Biomolecules & biomedicine最新文献

{"title":"Sabinene attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress in CFA-induced arthritis: <i>In vivo</i> and <i>in silico</i> evidence implicating TLR4/NLRP3/NF-κB signaling.","authors":"Kanwal Asif, Ambreen Malik Uttra, Arham Shabbir, Sumera Qasim, Saima Kalsoom, Abdulelah Alhazza, Hamoud Alotaibi, Mona Al Hamod, Saleh Alfuraih, Ali F Almutairy, Raiyan Faisal Alharbi, Ashfaq Ahmad","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14544","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune-mediated disease in which persistent inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to progressive joint damage. This study evaluated the prophylactic effects of sabinene in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis and explored potential molecular associations using integrated in vivo and computational approaches. Rats were allocated to vehicle control, arthritic control, piroxicam, or sabinene groups (15, 30, or 60 mg/kg; n = 6/group); sabinene was administered orally beginning 30 minutes before CFA injection and continued for 28 days. Paw swelling, hematological and biochemical parameters, inflammatory and oxidative-stress markers, and gene expression were assessed, followed by network pharmacology, enrichment analysis, and molecular docking. Sabinene dose-dependently attenuated CFA-induced paw swelling and body-weight loss and improved hematological, hepatic, renal, and inflammatory parameters. Treatment also enhanced antioxidant defenses and reduced lipid peroxidation, prostaglandin E₂, 5-lipoxygenase, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody levels. Sabinene reduced messenger RNA expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, gasdermin D, and other pro-inflammatory genes while increasing interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 expression. Network pharmacology identified 133 overlapping sabinene-RA targets, and molecular docking predicted interactions with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). These findings support a prophylactic protective effect of sabinene against CFA-induced arthritis associated with reduced inflammation, improved antioxidant status, and modulation of inflammasome-related gene expression. Further protein-level, functional, and post-induction studies are required to confirm the proposed mechanisms and therapeutic relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148765751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal increase in the endothelial activation and stress index before brain death.","authors":"Aysen Baysan, Mehmet Tercan, Erhan Ozyurt, Nilgun Kavrut Ozturk, Kerem Inanoglu, Meltem Ceylan Delice, Sadik Ozmen","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14540","DOIUrl":"10.17305/bb.2026.14540","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brain death (BD) is accompanied by systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, but temporal changes in endothelial injury during progression to BD remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to evaluate serial changes in the Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) during the clinical course leading to BD. This retrospective, single-center study included patients diagnosed with BD in the intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2019 and June 2025. EASIX, calculated from lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum creatinine, and platelet count, was assessed at ICU admission, 24 hours before BD, 12 hours before BD, and at BD diagnosis. Temporal differences were analyzed using the Friedman test, followed by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Bonferroni adjustment. Of 222 patients diagnosed with BD, 52 met the inclusion criteria. EASIX values differed significantly across the four time points (p < 0.001), with significant differences observed between ICU admission and BD diagnosis and between 24 and 12 hours before BD. These findings indicate that EASIX increases during the clinical course leading to BD and may reflect progressive systemic endothelial activation and worsening critical illness rather than a BD-specific process. Prospective comparative studies are needed to validate its clinical utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148723146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia </i>infections - Biofilm-mediated virulence, multidrug resistance, clinical impact, and emerging treatment strategies: A review.","authors":"Noha A Juma, Ahmed Gassim Bukhari, Turki M Alharthi, Ibrahim Abu, Khalid Ahmed, Mohammad Hassan Albar, Ziyad Omar Allehebi, Turki Asiri, Salem Agabawi, Sarah Almuhayya, Khalil Alkuwaity, Dalya Attallah, Jawahir A Mokhtar, Tariq Ekhmimi, Abdelbagi Alfadil, Bandar Hasan Saleh, Mona Alqarni, Noura Daffa, Karem Ibrahem","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14293","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14293","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant (MDR), Gram-negative bacterium that has emerged as an important cause of hospital- and community-acquired infections, particularly in immunocompromised, critically ill, and hospitalized patients. Its increasing clinical relevance is driven by extensive virulence determinants, biofilm formation, intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance, and persistence within healthcare-associated environmental reservoirs. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the epidemiology, pathogenic mechanisms, antimicrobial resistance, and therapeutic management of S. maltophilia, with a particular focus on emerging treatment strategies. