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Plaku B, Williams PL, Sergeyev O, Korrick SA, Burns JS, Bather JR, Hauser R, Lee MM. Pubertal progression in relation to peripubertal exposure to organochlorine chemicals in a cohort of Russian boys. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 254:114096. [PMID: 37981979 PMCID: PMC10653680 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Peripubertal concentrations of serum dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have demonstrated associations with altered age of pubertal onset and sexual maturity in boys, but associations with pubertal progression have received less attention. Methods The Russian Children's Study is a prospective cohort of 516 boys enrolled in 2003-2005 at age 8 or 9 and followed annually up to 19 years of age. Serum concentrations of dioxin-like toxic equivalents (TEQs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) and whole blood lead levels (BLLs) were quantified from blood samples collected at study entry (age 8-9). Testicular volume (TV) was assessed annually using a Prader orchidometer. Pubertal trajectories were identified by applying Group-Based Trajectory Models (GBTMs) to TV measured from ages 8-19. Associations of peripubertal serum TEQs, PCDDs, PCDFs, and NDL-PCBs with specific progression trajectories were modeled using multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for each boy's birthweight, and for BLL, body mass index and nutritional factors at study entry. Results Among 489 eligible boys with available exposure measures, we identified three pubertal trajectories using GBTMs: slower (34% of boys), moderate (48%) and faster (18%). Boys with higher peripubertal serum TEQs had higher adjusted odds of being in the moderate versus faster trajectory (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.79, 95% CI 1.01, 3.13) and the slower versus faster trajectory (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 0.82, 2.78) per 1 log unit increase in serum TEQs. Boys with higher peripubertal serum PCDFs had higher adjusted odds of being in the moderate compared to the faster trajectory (aOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.20, 3.03) and of being in the slower versus the faster trajectory (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 0.91, 2.33) per 1 log unit increase. Boys with higher NDL-PCBs had higher adjusted odds of being in the faster trajectory versus the moderate (aOR 2.56, 95% CI 0.91-7.20) or slower (aOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.07, 10.25) trajectory. Boys with higher blood lead levels also had higher adjusted odds of being in the slower trajectory of pubertal progression, compared to either the faster (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 0.89, 2.44) or moderate (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 0.83, 1.75) trajectories, per 1 log unit increase in BLL, although these associations did not attain statistical significance. Conclusion Boys' peripubertal exposure to dioxins and certain PCBs may alter pubertal progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Plaku
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (Present address: Optum Inc, Eden Prairie, MN 55344)
| | - Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115
| | - Jane S Burns
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jemar R Bather
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Russ Hauser
- Departments of Environmental Health and Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Mary M Lee
- Nemours Children's Health, 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803; Sidney Kimmel Medical College/Jefferson University, 1025 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
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Ashley-Martin J, Iannotti L, Lesorogol C, Hilton CE, Olungah CO, Zava T, Needham BL, Cui Y, Brindle E, Straight B. Heavy metal blood concentrations in association with sociocultural characteristics, anthropometry and anemia among Kenyan adolescents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1935-1949. [PMID: 34074180 PMCID: PMC8636529 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1929871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To measure heavy metal concentrations among Kenyan youth and quantify associations with sociocultural, demographic, and health factors as well as anthropometry. METHODS Using data from a study of semi-nomadic pastoralists in Samburu County, Kenya, we measured blood concentrations of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) in 161 adolescents. We identified sociocultural, demographic and health characteristics associated with each metal and quantified the association between metals and adolescent anthropometry. RESULTS Median blood concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Hg were 1.82 µg/dL, 0.24 µg/L and 0.16 µg/L, respectively. Place of residence (highlands vs lowlands) was a determinant of metal concentrations. Hg was inversely related to anemia, and metals were not associated with anthropometry. CONCLUSIONS In this population of Samburu adolescents, median Pb and Cd blood concentrations were higher than other North American or European biomonitoring studies. These findings motivate further investigation into the environmental sources of metals in this community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Ashley-Martin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lora Iannotti
- Brown School, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Carolyn Lesorogol
- Brown School, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Charles E Hilton
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles Owuor Olungah
- Institute of Anthropology, Gender & African Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Yuhan Cui
- Brown School, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Eleanor Brindle
