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Bernardo BA, Lanphear BP, Venners SA, Arbuckle TE, Braun JM, Muckle G, Fraser WD, McCandless LC. Assessing the Relation between Plasma PCB Concentrations and Elevated Autistic Behaviours using Bayesian Predictive Odds Ratios. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E457. [PMID: 30764478 PMCID: PMC6388164 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social communication and repetitive or stereotypic behaviours. In utero exposure to environmental chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may play a role in the etiology of ASD. We examined the relation between plasma PCB concentrations measured during pregnancy and autistic behaviours in a subset of children aged 3⁻4 years old in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study, a pregnancy and birth cohort of 546 mother-infant pairs from Canada (enrolled: 2008⁻2011). We quantified the concentrations of 6 PCB congeners that were detected in >40% of plasma samples collected during the 1st trimester. At age 3⁻4 years, caregivers completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS), a valid and reliable measure of children's reciprocal social and repetitive behaviours and restricted interests. We examined SRS scores as both a continuous and binary outcome, and we calculated Bayesian predictive odds ratios for more autistic behaviours based on a latent variable model for SRS scores >60. We found no evidence of an association between plasma PCB concentrations and autistic behaviour. However, we found small and imprecise increases in the mean SRS score and odds of more autistic behaviour for the highest category of plasma PCB concentrations compared with the lowest category; for instance, an average increase of 1.4 (95%PCI: -0.4, 3.2) in the mean SRS (exposure contrast highest versus lowest PCB category) for PCB138 translated to an odds ratio of 1.8 (95%PCI: 1.0, 2.9). Our findings illustrate the importance of measuring associations between PCBs and autistic behaviour on both continuous and binary scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan A Bernardo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Scott A Venners
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Population Studies Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Gina Muckle
- École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - William D Fraser
- Department d'obstétrique et gynécologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada.
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102
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Roberts JR, Dawley EH, Reigart JR. Children's low-level pesticide exposure and associations with autism and ADHD: a review. Pediatr Res 2019; 85:234-241. [PMID: 30337670 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-018-0200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are chemicals that are designed specifically for the purpose of killing or suppressing another living organism. Human toxicity is possible with any pesticide, and a growing body of literature has investigated possible associations with neurodevelopmental disorders. Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two of these specific disorders that have garnered particular interest. Exposure to toxic chemicals during critical windows of brain development is a biologically plausible mechanism. This review describes the basic laboratory science including controlled pesticide dosing experiments in animals that supports a mechanistic relationship in the development of ADHD and/or ASD. Epidemiological relationships are also described for low-level pesticide exposure and ADHD and/or ASD. The available evidence supports the hypothesis that pesticide exposure at levels that do not cause acute toxicity may be among the multifactorial causes of ADHD and ASD, though further study is needed, especially for some of the newer pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Roberts
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Erin H Dawley
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - J Routt Reigart
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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103
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Martins Laurentino AO, Durante de Medeiros F, de Oliveira J, da Rosa N, Mateus Gomes T, de Medeiros Peretti E, Somariva Prophiro J, Fortunato JJ. Effects of prenatal exposure to temephos on behavior and social interaction. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:669-673. [PMID: 30880993 PMCID: PMC6417020 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s193896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The neurodevelopment period is susceptible to alterations by genetic and environmental factors, such as the exposure to organophosphates (OP). The OP is neurotoxic and has been associated with neurological diseases pathophysiology. The OP temephos is widely used against Aedes aegypti in Brazil's public health programs. PURPOSE To evaluate behavioral effects of prenatal exposition to temephos in Wistar rats. METHODS First, we divided pregnant females into groups: those who received temephos diluted in distilled water by gavage between gestational days 6-13 and those who received only distilled water in the same period and volume. Then, we divided pups according to sex and exposure, and we made the behavioral tests on postnatal day 30. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to temephos caused hyperactivity, stereotyped behavior, and social impairment in animals. CONCLUSION These results are similar to the altered behavior presented in some neurobiological diseases models, like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders, and this study may bring a red alert to the large use of temephos in Brazil, due to the damage caused by its exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Olívia Martins Laurentino
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
| | - Fabiana Durante de Medeiros
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
| | - Juliana de Oliveira
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil, .,Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Naiana da Rosa
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil, .,Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Tamires Mateus Gomes
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
| | - Eduardo de Medeiros Peretti
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
| | - Josiane Somariva Prophiro
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil, .,Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Jucélia J Fortunato
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil, .,Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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104
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Abstract
Toxic chemicals, either from natural sources or man-made, are ubiquitous in our environment. Many of the synthetic chemicals make life more comfortable and therefore production continues to grow. Simultaneously with the increase in production, an increase in neurodevelopmental disorders has been observed. Some chemicals are not biodegradable or have a very long half-life time and, despite the fact that production of a number of those chemicals has been severely reduced, they are still ubiquitous in the environment. Fetal exposure to toxic chemicals is dependent on maternal exposure to those chemicals and the developing stage of the fetus. Human evidence from epidemiologic studies is described with regard to the effect of prenatal exposure to various groups of neurotoxicants (alcohol, particulate fine matter, metals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals) on neurobehavior development. Data indicate that prenatal exposure to alcohol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, methylmercury (MeHg), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), and polychlorinated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) impair cognitive development, whereas exposure to alcohol, MeHg, organochlorine pesticides and OPPs, polychlorinated biphenyls, PBDEs, and bisphenol A increases the risk of developing either attention deficit/hyperactivity and/or autism spectrum disorders. Psychomotor development appears to be less affected. However, data are not conclusive, which may depend on the assessment of exposure and the exposure level, among other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot van de Bor
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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105
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Guo Z, Xie HQ, Zhang P, Luo Y, Xu T, Liu Y, Fu H, Xu L, Valsami-Jones E, Boksa P, Zhao B. Dioxins as potential risk factors for autism spectrum disorder. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 121:906-915. [PMID: 30347373 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has emerged as a major public health concern due to its fast-growing prevalence in recent decades. Environmental factors are thought to contribute substantially to the variance in ASD. Interest in environmental toxins as causes of ASD has arisen due to the high sensitivity of the developing human brain to toxic chemicals, particularly to dioxin and certain dioxin-like compounds (dioxins). As a group of typical persistent organic pollutants, dioxins have been found to exert adverse effects on human brain development. In this paper, we review the evidence for association of exposure to dioxins with neurodevelopmental abnormalities related to ASD based on both human epidemiological and animal studies. It has been documented that exposure to dioxins during critical developmental periods increased risk for ASD. This notion has been demonstrated in different populations exposed to high or background level of dioxins. Furthermore, the effects and mechanisms of action of dioxins relevant to the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of ASD are summarized, describing potential underlying mechanisms linking dioxin exposure with ASD onset. Further studies focusing on effects of prenatal/perinatal exposure to individual dioxin congeners or to mixtures of dioxins on ASD-associated behavioral and neurobiological consequences in animal models, and on the mechanisms of actions of dioxins, are needed in order to better understand how dioxin exposure might contribute to increased risk for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiling Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Heidi Qunhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- University of Birmingham, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Yali Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiyun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hualing Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Eugenia Valsami-Jones
