALE, CLIONA · 1987 to 2025
$74.6M
NIEHS NIH HHS P42 ES004705
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe ability to induce chronic inflammation and immunosuppression are two key characteristics of carcinogens and important forms of immunotoxicity. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) evaluated the immunotoxicity of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), in 2016. However, the potential pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of other PFASs remain largely uncharacterized.

methodsWe developed an expanded set of search terms pertaining to the chronic inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of PFASs based on those of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and NTP. To confirm searching effectiveness and scope, we compared our search term results with those of IARC and NTP for both PFASs and two other known carcinogens, chromium (VI) and benzene. Systematic evidence maps (SEMs) were also produced using Tableau to visualize the distribution of study numbers and types reporting immunotoxic effects and specific biomarkers elicited by PFAS exposures.

resultsIn total, 1155 PFAS studies were retrieved, of which 321 qualified for inclusion in our dataset. Using our search terms, we identified a greater number of relevant studies than those obtained using IARC and NTP's search terms. From the SEM findings, increased cytokine production strengthened an association between PFAS exposure and chronic inflammation, and decreased B-cell activation and altered levels of T-cell subtypes and immunoglobulins confirmed PFAS-induced immunosuppression.

conclusionOur SEM findings confirm that several PFASs commonly found in both in the environment, including those that are lesser-known, may induce immunosuppression and chronic inflammation, two key characteristics of carcinogens. This approach, including development of search terms, study screening process, data coding, and evidence mapping visualizations, can be applied to other key characteristics of chemical carcinogens.

Indexed as

Alkanesulfonic AcidsEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsCarcinogensImmunosuppression TherapyAlkanesulfonic AcidsCarcinogensEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsCarcinogensEnvironmental exposuresImmunotoxicityInflammasomePFOA/PFOS

Identifiers

PMID36592815
PMCPMC10044447
OpenAlexW4313317656

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.