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Bilinda Straight
- Department of Gender & Women's Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
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Fu Y, Liu Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhu M, Lin W, Li M, Liu Y, He M, Yu L, Wang J. Relationship between cumulative exposure to metal mixtures and heart rate among Chinese preschoolers. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134548. [PMID: 35413364 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The cumulative exposure to metals affects cardiac conduction, and the effect of polymetallic exposure on heart rate in children is unknown. To evaluate the relationship between cumulative exposure to metal mixtures and heart rate among Chinese preschoolers, the determination of urinary 24 metals was processed by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Heart rate was recorded when measuring blood pressure after resting 5 min or longer. As a method to compute the Environmental risk score (ERS) according to heart rate under heavy metal mixtures, adaptive elastic net (AENET) with 299 predictors which were formed by the combination of main effects, squared terms, and pairwise interactions of heavy metals with a total number of 23, 23, 253 respectively. To further assess the associations between ERS and heart rate, regression analyses were performed with complex survey designs. The construction of ERS under heart rate-related metal mixtures was returned by AENET in according to 11 main effects (tin, arsenic, zinc, iron, titanium, vanadium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, copper and chromium) and 2 squared terms (tungsten and rubidium). A high correlation was monitored between the alteration of ERS in the study population and heart rate (β = 1.030, 95% CI: 0.730 - 1.330 in 1239; β = 1.085, 95% CI: 0.777 - 1.393 in 1061). Significant associations of ERS with higher heart rates were also pointed out (Ps < 0.05). Our study elucidates the association of the cumulative exposure of heavy metals as mixtures and heart rate among Chinese preschoolers. Further research is obliged to corroborate these findings in longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Fu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Pharmacological Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Biological Products and Materia Medica, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanli Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sinopharm Dongfeng General Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Meiqin Zhu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingzhu Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Minghui He
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Lili Yu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China; Department of Endocrinology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
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García-Villarino M, Signes-Pastor AJ, Karagas MR, Riaño-Galán I, Rodríguez-Dehli C, Grimalt JO, Junqué E, Fernández-Somoano A, Tardón A. Exposure to metal mixture and growth indicators at 4-5 years. A study in the INMA-Asturias cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112375. [PMID: 34785205 PMCID: PMC8671344 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to toxic and non-toxic metals impacts childhood growth and development, but limited data exists on exposure to metal mixtures. Here, we investigated the effects of exposure to individual metals and a mixture of barium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, zinc, and arsenic on growth indicators in children 4-5 years of age. METHODS We used urine metal concentrations as biomarkers of exposure in 328 children enrolled in the Spanish INMA-Asturias cohort. Anthropometric measurements (arm, head, and waist circumferences, standing height, and body mass index) and parental sociodemographic variables were collected through face-to-face interviews by trained study staff. Linear regressions were used to estimate the independent effects and were adjusted for each metal in the mixture. We applied Bayesian kernel machine regression to examine non-linear associations and potential interactions. RESULTS In linear regression, urinary levels of cadmium were associated with reduced arm circumference (βadjusted = -0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.73, -0.15), waist circumference (βadjusted = -1.29, 95% CI: -2.10, -0.48), and standing height (βadjusted = -1.09, 95% CI: -1.82, -0.35). Lead and cobalt concentrations were associated with reduced standing height (βadjusted = -0.64, 95% CI: -1.20, -0.07) and smaller head circumference (βadjusted = -0.29, 95% CI: -0.49, -0.09), respectively. However, molybdenum was positively associated with head circumference (βadjusted = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.43). BKMR analyses showed strong linear negative associations of cadmium with arm and head circumference and standing height. BKMR analyses also found lead and cobalt in the metal mixture were related to reduce standing height and head circumference, and consistently found molybdenum was related to increased head circumference. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that exposure to metal mixtures impacts growth indicators in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel García-Villarino
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Monforte de Lemos Avenue 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular Del Cáncer, Instituto Universitario de Oncología Del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA) - Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Julián Clavería Street S/n, 33006, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Roma Avenue S/n, 33001, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Antonio J Signes-Pastor