- University of Birmingham, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Patricia Boksa
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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106
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Effects of environmental pollutants on calcium release and uptake by rat cortical microsomes. Neurotoxicology 2018; 69:266-277. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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107
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Brown AS, Cheslack-Postava K, Rantakokko P, Kiviranta H, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki S, McKeague IW, Surcel HM, Sourander A. Association of Maternal Insecticide Levels With Autism in Offspring From a National Birth Cohort. Am J Psychiatry 2018; 175:1094-1101. [PMID: 30111184 PMCID: PMC6377859 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17101129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a largely unknown etiology. To date, few studies have investigated prenatal exposure to toxins and risk of autism by using maternal biomarkers of exposure. Persistent organic pollutants are lipophilic halogenated organic compounds and include the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), as well as its metabolite p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The objective of this study was to test whether elevated maternal levels of persistent organic pollutants are associated with autism among offspring. METHOD The investigation was derived from the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism, a national birth cohort study based on a nested case-control design. Cases of autism among children born between 1987 and 2005 were ascertained by national registry linkages. In cases of childhood autism and matched control subjects (778 matched case-control pairs), maternal serum specimens from early pregnancy were assayed for levels of p,p'-DDE and total levels of PCBs. RESULTS The odds of autism among offspring were significantly increased with maternal p,p'-DDE levels that were in the highest 75th percentile, with adjustment for maternal age, parity, and history of psychiatric disorders (odds ratio=1.32, 95% CI=1.02, 1.71). The odds of autism with intellectual disability were increased by greater than twofold with maternal p,p'-DDE levels above this threshold (odds ratio=2.21, 95% CI=1.32, 3.69). There was no association between total levels of maternal PCBs and autism. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide the first biomarker-based evidence that maternal exposure to insecticides is associated with autism among offspring. Although further research is necessary to replicate this finding, this study has implications for the prevention of autism and may provide a better understanding of its pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan S. Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Keely Cheslack-Postava
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Ian W. McKeague
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heljä-Marja Surcel
- University of Oulu, Faculty of Medicine, Oulu, Finland
- Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Andre Sourander
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
- Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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108
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Sethi S, Keil KP, Lein PJ. 3,3'-Dichlorobiphenyl (PCB 11) promotes dendritic arborization in primary rat cortical neurons via a CREB-dependent mechanism. Arch Toxicol 2018; 92:3337-3345. [PMID: 30225637 PMCID: PMC6196112 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-018-2307-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PCB 11 (3,3'-dichlorobiphenyl), a contemporary congener produced as a byproduct of current pigment production processes, has recently emerged as a prevalent worldwide pollutant. We recently demonstrated that exposure to PCB 11 increases dendritic arborization in vitro, but the mechanism(s) mediating this effect remain unknown. To address this data gap, primary cortical neuron-glia co-cultures derived from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 48 h to either vehicle (0.1% DMSO) or PCB 11 at concentrations ranging from 1 fM to 1 nM in the absence or presence of pharmacologic antagonists of established molecular targets of higher chlorinated PCBs. Reporter cell lines were used to test activity of PCB 11 at the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and thyroid hormone receptor (THR). PCB 11 lacked activity at the AhR and THR, and antagonism of these receptors had no effect on the dendrite-promoting activity of PCB 11. Pharmacologic antagonism of various calcium channels or treatment with antioxidants also did not alter PCB 11-induced dendritic arborization. In contrast, pharmacologic blockade or shRNA knockdown of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) significantly decreased dendritic growth in PCB 11-exposed cultures, suggesting PCB 11 promotes dendritic growth via CREB-mediated mechanisms. Since CREB signaling is crucial for normal neurodevelopment, and perturbations of CREB signaling have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, our findings suggest that this contemporary pollutant poses a threat to the developing brain, particularly in individuals with heritable mutations that promote CREB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjay Sethi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kimberly P Keil
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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109
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PCB 95 promotes dendritic growth in primary rat hippocampal neurons via mTOR-dependent mechanisms. Arch Toxicol 2018; 92:3163-3173. [PMID: 30132043 PMCID: PMC6162988 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-018-2285-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and in particular non-dioxin-like (NDL) congeners, continue to pose a significant risk to the developing nervous system. PCB 95, a prevalent NDL congener in the human chemosphere, promotes dendritic growth in rodent primary neurons by activating calcium-dependent transcriptional mechanisms that normally function to link activity to dendritic growth. Activity-dependent dendritic growth is also mediated by calcium-dependent translational mechanisms involving mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), suggesting that the dendrite-promoting activity of PCB 95 may also involve mTOR signaling. Here, we test this hypothesis using primary neuron-glia co-cultures derived from the hippocampi of postnatal day 0 Sprague Dawley rats. PCB 95 (1 nM) activated mTOR in hippocampal cultures as evidenced by increased phosphorylation of mTOR at ser2448. Pharmacologic inhibition of mTOR signaling using rapamycin (20 nM), FK506 (5 nM), or 4EGI-1 (1 µM), and siRNA knockdown of mTOR, or the mTOR complex binding proteins, raptor or rictor, blocked PCB 95-induced dendritic growth. These data identify mTOR activation as a novel molecular mechanism contributing to the effects of PCB 95 on dendritic arborization. In light of clinical data linking gain-of-function mutations in mTOR signaling to neurodevelopmental disorders, our findings suggest that mTOR signaling may represent a convergence point for gene by environment interactions that confer risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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110
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Xu Y, Gregory KB, VanBriesen JM. Effects of Ferric Oxyhydroxide on Anaerobic Microbial Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Hudson and Grasse River Sediment Microcosms: Dechlorination Extent, Preferences, Ortho Removal, and Its Enhancement. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1574. [PMID: 30079053 PMCID: PMC6062599 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been observed in many PCB-impacted sediments. However, this biodegradation is relatively site-specific and can be affected by PCB compositions and sediment geochemical conditions. To better understand the influence of a common competing electron acceptor, ferric oxyhydroxide (FeOOH), on dechlorination, two sediments (Hudson River and Grasse River sediments), and two PCB mixtures (PCB 5/12, 64/71, 105/114, and 149/153/170 in Mixture 1 and PCB 5/12, 64/71, 82/97/99, 144/170 in Mixture 2) were used for this microcosm study. The addition of 40 mmole/kg FeOOH completely inhibited PCB dechlorination in the Hudson sediment, but only moderately inhibited PCB dechlorination in the Grasse sediment with a 3-week longer lag time. The inhibitory effect in the Grasse sediment was mainly due to the loss of unflanked para dechlorination activity. Fe(II) analysis showed that dechlorination started prior to the consumption of Fe(III), which indicates PCB reduction and Fe(III) reduction were able to take place concurrently. Dehalococcoides 16S rRNA genes increased with the commencement of dechlorination in the Grasse sediment, but not in the completely inhibited Hudson sediment. Rare ortho dechlorination pathways were identified in FeOOH-amended Grasse sediment microcosms, dominated by transformations of PCB 25(24-3-CB) to PCB 13(3-4-CB) and PCB 28(24-4-CB) to PCB 15(4-4-CB). The addition of carbon sources (acetate or a fatty acid mixture with acetate, propionate, and butyrate) after 27 weeks of incubation reinitiated dechlorination in FeOOH-amended Hudson sediment microcosms. Also, the addition of carbon sources greatly enhanced ortho dechlorination in FeOOH-amended Grasse microcosms, indicating the utilization of acetate and/or the fatty acid mixture for ortho dechlorination-related microorganisms. A dechlorination pathway analysis approach revealed that para-flanked meta dechlorination was primarily preferred followed by ortho-/double-flanked meta dechlorination and single-/double-flanked para dechlorination in the Grasse sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Department of Municipal Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Kelvin B. Gregory