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was performed to identify relevant studies published between 1997 and 2026. The available evidence demonstrates that biofilm formation, quorum sensing, adhesion factors, secretion of extracellular enzymes, and multiple resistance mechanisms-including β-lactamases, multidrug efflux pumps, and horizontally acquired resistance genes-substantially contribute to persistent infections and therapeutic failure. Hospital outbreaks are frequently associated with contaminated water systems, sinks, and medical devices, emphasizing the importance of environmental surveillance and infection control. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) remains the recommended first-line therapy, whereas minocycline, tigecycline, fluoroquinolones, and cefiderocol represent important alternatives for selected patients. Emerging approaches, including novel tetracyclines, bacteriophages, bacteriocins, ceragenins, anti-biofilm agents, and plant-derived compounds, have demonstrated promising preclinical activity against MDR and biofilm-associated infections, although robust clinical evidence remains limited. Continued surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic-guided therapy, and well-designed prospective clinical studies are essential to optimize the management of S. maltophilia infections and facilitate the translation of emerging therapeutic strategies into clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148765349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human milk oligosaccharides, brain structure, and cognitive development in infants: A narrative review.","authors":"Ahmad Suryawan, Chairunita, Andy Darma","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14466","DOIUrl":"10.17305/bb.2026.14466","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive components of human milk that support gut microbial development and may also contribute to early brain maturation and cognitive function. This narrative review aimed to synthesize preclinical and clinical evidence on the associations between HMOs, brain structure, and neurodevelopment and to examine the biological mechanisms underlying these effects. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched in March 2025 for animal and human studies evaluating specific HMOs in relation to cognitive, behavioral, neurobiological, or neuroimaging outcomes. Of 1,238 records identified, 18 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in a qualitative thematic synthesis. Preclinical studies indicated that 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) and sialylated HMOs, including 3'-sialyllactose (3'-SL) and 6'-sialyllactose (6'-SL), may improve learning, memory, emotional regulation, and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), although findings varied across experimental models. Proposed mechanisms included vagus nerve-mediated gut-brain signaling, modulation of the gut microbiota, altered neurotransmitter and neurotrophic signaling, and support of synaptogenesis and myelination. Human observational studies associated higher concentrations of 2'-FL, 3'-SL, 6'-SL, and specific HMO combinations during early lactation, particularly around one month postpartum, with better cognitive, language, motor, and executive-function outcomes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings further suggested HMO-specific associations with cortical maturation, white-matter connectivity, and myelination. Current evidence supports a potential role for HMOs in early neurodevelopment; however, causal effects remain unconfirmed. Larger, diverse longitudinal studies and randomized controlled trials using standardized neurodevelopmental outcomes are needed to determine optimal HMO compositions, doses, and periods of exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148723441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Portuguese macroalgae as a source of bioactive compounds with selective anticancer activity against breast cancer cells.","authors":"Elsa T Rodrigues, Ana Castanheira, Leonel Pereira, Miguel A Pardal","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.13870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.13870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine-derived natural products are promising sources of new anticancer agents, but the bioactivity of Portuguese macroalgae and halophytes remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to identify extracts with selective antiproliferative activity against breast cancer cells using environmentally sustainable extraction methods. Crude extracts were prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction with water or 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and screened in human MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay after 48 h of exposure. Active extracts were subsequently evaluated in non-tumorigenic MCF-12A breast epithelial cells, and half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) were determined from concentration-response curves. Of 48 crude extracts screened, 21 inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner and were selected for further evaluation. Three extracts derived from the brown macroalgae Bifurcaria bifurcata II and Ericaria selaginoides-two aqueous and one DMSO-based-showed selective activity against MCF-7 cells without detectable inhibition of MCF-12A cells within the corresponding concentration ranges. These findings identify Portuguese macroalgae as promising sources of selectively active anticancer metabolites and support further phytochemical characterization and mechanistic investigation using sustainable bioprospecting approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148708655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum amino acid profiles in acute myocardial infarction: NMR metabolomics comparison of STEMI, NSTEMI, and controls.","authors":"Songpol Haohan, Nantarat Komanasin, Burabha Pussadhamma, Amonrat Jumnainsong, Wit Leuangwatthananon, Pattarapong Makarawate, Chanvit Leelayuwat, Wassana Jamnongkan, Pattaraporn Srisai, Anchalee