Dr. Zeynep Madak-Erdogan Revealed Synergistic Effect of High-Fat Diet and PFAS Exposure on Cancer

Dr. Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and scientists from the U. of I. Chicago discovered that consuming a high-fat diet significantly accelerated development of tumors in the PFAS-exposed mice. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are known as “forever chemicals” as they don’t degrade naturally and persist as environmental pollutants.  According to their research, exposure to PFAS synergizes with dietary fat to activate the protein-coding gene PPARa, altering cells’ metabolism rendering increase in the carcinogenic risk in normal prostate cells.  

Source: Technology Network