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jeanne M. VanBriesen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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111
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Street ME, Angelini S, Bernasconi S, Burgio E, Cassio A, Catellani C, Cirillo F, Deodati A, Fabbrizi E, Fanos V, Gargano G, Grossi E, Iughetti L, Lazzeroni P, Mantovani A, Migliore L, Palanza P, Panzica G, Papini AM, Parmigiani S, Predieri B, Sartori C, Tridenti G, Amarri S. Current Knowledge on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) from Animal Biology to Humans, from Pregnancy to Adulthood: Highlights from a National Italian Meeting. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1647. [PMID: 29865233 PMCID: PMC6032228 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife has often presented and suggested the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Animal studies have given us an important opportunity to understand the mechanisms of action of many chemicals on the endocrine system and on neurodevelopment and behaviour, and to evaluate the effects of doses, time and duration of exposure. Although results are sometimes conflicting because of confounding factors, epidemiological studies in humans suggest effects of EDCs on prenatal growth, thyroid function, glucose metabolism and obesity, puberty, fertility, and on carcinogenesis mainly through epigenetic mechanisms. This manuscript reviews the reports of a multidisciplinary national meeting on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elisabeth Street
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Sabrina Angelini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Sergio Bernasconi
- Former Department of Medicine, University of Parma, Via A. Catalani 10, 43123 Parma, Italy.
| | - Ernesto Burgio
- ECERI European Cancer and Environment Research Institute, Square de Meeus, 38-40, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Alessandra Cassio
- Pediatric Endocrinology Programme, Pediatrics Unit, Department of Woman, Child Health and Urologic Diseases, AOU S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti, 11, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Cecilia Catellani
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Deodati
- Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Tor Vergata University, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy.
| | - Enrica Fabbrizi
- Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Augusto Murri Hospital, Via Augusto Murri, 17, 63900 Fermo, Itlay.
| | - Vassilios Fanos
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Neonatal Pathology and Neonatal Section, AOU and University of Cagliari, via Ospedale, 54, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Giancarlo Gargano
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Enzo Grossi
- Villa Santa Maria Institute, Neuropsychiatric Rehabilitation Center, Via IV Novembre 15, 22038 Tavernerio (Como), Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Iughetti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mother, Children and Adults, Pediatrics Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via del Pozzo, 71, 41124 Modena, Italy.
| | - Pietro Lazzeroni
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Alberto Mantovani
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Food and Veterinary Toxicology Unit ISS⁻National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Lucia Migliore
- Department of Traslational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56123 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Paola Palanza
- Unit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci, 14, 43126 Parma, Italy.
| | - Giancarlo Panzica
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043 Orbassano (Turin), Italy.
| | - Anna Maria Papini
- Department of Chemistry 'Ugo Schiff', University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
| | - Stefano Parmigiani
- Unit of Evolutionary and Functional Biology-Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability (SCVSA)-University of Parma⁻11/a, 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Barbara Predieri
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mother, Children and Adults, Pediatrics Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via del Pozzo, 71, 41124 Modena, Italy.
| | - Chiara Sartori
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Tridenti
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Sergio Amarri
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
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Ruiz-Toledo J, Vandame R, Castro-Chan RA, Penilla-Navarro RP, Gómez J, Sánchez D. Organochlorine Pesticides in Honey and Pollen Samples from Managed Colonies of the Honey Bee Apis mellifera Linnaeus and the Stingless Bee Scaptotrigona mexicana Guérin from Southern, Mexico. INSECTS 2018; 9:E54. [PMID: 29748485 PMCID: PMC6023274 DOI: 10.3390/insects9020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we show the results of investigating the presence of organochlorine pesticides in honey and pollen samples from managed colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. and of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana Guérin. Three colonies of each species were moved into each of two sites. Three samples of pollen and three samples of honey were collected from each colony: the first collection occurred at the beginning of the study and the following ones at every six months during a year. Thus the total number of samples collected was 36 for honey (18 for A. mellifera and 18 for S. mexicana) and 36 for pollen (18 for A. mellifera and 18 for S. mexicana). We found that 88.44% and 93.33% of honey samples, and 22.22% and 100% of pollen samples of S. mexicana and A. mellifera, respectively, resulted positive to at least one organochlorine. The most abundant pesticides were Heptaclor (44% of the samples), γ-HCH (36%), DDT (19%), Endrin (18%) and DDE (11%). Despite the short foraging range of S. mexicana, the number of pesticides quantified in the honey samples was similar to that of A. mellifera. Paradoxically we found a small number of organochlorines in pollen samples of S. mexicana in comparison to A. mellifera, perhaps indicating a low abundance of pollen sources within the foraging range of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovani Ruiz-Toledo
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Unidad Tapachula, Carretera Antiguo Aeropuerto Km 2.5, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Rémy Vandame
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Unidad San Cristóbal de las Casas, Periférico Sur s/n, María Auxiliadora, San Cristóbal de Las Casas 29290, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Ricardo Alberto Castro-Chan
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Unidad Tapachula, Carretera Antiguo Aeropuerto Km 2.5, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Rosa Patricia Penilla-Navarro
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Laboratorio de Resistencia a Insecticidas, 4a. Norte y 19 Calle Poniente S/N, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Jaime Gómez
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Unidad Tapachula, Carretera Antiguo Aeropuerto Km 2.5, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Daniel Sánchez
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Unidad Tapachula, Carretera Antiguo Aeropuerto Km 2.5, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
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113
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Moosa A, Shu H, Sarachana T, Hu VW. Are endocrine disrupting compounds environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorder? Horm Behav 2018; 101:13-21. [PMID: 29042182 PMCID: PMC5913002 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent research on the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shifted in part from a singular focus on genetic causes to the involvement of environmental factors and their gene interactions. This shift in focus is a result of the rapidly increasing prevalence of ASD coupled with the incomplete penetrance of this disorder in monozygotic twins. One such area of environmentally focused research is the association of exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) with elevated risk for ASD. EDCs are exogenous chemicals that can alter endogenous hormone activity and homeostasis, thus potentially disrupting the action of sex and other natural hormones at all stages of human development. Inasmuch as sex hormones play a fundamental role in brain development and sexual differentiation, exposure to EDCs in utero during critical stages of development can have lasting neurological and other physiological influences on the developing fetus and, ultimately, the child as well as adult. This review will focus on the possible contributions of EDCs to autism risk and pathogenesis by first discussing the influence of endogenous sex hormones on the autistic phenotype, followed by a review of documented human exposures to EDCs and associations with behaviors relevant to ASD. Mechanistic links between EDC exposures and aberrant neurodevelopment and behaviors are then considered, with emphasis on EDC-induced transcriptional profiles derived from animal and cellular studies. Finally, this review will discuss possible mechanisms through which EDC exposure can lead to persistent changes in gene expression and phenotype, which may in turn contribute to transgenerational inheritance of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amer Moosa
- Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye St., NW, Washington, DC 20037, United States.