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, 1 Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA; Department of Public Health. Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de Alicante KM 87, 03550, Sant Joan D'Alacant, Spain
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, 1 Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
| | - Isolina Riaño-Galán
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Monforte de Lemos Avenue 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Pediatría, Endocrinología Pediátrica, HUCA, Roma Avenue S/n, 33001, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | | | - Joan O Grimalt
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona Street 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
| | - Eva Junqué
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona Street 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
| | - Ana Fernández-Somoano
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Monforte de Lemos Avenue 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular Del Cáncer, Instituto Universitario de Oncología Del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA) - Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Julián Clavería Street S/n, 33006, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Roma Avenue S/n, 33001, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Adonina Tardón
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Monforte de Lemos Avenue 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular Del Cáncer, Instituto Universitario de Oncología Del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA) - Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Julián Clavería Street S/n, 33006, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Roma Avenue S/n, 33001, Oviedo, Spain
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Williams PL, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Korrick SA, Lee MM, Plaku-Alakbarova B, Burns JS, Smigulina L, Dikov Y, Abou Ghayda R, Hauser R, Sergeyev O. Association of peripubertal blood lead levels with reproductive hormones and semen parameters in a longitudinal cohort of Russian men. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:848-858. [PMID: 35038334 PMCID: PMC8971649 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are peripubertal blood lead levels (BLLs) associated with semen parameters and serum reproductive hormones among young Russian men? SUMMARY ANSWER We observed a suggestion of lower ejaculate volume with higher peripubertal BLL but no associations of BLLs with reproductive hormones measured throughout adolescence or with other sperm parameters measured at adulthood. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Lead is a known reproductive toxicant and endocrine disruptor. Previous literature has shown associations between high lead exposure and poorer semen quality both in occupationally and environmentally exposed men. However, to our knowledge, no longitudinal studies have explored the association of childhood lead exposure with semen parameters and reproductive hormones in young men. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The Russian Children's Study is a prospective cohort study that enrolled 516 boys at age 8-9 years in 2003-2005 and followed them annually for 10 years. BLLs were measured at entry and lifestyle and health questionnaires were completed. Reproductive hormones were measured in blood samples collected every 2 years. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Among the 516 boys enrolled, 481 had BLLs measured at entry. Of these, 453 had at least one measurement of serum testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH) (median = 5 samples per boy) and 223 had semen samples collected ∼10 years after enrolment. Semen assessment included ejaculated volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility and total sperm count, and parameters were categorized using published andrology standards for low semen quality based on sperm count and motility. Linear mixed models were used to examine the associations of log-transformed BLLs (and BLL categories) with reproductive hormones and semen parameters, adjusting for potential confounders. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Among the 223 young men with peripubertal BLLs and at least one semen sample (total samples = 438), the median (interquartile range) BLL was 3 (2, 5) µg/dl and 27% had BLL ≥5 µg/dl. Overall, 49% of the semen samples fell below reference levels for sperm count and/or motility. Men with peripubertal BLL ≥5 µg/dl had significantly lower ejaculated volume than those with BLL <5 µg/dl (mean = 2.42 vs 2.89 ml, P = 0.02), but this difference was attenuated in adjusted models (mean = 2.60 vs 2.83 ml, P = 0.25). No associations were observed between BLL measured at age 8-9 years and reproductive hormone levels or sperm parameters, including sperm concentration, total count, progressive motility and total progressive motile sperm count, or with the probability of having low semen quality based on sperm count/motility. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Only a subset of the original cohort participated in the semen quality portion of the study, although inverse probability weighting was used to account for possible selection bias. BLLs were only measured at a single time in peripuberty, and other exposure time periods, including later or longer-term childhood exposure, may be more predictive of semen quality. The young men were also exposed to other chemical contaminants before and during pubertal development. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS While semen volume often receives less attention than other sperm parameters, it is an important component of male fertility. Additional prospective studies covering different exposure windows and including other seminal plasma biomarkers are warranted to explore our finding of potentially lower ejaculated volume with higher BLLs and to confirm the lack of associations for other semen parameters among youth exposed to environmental BLLs. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Funding was provided through grants R01ES0014370 and P30ES000002 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, grant R82943701 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and grant 18-15-00202 from the Russian Science Foundation (O.S and Y.D.). All authors report no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA,Correspondence address. Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building II, Room 443, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Tel: +1-617-432-3872; E-mail: (P.L.W.) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7160-574X; Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskye Gory, House 1, Building 40, Room 322, Moscow 119234, Russia. E-mail: (O.S.) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5745-3348
| | - Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary M Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Nemours Children’s Health, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Bora Plaku-Alakbarova
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jane S Burns
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luidmila Smigulina
- Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia,Chapaevsk Medical Association, Chapaevsk, Russia
| | - Yury Dikov
- Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia,Chapaevsk Medical Association, Chapaevsk, Russia
| | - Ramy Abou Ghayda
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia,Chapaevsk Medical Association, Chapaevsk, Russia,Correspondence address. Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building II, Room 443, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Tel: +1-617-432-3872; E-mail: (P.L.W.) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7160-574X; Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskye Gory, House 1, Building 40, Room 322, Moscow 119234, Russia. E-mail: (O.S.) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5745-3348
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Abstract
Owing to its great threat to human health and environment, Pb2+ pollution has been recognized as a major public problem by the World Health Organization (WHO). Many DNA aptamers have been utilized in the development of Pb2+-detection sensors, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report three Pb2+-complexed structures of the thrombin binding aptamer (TBA). These high-resolution crystal structures showed that TBA forms intramolecular G-quadruplex and Pb2+ is bound by the two G-tetrads in the center. Compared to K+-stabilized G-quadruplexes, the coordinating distance between Pb2+ and the G-tetrads are much shorter. The T3T4 and T12T13 linkers play important roles in dimerization and crystallization of TBA, but they are changeable for Pb2+-binding. In combination with mutagenesis and CD spectra, the G8C mutant structure unraveled that the T7G8T9 linker of TBA is also variable. In addition to expansion of the Pb2+-binding aptamer sequences, our study also set up one great example for quick and rational development of other aptamers with similar or optimized binding activity.
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Malin Igra A, Warnqvist A, Rahman SM, Ekström EC, Rahman A, Vahter M, Kippler M. Environmental metal exposure and growth to 10 years of age in a longitudinal mother-child cohort in rural Bangladesh. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106738. [PMID: 34246127 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life exposure to arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) has been linked to smaller birth and early childhood anthropometry, but little is known beyond the first years in life. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the impact of gestational and childhood exposures to As, Cd, and Pb on growth up to 10 years of age. METHODS We studied 1530 mother-child dyads from a nested sub-cohort of the MINIMat trial in rural Matlab, Bangladesh. Metal concentrations in maternal erythrocytes during pregnancy and in children's urine at 10y were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Child height and weight were measured at 19 occasions from birth until 10y and converted to height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) and weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ). Associations between log2-transformed metal concentrations and growth parameters were assessed with multivariable-adjusted regression models. RESULTS Children's concurrent urinary Cd (median 0.24 µg/L), reflecting long-term exposure, was inversely associated with WAZ (B: -0.072; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.12, -0.020; p = 0.007), and possibly HAZ (B: -0.046; 95% CI: -0.096, 0.0014; p = 0.057), at 10y. The association with WAZ was stronger in boys than in girls. Maternal erythrocyte Cd (median 0.90 µg/kg) during pregnancy was inversely associated with WAZ during childhood only in boys (B: -0.071, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.0047, p = 0.036). Concurrent urinary Pb (median 1.6 µg/L) was inversely associated with WAZ (B: -0.084; 95% CI: -0.16, -0.0085; p = 0.029) and HAZ (B: -0.087; 95% CI: -0.15, -0.021; p = 0.010) in boys, but not in girls. Neither gestational nor childhood As exposure (median maternal erythrocyte As 4.3 µg/kg and children's urinary As 57 µg/L) was associated with growth up to 10y. CONCLUSIONS While all effect estimates were small, environmental exposure to Cd and Pb is common and impaired growth is of public health concern, especially for children already at risk of reduced growth due to malnutrition. Gender differences in susceptibility need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annachiara Malin Igra
