Lineage-Selective Disturbance of Early Human Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Differentiation by the Commonly Used Plasticizer Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate via Reactive Oxygen Species: Fatty Acid Oxidation Makes the Difference

Exposure to ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is a major public health concern. We analyzed the physiological impact of the EDC, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and found that its metabolite, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), had significant adverse effects on myeloid hematopoiesis at environmentally relevant concentrations. An analysis of the underlying mechanism revealed that MEHP promotes increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) by reducing the activity of superoxide dismutase in all lineages, possibly via its actions at the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. This leads to a metabolic shift away from glycolysis toward the pentose phosphate pathway and ultimately results in the death of hematopoietic cells that rely on glycolysis for energy production. By contrast, cells that utilize fatty acid oxidation for energy production are not susceptible to this outcome due to their capacity to uncouple ATP production. These responses were also detected in non-hematopoietic cells exposed to alternate inducers of ROS.