| | - Henry Shu
- Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye St., NW, Washington, DC 20037, United States.
| | - Tewarit Sarachana
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Medical Technology Branch, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 154 Rama I Rd., Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Valerie W Hu
- Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye St., NW, Washington, DC 20037, United States.
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Eskenazi B, An S, Rauch SA, Coker ES, Maphula A, Obida M, Crause M, Kogut KR, Bornman R, Chevrier J. Prenatal Exposure to DDT and Pyrethroids for Malaria Control and Child Neurodevelopment: The VHEMBE Cohort, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:047004. [PMID: 29648420 PMCID: PMC6071803 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although indoor residual spraying (IRS) with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and pyrethroids effectively controls malaria, it potentially increases human exposure to these insecticides. Previous studies suggest that prenatal exposure to these insecticides may impact human neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVES We aimed to estimate the effects of maternal insecticide exposure and neurodevelopment of toddlers living in a malaria-endemic region currently using IRS. METHODS The Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) is a birth cohort of 752 mother-child pairs in Limpopo, South Africa. We measured maternal exposure to DDT and its breakdown product, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), in maternal serum, and measured pyrethroid metabolites in maternal urine. We assessed children's neurodevelopment at 1 and 2 y of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, third edition (BSID-III), and examined associations with maternal exposure. RESULTS DDT and DDE were not associated with significantly lower scores for any BSID-III scale. In contrast, each 10-fold increase in cis-DCCA, trans-DCCA, and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid were associated, respectively, with a -0.63 (95% CI: -1.14, -0.12), -0.48 (95% CI: -0.92, -0.05), and -0.58 (-1.11, -0.06) decrement in Social-Emotional scores at 1 y of age. In addition, each 10-fold increase in maternal cis-DBCA levels was associated with significant decrements at 2 y of age in Language Composite scores and Expressive Communication scores [β=-1.74 (95% CI: -3.34, -0.13) and β=-0.40 (95% CI: -0.77, -0.04), respectively, for a 10-fold increase]. Significant differences by sex were estimated for pyrethroid metabolites and motor function scores at 2 y of age, with higher scores for boys and lower scores for girls. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal exposure to pyrethroids may be associated at 1 y of age with poorer social-emotional development. At 2 y of age, poorer language development was observed with higher prenatal pyrethroid levels. Considering the widespread use of pyrethroids, these findings deserve further investigation. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2129.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Sookee An
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Stephen A Rauch
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Eric S Coker
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Angelina Maphula
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Madelein Crause
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Katherine R Kogut
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Urology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Gorovtsov AV, Sazykin IS, Sazykina MA. The influence of heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls pollution on the development of antibiotic resistance in soils. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:9283-9292. [PMID: 29453715 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-1465-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The minireview is devoted to the analysis of the influence of soil pollution with heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the distribution of antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) in soil microbiomes. It is shown that the best understanding of ARGs distribution process requires studying the influence of pollutants on this process in natural microbiocenoses. Heavy metals promote co-selection of genes determining resistance to them together with ARGs in the same mobile elements of a bacterial genome, but the majority of studies focus on agricultural soils enriched with ARGs originating from manure. Studying nonagricultural soils would clear mechanisms of ARGs transfer in natural and anthropogenically transformed environments and highlight the role of antibiotic-producing bacteria. PAHs make a considerable shift in soil microbiomes leading to an increase in the number of Actinobacteria which are the source of antibiotics formation and bear multiple ARGs. The soils polluted with PAHs can be a selective medium for bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and the level of ARGs expression is much higher. PCBs are accumulated in soils and significantly alter the specific structure of soil microbiocenoses. In such soils, representatives of the genera Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Alcanivorax dominate, and the ability to degrade PCBs is connected to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and high level of genomic plasticity. The attention is also focused on the need to study the properties of the soil having an impact on the bioavailability of pollutants and, as a result, on resistome of soil microorganisms.