Techasen","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14510","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14510","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Altered amino acid metabolism may reflect the acute metabolic response to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but its association with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize serum amino acid profiles in patients with AMI and compare non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In this retrospective cross-sectional study, serum samples from age-comparable controls without symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD) and 60 patients with AMI, including 35 with NSTEMI and 25 with STEMI, were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Metabolic differences were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (O-PLS-DA), univariate testing, and logistic regression. Thirty-one serum metabolites were identified, and validated O-PLS-DA models differentiated controls, NSTEMI, and STEMI. Compared with controls, patients with AMI had significantly lower serum concentrations of isoleucine, valine, alanine, leucine, glutamine, tyrosine, histidine, and phenylalanine. All these amino acids except glutamine were also significantly lower in STEMI than in NSTEMI. Reduced isoleucine, valine, alanine, leucine, tyrosine, histidine, and phenylalanine were consistently associated with both AMI and STEMI, whereas reduced glutamine was associated with AMI only. These findings demonstrate distinct serum amino acid alterations across AMI phenotypes and support their further investigation as exploratory indicators of acute metabolic shifts. Prospective longitudinal studies are required to determine their temporal, prognostic, and mechanistic relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148702998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Histopathology-guided multimodal pathomics identifies a <i>PLEKHA6</i>-positive epithelial state associated with phosphoinositide metabolism in esophageal cancer.","authors":"Zhi Wang, ZhenJie Li, Nuo Yan, WenXun Xiong, WeiQiang Feng, YunZhe Wang, Yiping Wei, ShengKai Huang","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14476","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Esophageal cancer is biologically heterogeneous, and conventional clinicopathological staging incompletely captures variation in patient outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether histopathology-derived features associated with phosphoinositide metabolism could support exploratory prognostic stratification and identify biologically interpretable epithelial states. Diagnostic whole-slide images and bulk transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Esophageal Carcinoma (TCGA-ESCA) cohort were integrated with single-cell RNA-sequencing data. Tissue-rich image tiles underwent manual quality control, deep features were extracted using an ImageNet-pretrained ResNet-50 model, and phosphoinositide metabolism activity was quantified by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Associated image features were evaluated using machine-learning survival models, followed by clinicopathological adjustment and multimodal molecular characterization. The selected random survival forest plus gradient boosting machine model stratified overall survival in the training and internal validation cohorts, with concordance indices of 0.762 and 0.723, respectively. The standardized pathology-derived risk score remained associated with overall survival after adjustment for age, sex, histological subtype, and pathological stage (hazard ratio, 2.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.60-3.50). However, calibration was imperfect, and performance estimates may be optimistic because the internal validation cohort informed model selection. Most initial pathology-phosphoinositide metabolism associations were attenuated after adjustment for histological subtype. Multimodal analyses prioritized PLEKHA6 as a candidate pathology-associated epithelial-state marker rather than a subtype-independent prognostic biomarker. PLEKHA6-positive epithelial cells exhibited inflammatory and microenvironment-related transcriptional programs, predicted midkine- and macrophage migration inhibitory factor-related communication features, and stronger inferred copy-number variation-like signals. Higher tumor-level PLEKHA6 expression was also associated with distinct inferred immune, metabolic, and predicted drug-response profiles, although malignant-cell identity was not established. Because the analyzed tiles were not derived from pathologist-annotated malignant regions, the image signal represents composite diagnostic-slide tissue context. These findings identify an exploratory pathology-derived prognostic signal and a PLEKHA6-associated epithelial state in esophageal cancer that require independent, subtype-specific, pathological, and experimental validation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148703003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin D status and supplementation in left ventricular remodeling in chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Sha Fu, Qing Fu, Xueyao Liao","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14486","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14486","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is frequently accompanied by left ventricular remodeling, a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, while vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in this population. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between vitamin D status and left ventricular remodeling and to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation improves remodeling-related cardiac parameters in adults with CKD. Eight databases were searched through December 25, 2024, for observational and interventional studies reporting left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), or interventricular septal thickness (IVST). Sixteen studies were included: seven observational studies involving 1,487 participants and nine interventional studies involving 581 participants. In observational studies, higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower LVMI (r = -0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.64 to -0.11), although heterogeneity was substantial and the certainty of evidence was very low. Vitamin D supplementation did not significantly improve LVMI (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.62 to 0.22) or LVEF (SMD = 0.57, 95% CI: -0.32 to 1.46). A possible reduction in IVST was observed (SMD = -0.68, 95% CI: -1.32 to -0.05), but this finding was based on limited and inconsistent evidence. Overall, higher vitamin D status was associated with lower LVMI, whereas current interventional evidence does not establish that vitamin D supplementation improves left ventricular remodeling in CKD. Larger, adequately powered, long-term randomized trials are needed to determine whether specific CKD populations may derive cardiovascular structural benefit from vitamin D therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148701761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Platelet-rich plasma-assisted nonoperative treatment of acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries: Clinical and MRI outcomes and factors associated with success.","authors":"Shinnosuke Hada, Hiroyuki Omiya, Masao Hada, Yuuki Shimizu, Toru Omodani, Haruka Kaneko, Yoshitomo Saita, Hiroaki Kanazawa, Muneaki Ishijima","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14692","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14692","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is commonly recommended for highly active patients, but interest in biologically augmented nonoperative treatment is increasing. This study evaluated clinical and imaging outcomes and explored factors associated with success after platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-assisted nonoperative treatment of acute ACL injuries. This retrospective case series included 40 highly active patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed ACL injuries treated within 6 weeks of injury between 2019 and 2023. PRP injections were combined with bracing and staged rehabilitation, and patients were followed for at least 18 months. Treatment success required restored ACL continuity on MRI, a pivot-shift grade ≤1, return to the preinjury sports level, and no major adverse events or subsequent surgery. ACL continuity was restored in 38 patients (95.0%), and 33 (82.5%) met all success criteria. In exploratory analyses, success was more frequent in patients aged ≥30 years than in younger patients (95.2% vs 68.4%, p = 0.027), in partial than complete tears (100.0% vs 66.7%, p = 0.019), and in femoral-side than mid-substance tears (92.6% vs 61.5%, p = 0.029). All seven treatment failures involved complete tears, and five involved mid-substance tears. However, none of these factors was independently associated with treatment failure in exploratory Firth penalized logistic regression. PRP-assisted nonoperative management yielded favorable clinical and MRI outcomes in this selected cohort. These findings are hypothesis-generating, and the independent contribution of PRP cannot be determined because of the retrospective uncontrolled design and limited number of treatment failures.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148681398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Urinary monoester phthalate metabolites and thyroid function in healthy adults: Sex- and obesity-specific associations.","authors":"Ivana Bajkin, Nataša Milić, Nataša Milošević, Maja Milanović, Dragana Tomić-Naglić, Kristina Stepanović, Petar Čolović, Marijana Berović, Milica Medić Stojanoska","doi":"10.17305/bb.2026.14488","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2026.14488","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phthalates are widespread endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may subtly alter thyroid homeostasis, although the influence of sex and adiposity on these associations remains unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the associations of urinary monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) with thyroid function according to sex and body mass index (BMI). The study included 201 metabolically healthy adults aged 18-57 years from Serbia. First-morning urine samples were analyzed for phthalate metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, while serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Participants were classified as lean or overweight and obese, and associations were evaluated using group comparisons and hierarchical multiple linear regression. MEP and MEHP concentrations were above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in 31.84% and 21.89% of samples, respectively. Overweight and obese participants with MEP concentrations above the LOQ had higher FT4 levels than those with concentrations below the LOQ, whereas lean participants with MEHP above the LOQ had lower FT4 levels. Regression analyses identified a significant interaction among MEP, BMI, and sex for TSH, with higher MEP associated with higher TSH primarily in overweight and obese women. A significant interaction among MEHP, BMI, and sex was also observed for FT3, although the inverse association in lean men was only marginally significant. Urinary MEP and MEHP were associated with subtle, sex- and adiposity-dependent variations in thyroid hormone levels within physiological ranges. These exploratory findings require confirmation in larger longitudinal studies using repeated exposure measurements.</p>","PeriodicalId":72398,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148681338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}