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Review
. 2015 Jun;43(4):482-97.
doi: 10.1177/0192623314549960. Epub 2014 Oct 16.

Identification of Environmental Chemicals Associated with the Development of Toxicant-associated Fatty Liver Disease in Rodents

Laila Al-Eryani  1 , Banrida Wahlang  1 , K C Falkner  2 , J J Guardiola  3 , H B Clair  4 , R A Prough  5 , Matt Cave  6
Affiliations
Review

Identification of Environmental Chemicals Associated with the Development of Toxicant-associated Fatty Liver Disease in Rodents

Laila Al-Eryani et al. Toxicol Pathol. 2015 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Toxicant-associated fatty liver disease (TAFLD) is a recently identified form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with exposure to industrial chemicals and environmental pollutants. Numerous studies have been conducted to test the association between industrial chemicals/environmental pollutants and fatty liver disease both in vivo and in vitro.

Objectives: The objective of the article is to report a list of chemicals associated with TAFLD.

Methods: Two federal databases of rodent toxicology studies-Toxicological Reference Database (ToxRefDB; Environmental Protection Agency) and Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS, National Toxicology Program)-were searched for liver end points. Combined, these 2 databases archive nearly 2,000 rodent studies. Toxicant-associated steatohepatitis (TASH) descriptors including fatty change, fatty necrosis, Oil red O-positive staining, steatosis, and lipid deposition were queried.

Results: Using these search terms, 123 chemicals associated with fatty liver were identified. Pesticides and solvents were the most frequently identified chemicals, while polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)/dioxins were the most potent. About 44% of identified compounds were pesticides or their intermediates, and >10% of pesticide registration studies in ToxRefDB were associated with fatty liver. Fungicides and herbicides were more frequently associated with fatty liver than insecticides.

Conclusion: More research on pesticides, solvents, metals, and PCBs/dioxins in NAFLD/TAFLD is warranted due to their association with liver damage.

Keywords: CEBS; NAFLD; TASH; ToxRefDB; pesticides; steatohepatitis; steatosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests.

References

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