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Mughal BB, Fini JB, Demeneix BA. Thyroid-disrupting chemicals and brain development: an update. Endocr Connect 2018; 7:R160-R186. [PMID: 29572405 PMCID: PMC5890081 DOI: 10.1530/ec-18-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review covers recent findings on the main categories of thyroid hormone-disrupting chemicals and their effects on brain development. We draw mostly on epidemiological and experimental data published in the last decade. For each chemical class considered, we deal with not only the thyroid hormone-disrupting effects but also briefly mention the main mechanisms by which the same chemicals could modify estrogen and/or androgen signalling, thereby exacerbating adverse effects on endocrine-dependent developmental programmes. Further, we emphasize recent data showing how maternal thyroid hormone signalling during early pregnancy affects not only offspring IQ, but also neurodevelopmental disease risk. These recent findings add to established knowledge on the crucial importance of iodine and thyroid hormone for optimal brain development. We propose that prenatal exposure to mixtures of thyroid hormone-disrupting chemicals provides a plausible biological mechanism contributing to current increases in the incidence of neurodevelopmental disease and IQ loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal B Mughal
- CNRS/UMR7221Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- CNRS/UMR7221Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Barbara A Demeneix
- CNRS/UMR7221Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
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Hertz-Picciotto I, Schmidt RJ, Krakowiak P. Understanding environmental contributions to autism: Causal concepts and the state of science. Autism Res 2018; 11:554-586. [PMID: 29573218 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The complexity of neurodevelopment, the rapidity of early neurogenesis, and over 100 years of research identifying environmental influences on neurodevelopment serve as backdrop to understanding factors that influence risk and severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This Keynote Lecture, delivered at the May 2016 annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research, describes concepts of causation, outlines the trajectory of research on nongenetic factors beginning in the 1960s, and briefly reviews the current state of this science. Causal concepts are introduced, including root causes; pitfalls in interpreting time trends as clues to etiologic factors; susceptible time windows for exposure; and implications of a multi-factorial model of ASD. An historical background presents early research into the origins of ASD. The epidemiologic literature from the last fifteen years is briefly but critically reviewed for potential roles of, for example, air pollution, pesticides, plastics, prenatal vitamins, lifestyle and family factors, and maternal obstetric and metabolic conditions during her pregnancy. Three examples from the case-control CHildhood Autism Risks from Genes and the Environment Study are probed to illustrate methodological approaches to central challenges in observational studies: capturing environmental exposure; causal inference when a randomized controlled clinical trial is either unethical or infeasible; and the integration of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental influences on development. We conclude with reflections on future directions, including exposomics, new technologies, the microbiome, gene-by-environment interaction in the era of -omics, and epigenetics as the interface of those two. As the environment is malleable, this research advances the goal of a productive and fulfilling life for all children, teen-agers and adults. Autism Res 2018, 11: 554-586. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY This Keynote Lecture, delivered at the 2016 meeting of the International Society for Autism Research, discusses evidence from human epidemiologic studies of prenatal factors contributing to autism, such as pesticides, maternal nutrition and her health. There is no single cause for autism. Examples highlight the features of a high-quality epidemiology study, and what comprises a compelling case for causation. Emergent research directions hold promise for identifying potential interventions to reduce disabilities, enhance giftedness, and improve lives of those with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, MIND Institute (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders), University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, MIND Institute (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders), University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Paula Krakowiak
- Department of Public Health Sciences, MIND Institute (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders), University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Lyall K, Yau VM, Hansen R, Kharrazi M, Yoshida CK, Calafat AM, Windham G, Croen LA. Prenatal Maternal Serum Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Association with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:017001. [PMID: 29298162 PMCID: PMC6014693 DOI: 10.1289/ehp1830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging work has examined neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but few studies have assessed associations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). OBJECTIVES Our objective was to estimate associations of maternal prenatal PFAS concentrations with ASD and intellectual disability (ID) in children. METHODS Participants were from a population-based nested case-control study of children born from 2000 to 2003 in southern California, including children diagnosed with ASD (n=553), ID without autism (n=189), and general population (GP) controls (n=433). Concentrations of eight PFAS from stored maternal sera collected at 15-19 wk gestational age were quantified and compared among study groups. We used logistic regression to obtain adjusted odds ratios for the association between prenatal PFAS concentrations (parameterized continuously and as quartiles) and ASD versus GP controls, and separately for ID versus GP controls. RESULTS Geometric mean concentrations of most PFAS were lower in ASD and ID groups relative to GP controls. ASD was not significantly associated with prenatal concentrations of most PFAS, though significant inverse associations were found for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) [adjusted ORs for the highest vs. lowest quartiles 0.62 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.93) and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.97), respectively]. Results for ID were similar. CONCLUSIONS Results from this large case-control study with prospectively collected prenatal measurements do not support the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to PFAS is positively associated with ASD or ID. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1830.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Vincent M Yau
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Robin Hansen
- MIND Institute and the Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Martin Kharrazi
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
| | | | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gayle Windham
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA
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119
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Sethi S, Keil KP, Lein PJ. Species and Sex Differences in the Morphogenic Response of Primary Rodent Neurons to 3,3'-Dichlorobiphenyl (PCB 11). TOXICS 2017; 6:toxics6010004. [PMID: 29295518 PMCID: PMC5874777 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PCB 11 is an emerging global pollutant that we recently showed promotes axonal and dendritic growth in primary rat neuronal cell cultures. Here, we address the influence of sex and species on neuronal responses to PCB 11. Neuronal morphology was quantified in sex-specific primary hippocampal and cortical neuron-glia co-cultures derived from neonatal C57BL/6J mice and Sprague Dawley rats exposed for 48 h to vehicle (0.1% DMSO) or PCB 11 at concentrations ranging from 1 fM to 1 nM. Total axonal length was quantified in tau-1 immunoreactive neurons at day in vitro (DIV) 2; dendritic arborization was assessed by Sholl analysis at DIV 9 in neurons transfected with MAP2B-FusRed. In mouse cultures, PCB 11 enhanced dendritic arborization in female, but not male, hippocampal neurons and male, but not female, cortical neurons. In rat cultures, PCB 11 promoted dendritic arborization in male and female hippocampal and cortical neurons. PCB 11 also increased axonal growth in mouse and rat neurons of both sexes and neuronal cell types. These data demonstrate that PCB 11 exerts sex-specific effects on neuronal morphogenesis that vary depending on species, neurite type, and neuronal cell type. These findings have significant implications for risk assessment of this emerging developmental neurotoxicant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjay Sethi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Kimberly P Keil
