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In 137 females (F) and 94 males (M) aged 21-35 years from organochlorines (OCs) polluted area (POLL) increased thyroid volume (ThV), prevalence of antibodies to thyroperoxidase (TPOab), thyrotropin receptor (TRab) and of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was found compared to 116 F and 107 M from background pollution area (BCGR). In F and M from POLL also strikingly increased level of PCBs, DDE and HCB was found. Such findings were compared to the generation of their parents aged 41-55 years consisting of 320F/213M from POLL and 406F/231M from BCGR. However, in spite of strikingly lower level of those OCs in young adults from POLL, they showed about the same prevalence of adverse health signs as the old generation. From such reason 44 young F and 40 young M with lowest PCBs level from POLL were selected to obtain nearly the same PCB level as found in all young F and M from BCGR. In such PCB adjusted groups the prevalence of TPOab, TRab, IFG and increased ThV was still significantly higher than that in all young subjects from BCGR. At the same time, also the level of DDE and HCB in such PCBs adjusted groups was considerably lower. It was concluded that such adverse effects in young adults from POLL possibly did not result from their actual OCs levels, but very likely from their exposure to high OCs levels of their mothers during their prenatal and perinatal life. Thus, the data may be compatible with present views on transgenerational transmission of endocrine disruptors action.

An increased prevalence of thyroid antibodies was seen in employees of a factory that formerly produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, the authors expand the evaluation of possible long-term PCB effects by comparing the prevalence of glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti-GAD) antibodies with the development of diabetes mellitus. The sera of 240 factory employees and 704 control subjects were analyzed. Anti-GAD antibody values exceeded 1.20 U/ml in all employees (40.4%), was 4 times higher (p < .001) than in all controls (10.5%), and were 5 times higher in employees aged 51-60 yr (53.2%) than in age-matched controls (10.5%) (p < .001). Although the prevalence of diabetes could not be determined from this retrospective study, this is the first report of a possible relationship between xenobiotics and the prevalence of anti-GAD antibodies, and it supports the concept of an immunomodulatory effect of PCBs. However, such antibodies may be present decades before the development of clinical diabetes, and not all anti-GAD antibody-positive individuals become diabetic. Presently, it is unknown whether there is an increased prevalence of diabetes among the former factory employees.