TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations of PFAS and OH-PCBs with risk of multiple sclerosis onset and disability worsening
AU - Vaivade, Aina
AU - Erngren, Ida
AU - Carlsson, Henrik
AU - Freyhult, Eva
AU - Emami Khoonsari, Payam
AU - Noui, Yassine
AU - Al-Grety, Asma
AU - Åkerfeldt, Torbjörn
AU - Spjuth, Ola
AU - Gallo, Valentina
AU - Larsson, Anders Olof
AU - Kockum, Ingrid
AU - Hedström, Anna Karin
AU - Alfredsson, Lars
AU - Olsson, Tomas
AU - Burman, Joachim
AU - Kultima, Kim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.
PY - 2025/2/27
Y1 - 2025/2/27
N2 - Exposure to per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) is associated with adverse human health effects, including immunosuppression. It is unknown if these substances can affect the course of autoimmune diseases. This study was based on 907 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 907 matched controls, where the MS cases were followed longitudinally using the Swedish MS register. We demonstrate sex- and disease-specific differences in serum PFAS concentrations between individuals with MS and controls. Moreover, two OH-PCBs (4-OH-CB187 and 3-OH-CB153) are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis, regardless of sex and immigration status. With a clinical follow-up time of up to 18 years, an increase in serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) decreases the risk of confirmed disability worsening in both sexes, as well as perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), only in males with MS. These results show previously unknown associations between OH-PCBs and the risk of developing MS, as well as the inverse associations between PFAS exposure and the risk of disability worsening in MS.
AB - Exposure to per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) is associated with adverse human health effects, including immunosuppression. It is unknown if these substances can affect the course of autoimmune diseases. This study was based on 907 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 907 matched controls, where the MS cases were followed longitudinally using the Swedish MS register. We demonstrate sex- and disease-specific differences in serum PFAS concentrations between individuals with MS and controls. Moreover, two OH-PCBs (4-OH-CB187 and 3-OH-CB153) are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis, regardless of sex and immigration status. With a clinical follow-up time of up to 18 years, an increase in serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) decreases the risk of confirmed disability worsening in both sexes, as well as perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), only in males with MS. These results show previously unknown associations between OH-PCBs and the risk of developing MS, as well as the inverse associations between PFAS exposure and the risk of disability worsening in MS.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85219592844&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-57172-3
DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-57172-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 40016224
AN - SCOPUS:85219592844
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 16
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 2014
ER -