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Ryu J, Ha EH, Kim BN, Ha M, Kim Y, Park H, Hong YC, Kim KN. Associations of prenatal and early childhood mercury exposure with autistic behaviors at 5years of age: The Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 605-606:251-257. [PMID: 28667852 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although mercury is an established neurotoxin, only few longitudinal studies have investigated the association between prenatal and early childhood mercury exposure and autistic behaviors. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal cohort study using an ongoing prospective birth cohort initiated in 2006, wherein blood mercury levels were measured at early and late pregnancy; in cord blood; and at 2 and 3years of age. We analyzed 458 mother-child pairs. Autistic behaviors were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at 5years of age. Both continuous SRS T-scores and T-scores dichotomized by a score of ≥60 or <60 were used as outcomes. RESULTS The geometric mean of mercury concentrations in cord blood was 5.52μg/L. In adjusted models, a doubling of blood mercury levels at late pregnancy (β=1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39, 3.29), in cord blood (β=2.24, 95% CI: 0.22, 4.27), and at 2years (β=2.12, 95% CI: 0.54, 3.70) and 3years (β=2.80, 95% CI: 0.89, 4.72) of age was positively associated with the SRS T-scores. When the SRS T-scores were dichotomized, we observed positive associations with mercury levels at late pregnancy (relative risk [RR]=1.31, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.60) and in cord blood (RR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.63). CONCLUSION We found that blood mercury levels at late pregnancy and early childhood were associated with more autistic behaviors in children at 5years of age. Further study on the long-term effects of mercury exposure is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Ryu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Boong-Nyun Kim
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Nam Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Public Health and Medical Service, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Frank DF, Miller GW, Connon RE, Geist J, Lein PJ. Transcriptomic profiling of mTOR and ryanodine receptor signaling molecules in developing zebrafish in the absence and presence of PCB 95. PeerJ 2017; 5:e4106. [PMID: 29201571 PMCID: PMC5712209 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) signaling pathways regulate fundamental processes of neurodevelopment, and genetic mutations within these pathways have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. While previous studies have established that these signaling molecules are expressed in developing zebrafish, a detailed characterization of the ontogenetic profile of these signaling molecules is lacking. Thus, we evaluated the spatiotemporal expression of key transcripts in mTOR and RyR signaling pathways in wildtype zebrafish at 24, 72 and 120 hours post fertilization (hpf). We further determined whether transcriptional profiles of a subset of genes in both pathways were altered by exposure to PCB 95 (2,2′,3,5′,6-pentachlorobiphenyl), a pervasive environmental contaminant known to cause developmental neurotoxicity in mammalian systems via RyR-dependent mechanisms. Quantitative PCR revealed that transcription generally increased across development. Genes in the signaling pathway upstream of the mTORC1 complex, and the RyR-paralogs, ryr2a and ryr3, were robustly upregulated, and in situ hybridization of ryr3 coincided with a transcriptional shift from muscle to neuronal tissue after 24 hpf. Static waterborne exposure to PCB 95 beginning at 6 hpf significantly altered transcription of genes in both pathways. These changes were concentration- and time-dependent, and included downregulation of rptor, a member of the mTORC1 complex, at both 72 and 120 hpf, and increased transcript levels of the RyR paralog ryr2b and downstream target of RyR signaling, Wingless-type 2ba (wnt2ba) at 72 hpf. The detailed transcriptomic profiling of key genes within these two signaling pathways provides a baseline for identifying other environmental factors that modify normal spatiotemporal expression patterns of mTOR and RyR signaling pathways in the developing zebrafish, as illustrated here for PCB 95.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Frank
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Galen W Miller
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Richard E Connon
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Juergen Geist
- Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Relationship between serum dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and post-testicular maturation in human sperm. Reprod Toxicol 2017; 73:312-321. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Kobayashi S, Sata F, Miyashita C, Miura R, Azumi K, Kobayashi S, Goudarzi H, Araki A, Ishizuka M, Todaka T, Kajiwara J, Hori T, Kishi R. Gender-specific association of exposure to non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls during pregnancy with methylation levels of H19 and long interspersed nuclear element-1 in cord blood in the Hokkaido study. Toxicology 2017; 390:135-145. [PMID: 28865728 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Associations between prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and reduced birth-size, and between DNA methylation of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2), H19 locus, and long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) and reduced birth-size are well established. To date, however, studies on the associations between prenatal exposure to PCBs and alterations in methylation of IGF-2, H19, and LINE-1 are lacking. Thus, in this study, we examined these associations with infant-gender stratification. METHODS We performed a prospective birth cohort study using the Sapporo cohort from the previously described Hokkaido Birth Cohort Study on Environment and Children's Health conducted between 2002 and 2005 in Japan. In the final 169 study participants included in this study, we measured the concentrations of various non-dioxin-like PCBs in maternal blood during pregnancy using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. IGF-2, H19 and LINE-1 methylation levels in cord blood were measured using the bisulfite pyrosequencing methods Finally, we assessed the associations between prenatal exposure to various PCBs and the gene methylation levels using multiple regression models stratified by infant gender. RESULTS We observed a 0.017 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.003-0.031) increase in the log10-transformed H19 methylation levels (%) in cord blood for each ten-fold increase in the levels of decachlorinated biphenyls (decaCBs) in maternal blood among all infants. Similarly, a 0.005 (95% CI: 0.000-0.010) increase in the log10-transformed LINE-1 methylation levels (%) in cord blood was associated with each ten-fold increase in heptachlorinated biphenyls (heptaCBs) in maternal blood among all infants. In particular, we observed a dose-dependent association of the decaCB levels in maternal blood with the H19 methylation levels among female infants (P value for trend=0.040); likewise a dose-dependent association of heptaCB levels was observed with LINE-1 methylation levels among female infants (P value for trend=0.015). Moreover, these associations were only observed among infants of primiparous women. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the dose-dependent association between prenatal exposure to specific non-dioxin-like PCBs and increases in the H19 and LINE-1 methylation levels in cord blood might be more predominant in females than in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumitaka Kobayashi
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Fumihiro Sata
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan; Health Center, Chuo University, 42-8, Ichigaya-Hommura-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8473, Japan.
| | - Chihiro Miyashita
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Ryu Miura
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Kaoru Azumi
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Sachiko Kobayashi
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Houman Goudarzi
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North-15, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Atsuko Araki
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Mayumi Ishizuka
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, North-18, West-9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan.
| | - Takashi Todaka
- Kitakyushu Life Science Center, 1-4, Nakabaru-shinmachi, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 804-0003, Japan.
| | - Jumboku Kajiwara
- Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Mukaizano 39, Dazaifu, Fukuoka 818-0135, Japan.
| | - Tsuguhide Hori
- Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Mukaizano 39, Dazaifu, Fukuoka 818-0135, Japan.