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Warnqvist
- Unit of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Syed Moshfiqur Rahman
- International Maternal and Child Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva-Charlotte Ekström
- International Maternal and Child Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anisur Rahman
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marie Vahter
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Kippler
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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8
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Signes-Pastor AJ, Desai G, García-Villarino M, Karagas MR, Kordas K. Exposure to a mixture of metals and growth indicators in 6-11-year-old children from the 2013-16 NHANES. EXPOSURE AND HEALTH 2021; 13:173-184. [PMID: 34151044 PMCID: PMC8210664 DOI: 10.1007/s12403-020-00371-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and fluoride (F) exposure during childhood is of concern owing to their toxicity. Also, evidence suggests that high and low exposure levels to manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) during this vulnerable period are associated with an increased risk of adverse health effects. A reduced growth is associated with high Pb and F exposure; however, little is known about their impact on children's body size, and there is a lack of consensus on the effects of Hg, Mn, and Se exposure on children's anthropometric measures. This is particularly true for childhood metal co-exposures at levels relevant to the general population. We investigated the joint effects of exposure to a metal mixture (Pb, Mn, Hg, and Se in blood and F in plasma) on 6-11-year-old US children's anthropometry (n = 1,634). Median F, Pb, Mn, Hg, and Se concentrations were 0.3 μmol/L, 0.5 μg/dL, 10.2 μg/L, 0.3 μg/L, and 178.0 μg/L, respectively. The joint effects of the five metals were modeled using Bayesian kernel machine and linear regressions. Pb and Mn showed opposite directions of associations with all outcome measured, where Pb was inversely associated with anthropometry. For body mass index and waist circumference, the effect estimates for Pb and Mn appeared stronger at high and low concentrations of the other metals of the mixture, respectively. Our findings suggest that metal co-exposures may influence children's body mass and linear growth indicators, and that such relations may differ by the exposure levels of the components of the metal mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gauri Desai
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Miguel García-Villarino
- Unit of Molecular Cancer Epidemiology- IUOPA-CIBERESP, Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
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Donangelo CM, Kerr BT, Queirolo EI, Vahter M, Peregalli F, Mañay N, Kordas K. Lead exposure and indices of height and weight in Uruguayan urban school children, considering co-exposure to cadmium and arsenic, sex, iron status and dairy intake. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 195:110799. [PMID: 33508259 PMCID: PMC10916356 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Child growth depends on complex factors including diet, nutritional status, socioeconomic, and sanitary conditions, and exposure to environmental chemicals. Lead exposure is known to impair growth in young children but effects in school-age children are less clear. The effects of co-exposure to low-level lead and other toxic metals on child growth are not well understood. We examined cross-sectional associations of blood lead (BLL) with growth indices (Z scores of body mass index for age, BAZ, and height for age, HAZ) in Uruguayan urban school children (n = 259; ~7 y). Potential differences in these associations in children with lower vs. higher urinary inorganic arsenic metabolites (U-As), urinary cadmium (U-Cd), sex (42% girls), iron deficiency (ID, 39% children), or intake of dairy foods below recommended levels were examined. BLL was measured using AAS, U-As using HPLC-HGICP-MS, and U-Cd using ICP-MS. Dietary information was obtained by two 24-h recalls completed by caregivers. Children's linear growth was within age and sex-appropriate reference values. Overweight (BAZ > 1 2 SD) was found in 20.1%, and obesity (BAZ > 2 SD) in 18.5%, of children. Ranges (5th, 95th percentile) of biomarker concentrations were: BLL, 0.8-7.8 μg/dL; U-Cd, 0.01-0.2 μg/L, and U-As, 4.0-27.3 μg/L. BLL was inversely associated with HAZ ([95% CI]: 0.10 [-0.17, -0.03]) in covariate-adjusted models. Although this association was slightly more pronounced in girls, children without ID, and children with lower U-As, there was little evidence of effect modification due to overlapping CIs in stratified models. BLLs were not associated with BAZ, except for a suggestion of a negative relationship in girls (-0.10 [-0.23, 0.02]) but not boys [0.001 [-0.11, 0.12]). Our findings indicate that exposure to low levels of lead was associated with lower HAZ in apparently normally growing urban school children. Larger future studies should help elucidate if these associations persist over time and across populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brendan T Kerr
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Elena I Queirolo
- Departmento de Neurocognición, Centro de Investigación Mullin, Universidad Católica Del Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marie Vahter
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Fabiana Peregalli
- Departmento de Neurocognición, Centro de Investigación Mullin, Universidad Católica Del Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Nelly Mañay
