An extensively used and widely accepted substitute for Phthalate, deemed safe for usage in food products, has been discovered to impede brain cells and potentially result in neurodegeneration and expedited aging.
A substitute for phthalate, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), which is considered a safer alternative, has been found to have detrimental effects on the growth and maintenance of neuron-like cells, according to a recent study conducted on cell cultures. Phthalates, a plasticizer commonly found in plastics, have raised concerns regarding their potential health consequences, prompting the search for safer substitutes. The study suggests that ATBC may not be the ideal replacement due to its interference with the development and health of neurons.
“In the past, industries have promptly shifted away from the usage of toxic chemicals only to produce an equally toxic chemical, so this is something we are actively trying to avoid repeating,” according to Kyle Sease, a graduate student at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. “Our study suggests that ATBC, but not other non-phthalate alternatives, could interfere with cells that maintain brain health. We think this finding warrants further testing of ATBC at different doses, in different settings and in whole organism models.”
Phthalates are commonly used in a wide range of products to increase their durability or flexibility. Studies have shown that phthalate exposure can impact the reproductive system and early development in many animals, but the impact on human health remains unclear. As companies seek to move away from phthalates, ATBC has emerged as a prominent alternative, currently used in various products, including food and food packaging.
In this research, the scientists cultivated cultures of neuroblastoma cells, which closely resemble glial cells that shield and aid neurons in the brain regarding growth and division. The researchers utilized molecular techniques to investigate how ATBC and other chemicals impact the genes and processes involved in cellular division. The study findings revealed that neuroblastoma cells exposed to ATBC showed an increased expression of two genes associated with cellular stress (Nrf2 and p53), along with increased production of an enzyme linked with cellular senescence (B-galactosidase), which could result in cells ceasing to divide and grow.
According to the study, the results indicate that ATBC may obstruct the capacity of glial cells to regenerate, decreasing their ability to safeguard neural cells and leading to neurodegeneration and accelerated aging. The researchers also suggested that ATBC exposure during early development, when neurons are actively growing and dividing, could impede brain development and affect neurons directly. As neurons do not usually regenerate once they are damaged, any consequences on the brain could potentially be permanent.
In contrast, two other phthalate alternatives, bis(2-ethylhexyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (GPO) and dioctyl adipate (DOA), did not show the same effects as ATBC.
Sease remarked, “We found that two other plasticizers did not appear to affect cell division in these cells, so further understanding the different effects of different plasticizers will allow us to understand better how to make safe ones.”
The latest research will be presented by Sease at Discover BMB.
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