| | - Reiko Kishi
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
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Lyall K, Croen LA, Weiss LA, Kharrazi M, Traglia M, Delorenze GN, Windham GC. Prenatal Serum Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants and Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability in the Early Markers of Autism Study: A Population-Based Case-Control Study in California. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:087023. [PMID: 28895873 PMCID: PMC5783661 DOI: 10.1289/ehp1079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies suggest neurodevelopmental impacts of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), but few have examined diagnosed developmental disorders. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to determine whether prenatal exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability without autism (ID). METHODS We conducted a population-based case-control study including children with ASD (n=545) and ID (n=181) identified from the California Department of Developmental Services and general population (GP) controls (n=418) from state birth certificates. ASD cases were matched to controls by sex, birth month, and birth year. Concentrations of 10 BFRs were measured in maternal second trimester serum samples stored from routine screening. Logistic regression was used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for associations with ASD, and separately for ID, compared with GP controls, by quartiles of analyte concentrations in primary analyses. RESULTS Geometric mean concentrations of five of the six congeners with ≥55% of samples above the limit of detection were lower in mothers of children with ASD or ID than in controls. In adjusted analyses, inverse associations with several congeners were found for ASD relative to GP (e.g., quartile 4 vs. 1, BDE-153: AOR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.84). When stratified by child sex (including 99 females with ASD, 77 with ID, and 73 with GP), estimates were consistent with overall analyses in boys, but in the opposite direction among girls, particularly for BDE-28 and -47 (AOR=2.58, 95% CI: 0.86, 7.79 and AOR=2.64, 95% CI: 0.97, 7.19, respectively). Similar patterns overall and by sex were observed for ID. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to expectation, higher PBDE concentrations were associated with decreased odds of ASD and ID, though not in girls. These findings require confirmation but suggest potential sexual dimorphism in associations with prenatal exposure to BFRs. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1079.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Autism Research Program, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente , Oakland, California, USA
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin Kharrazi
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
| | - Michela Traglia
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gerald N Delorenze
- Autism Research Program, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente , Oakland, California, USA
| | - Gayle C Windham
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
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125
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Sethi S, Keil KP, Chen H, Hayakawa K, Li X, Lin Y, Lehmler HJ, Puschner B, Lein PJ. Detection of 3,3'-Dichlorobiphenyl in Human Maternal Plasma and Its Effects on Axonal and Dendritic Growth in Primary Rat Neurons. Toxicol Sci 2017; 158:401-411. [PMID: 28510766 PMCID: PMC5837364 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
3,3'-Dichlorobiphenyl (PCB 11), a byproduct of pigment production, is increasingly detected in environmental samples. While more highly chlorinated PCB congeners are known developmental neurotoxicants, nothing is known about the potential developmental neurotoxicity of PCB 11. To address this critical data gap, we measured PCB 11 levels in human maternal plasma and quantified the effects of PCB 11 and its major metabolites on morphometric parameters of neuronal connectivity in cultured primary neurons. Mass spectrometry analyses of plasma from 241 pregnant women enrolled in the MARBLES study (University of California, Davis) detected PCB 11 in all samples at concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 1.717 ng/ml. Morphometric analyses of primary neuron-glia co-cultures dissociated from the neocortices or hippocampi of neonatal Sprague Dawley rats exposed to vehicle or concentrations ranging from 1 attamolar (aM) to 1 micromolar (µM) of PCB 11, OH-PCB 11, or PCB 11 sulfate indicated that PCB 11 and both metabolites significantly increased axonal and dendritic growth in cortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons. PCB 11 significantly altered neuronal morphogenesis at concentrations as low as 1 femtomolar (fM), which is ∼0.22 ng/ml. These data suggest the potential for the developing human brain to be exposed to PCB 11, and demonstrate that environmentally relevant levels of PCB 11 alter axonal and dendritic growth in neuronal cell types critically involved in cognitive and higher-order behaviors. These findings identify PCB 11 as a potential environmental risk factor for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjay Sethi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Kimberly P. Keil
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Keri Hayakawa
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Xueshu Li
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Yanping Lin
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Hans-Joachim Lehmler
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Birgit Puschner
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Pamela J. Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616
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126
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Costa LG, Chang YC, Cole TB. Developmental Neurotoxicity of Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Focus on Autism. Curr Environ Health Rep 2017; 4:156-165. [PMID: 28417440 PMCID: PMC5952375 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-017-0135-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that air pollution may negatively affect the central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to CNS diseases. Traffic-related air pollution is a major contributor to global air pollution, and diesel exhaust (DE) is its most important component. RECENT FINDINGS Several studies suggest that young individuals may be particularly susceptible to air pollution-induced neurotoxicity and that perinatal exposure may cause or contribute to developmental disabilities and behavioral abnormalities. In particular, a number of recent studies have found associations between exposures to traffic-related air pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are characterized by impairment in socialization and in communication and by the presence of repetitive and unusual behaviors. The cause(s) of ASD are unknown, and while it may have a hereditary component, environmental factors are increasingly suspected as playing a pivotal role in its etiology, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. Autistic children present higher levels of neuroinflammation and systemic inflammation, which are also hallmarks of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Gene-environment interactions may play a relevant role in determining individual susceptibility to air pollution developmental neurotoxicity. Given the worldwide presence of elevated air pollution, studies on its effects and mechanisms on the developing brain, genetic susceptibility, role in neurodevelopmental disorders, and possible therapeutic interventions are certainly warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio G Costa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt, Suite No. 100, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Yu-Chi Chang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt, Suite No. 100, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Toby B Cole
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt, Suite No. 100, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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127
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Independent Maternal and Fetal Genetic Effects on Midgestational Circulating Levels of Environmental Pollutants. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:1287-1299. [PMID: 28235828 PMCID: PMC5386877 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.039784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Maternal exposure to environmental pollutants could affect fetal brain development and increase autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk in conjunction with differential genetic susceptibility. Organohalogen congeners measured in maternal midpregnancy blood samples have recently shown significant, but negative associations with offspring ASD outcome. We report the first large-scale maternal and fetal genetic study of the midpregnancy serum levels of a set of 21 organohalogens in a subset of 790 genotyped women and 764 children collected in California by the Early Markers for Autism (EMA) Project. Levels of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) and PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether) congeners showed high maternal and fetal estimated SNP-based heritability (h2g) accounting for 39–99% of the total variance. Genome-wide association analyses identified significant maternal loci for p,p′-DDE (P = 7.8 × 10−11) in the CYP2B6 gene and for BDE-28 (P = 3.2 × 10−8) near the SH3GL2 gene, both involved in xenobiotic and lipid metabolism. Fetal genetic loci contributed to the levels of BDE-100 (P = 4.6 × 10−8) and PCB187 (P = 2.8 × 10−8), near the potential metabolic genes LOXHD1 and PTPRD, previously implicated in neurodevelopment. Negative associations were observed for BDE-100, BDE153, and the sum of PBDEs with ASD, partly explained by genome-wide additive genetic effects that predicted PBDE levels. Our results support genetic control of midgestational biomarkers for environmental exposures by nonoverlapping maternal and fetal genetic determinants, suggesting that future studies of environmental risk factors should take genetic variation into consideration. The independent influence of fetal genetics supports previous hypotheses that fetal genotypes expressed in placenta can influence maternal physiology and the transplacental transfer of organohalogens.
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128
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Lyall K, Croen L, Daniels J, Fallin MD, Ladd-Acosta C, Lee BK, Park BY, Snyder NW, Schendel D, Volk H, Windham GC, Newschaffer C. The Changing Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Annu Rev Public Health 2017; 38:81-102. [PMID: 28068486 PMCID: PMC6566093 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 543] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with lifelong impacts. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to ASD etiology, which remains incompletely understood. Research on ASD epidemiology has made significant advances in the past decade. Current prevalence is estimated to be at least 1.5% in developed countries, with recent increases primarily among those without comorbid intellectual disability. Genetic studies have identified a number of rare de novo mutations and gained footing in the areas of polygenic risk, epigenetics, and gene-by-environment interaction. Epidemiologic investigations focused on nongenetic factors have established advanced parental age and preterm birth as ASD risk factors, indicated that prenatal exposure to air pollution and short interpregnancy interval are potential risk factors, and suggested the need for further exploration of certain prenatal nutrients, metabolic conditions, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We discuss future challenges and goals for ASD epidemiology as well as public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104;
| | - Lisa Croen
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, California 94612
| | - Julie Daniels
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Brian K Lee
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, SE 171-77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bo Y Park
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | | | - Diana Schendel
- Department of Economics and Business, National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, DK-8210 Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Heather Volk
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Gayle C Windham
- California Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, Richmond, California 94805
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Parker W, Hornik CD, Bilbo S, Holzknecht ZE, Gentry L, Rao R, Lin SS, Herbert MR, Nevison CD. The role of oxidative stress, inflammation and acetaminophen exposure from birth to early childhood in the induction of autism. J Int Med Res 2017; 45:407-438. [PMID: 28415925 PMCID: PMC5536672 DOI: 10.1177/0300060517693423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The wide range of factors associated with the induction of autism is invariably linked with either inflammation or oxidative stress, and sometimes both. The use of acetaminophen in babies and young children may be much more strongly associated with autism than its use during pregnancy, perhaps because of well-known deficiencies in the metabolic breakdown of pharmaceuticals during early development. Thus, one explanation for the increased prevalence of autism is that increased exposure to acetaminophen, exacerbated by inflammation and oxidative stress, is neurotoxic in babies and small children. This view mandates extreme urgency in probing the long-term effects of acetaminophen use in babies and the possibility that many cases of infantile autism may actually be induced by acetaminophen exposure shortly after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Parker
- 1 Departments of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Chi Dang Hornik
- 2 Departments of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Staci Bilbo
- 3 Departments of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Zoie E Holzknecht
- 1 Departments of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Lauren Gentry
- 1 Departments of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Rasika Rao
- 1 Departments of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Shu S Lin
- 1 Departments of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Martha R Herbert
- 4 Departments of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Cynthia D Nevison
- 5 Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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130
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Xu Y, Gregory KB, VanBriesen JM. Microbial-Catalyzed Reductive Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Hudson and Grasse River Sediment Microcosms: Determination of Dechlorination Preferences and Identification of Rare Ortho Removal Pathways. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:12767-12778. [PMID: 27786438 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is an important transformation and detoxification route in the environment. To better understand the influence of PCB congener compositions on dechlorination, sediments from two rivers, Hudson and Grasse, and two PCB mixtures (PCB 5/12, 64/71, 105/114, and 149/153/170 in Mixture 1 and PCB 5/12, 64/71, 82/97/99, and 144/170 in Mixture 2) were used for this microcosm study. The Grasse River sediment microcosms exhibited more extensive dechlorination than the Hudson River sediment microcosms. The extent of dechlorination was predominantly controlled by sediment itself, not by the PCB compositions. Rare ortho dechlorination, targeting mono-ortho PCB congeners was observed in Grasse sediment, indicating a potential for full dechlorination of some PCBs in this sediment. The identified ortho dechlorination pathways were PCB 28 (24-4-CB) to PCB 15 (4-4-CB) and PCB 25 (24-3-CB) to PCB 13(3-4-CB). The relative abundances of Dehalococcoides were much higher in both sediments spiked with PCBs. An apparent increase of Dehalococcoides 16S rRNA genes coincided with the commencement of dechlorination. The dechlorination preferences were identified using a modified data analysis approach focusing on chlorine neighboring conditions. In both sediments, the overall dechlorination preferred meta > para > ortho. Specially, ortho-/double-flanked meta-chlorines were primarily targeted followed by single-/double-flanked para-chlorines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Department of Municipal Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University , Nanjing, Jiangsu China , 210096
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University , 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3890, United States
| | - Kelvin B Gregory
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University , 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3890, United States
| | - Jeanne M VanBriesen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University , 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3890, United States
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131
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Carter CJ, Blizard RA. Autism genes are selectively targeted by environmental pollutants including pesticides, heavy metals, bisphenol A, phthalates and many others in food, cosmetics or household products. Neurochem Int 2016; 101:S0197-0186(16)30197-8. [PMID: 27984170 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The increasing incidence of autism suggests a major environmental influence. Epidemiology has implicated many candidates and genetics many susceptibility genes. Gene/environment interactions in autism were analysed using 206 autism susceptibility genes (ASG's) from the Autworks database to interrogate ∼1 million chemical/gene interactions in the comparative toxicogenomics database. Any bias towards ASG's was statistically determined for each chemical. Many suspect compounds identified in epidemiology, including tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, pesticides, particulate matter, benzo(a)pyrene, heavy metals, valproate, acetaminophen, SSRI's, cocaine, bisphenol A, phthalates, polyhalogenated biphenyls, flame retardants, diesel constituents, terbutaline and oxytocin, inter alia showed a significant degree of bias towards ASG's, as did relevant endogenous agents (retinoids, sex steroids, thyroxine, melatonin, folate, dopamine, serotonin). Numerous other suspected endocrine disruptors (over 100) selectively targeted ASG's including paraquat, atrazine and other pesticides not yet studied in autism and many compounds used in food, cosmetics or household products, including tretinoin, soy phytoestrogens, aspartame, titanium dioxide and sodium fluoride. Autism polymorphisms influence the sensitivity to some of these chemicals and these same genes play an important role in barrier function and control of respiratory cilia sweeping particulate matter from the airways. Pesticides, heavy metals and pollutants also disrupt barrier and/or ciliary function, which is regulated by sex steroids and by bitter/sweet taste receptors. Further epidemiological studies and neurodevelopmental and behavioural research is warranted to determine the relevance of large number of suspect candidates whose addition to the environment, household, food and cosmetics might be fuelling the autism epidemic in a gene-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Carter
- PolygenicPathways, Flat 2, 40 Baldslow Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 2EY, UK.
| | - R A Blizard
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Mental Health Sciences Unit, University College, London, UK
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