- Departmento de Toxicología, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Carranza-Lopez L, Alvarez-Ortega N, Caballero-Gallardo K, Gonzalez-Montes A, Olivero-Verbel J. Biomonitoring of Lead Exposure in Children from Two Fishing Communities at Northern Colombia. Biol Trace Elem Res 2021; 199:850-860. [PMID: 32488615 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02207-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure is a growing concern in developing countries, especially in vulnerable children. The objective of this study was to evaluate blood lead levels (BLL) in children from two fishing populations at Northern Colombia, Loma de Arena and Tierrabomba, as well as their association with morphometric parameters, markers of hematological status, liver function, and mRNA expression of genes related to Pb toxicity. A total of 198 blood samples were collected from participants aged 5-16 years old. The mean (± standard error) BLL for the studied sample was 3.6 ± 0.3 μg/dL, and the 97.5th percentile was 21.0 μg/dL. The participants of Loma de Arena and Tierrabomba presented BLL of 3.9 ± 0.5 and 2.9 ± 0.3 μg/dL, respectively. Children born preterm had greater BLL than those born at full term. Boys had greater BLL than girls, which also occurred for participants between 12 and 16 years old, compared with those aged 5-11 years old. The BLL were negatively correlated with body mass index in children from Loma de Arena, but an opposite behavior was observed for Tierrabomba. In Loma de Arena, the mRNA expression of interferon gamma, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, increased with the BLL, but that of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydrogenase, a sensor for Pb poisoning, decreased. In Tierrabomba, gene expression did not change with BLL. These results show that in fishing communities, lead exposure promotes different health impacts depending on age, sex, and other site-specific factors. In any case, appropriate educational and intervention programs should be carried out to minimize Pb exposure in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Carranza-Lopez
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
- Medicine and Biotechnology Research Group, School of Health Sciences, Bacteriology Program, Universidad Libre Seccional Barranquilla, Barranquilla, 080016, Colombia
| | - Neda Alvarez-Ortega
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
| | - Karina Caballero-Gallardo
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
| | - Audreis Gonzalez-Montes
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
| | - Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia.
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Meyers AL, Woodbury MP, Nelson RA. Orthopedic Manifestations of Lead Toxicity. Orthopedics 2020; 43:e202-e207. [PMID: 32324246 DOI: 10.3928/01477447-20200415-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Given the recent news regarding the water supply in Flint, Michigan, lead toxicity has become an increasingly important topic in health care. Lead toxicity can have a widespread effect on the human body. Because lead has a significant effect on mineralized tissue such as bone, the purpose of this review was to identify and analyze the orthopedic manifestations of lead poisoning. The effects of lead at the cellular level, on the hematopoietic system, in osteoporosis, and in pediatric patients are discussed. Possible treatment options and recommendations for further monitoring are presented. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(4):e202-e207.].
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Flannery BM, Dolan LC, Hoffman-Pennesi D, Gavelek A, Jones OE, Kanwal R, Wolpert B, Gensheimer K, Dennis S, Fitzpatrick S. U.S. Food and Drug Administration's interim reference levels for dietary lead exposure in children and women of childbearing age. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 110:104516. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2019.104516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Screening for Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Related Risk Factors among Thai Children Residing in a Fishing Community. TOXICS 2019; 7:toxics7040054. [PMID: 31614792 PMCID: PMC6958338 DOI: 10.3390/toxics7040054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The present study explored environmental and behavioral factors associated with elevated blood lead (Pb) levels in 311 children (151 girls and 160 boys), aged 3–7 years, who lived in a coastal fishing community of the Pakpoon Municipality, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. The geometric mean for blood Pb was 2.81 µg/dL, ranging between 0.03 and 26.40 µg/dL. The percentage of high blood Pb levels, defined as blood Pb ≥ 5 µg/dL, was 10.0% in boys and 13.9% in girls. Parental occupation in producing fishing nets with lead weights was associated with a marked increase in the prevalence odds ratio (POR) for high blood Pb (POR 17.54, 95%; CI: 7.093, 43.390; p < 0.001), while milk consumption was associated with 61% reduction in the POR for high blood Pb (POR 0.393, 95%; CI: 0.166, 0.931; p = 0.034). High blood Pb was associated with an increased risk for abnormal growth (POR 2.042, 95%; CI: 0.999, 4.174; p = 0.050). In contrast, milk consumption was associated with a 43% reduction in POR for abnormal growth (POR 0.573, 95%; CI: 0.337, 0.976; p = 0.040). After adjustment for age, the mean (standard error of mean, SE) values for blood Pb were 6.22 (0.50) μg/dL in boys and 6.72 (0.49) μg/dL in girls of parents with an occupation in making fishing nets with lead weights. These mean blood Pb values were respectively 2.3 and 2.5 times higher than similarly aged boys and girls of parents with other occupations. These data are essential for setting surveillance and programmes to prevent toxic Pb exposure, especially in children of coastal fishing communities in southern Thailand.
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Alvarez-Ortega N, Caballero-Gallardo K, Olivero-Verbel J. Toxicological effects in children exposed to lead: A cross-sectional study at the Colombian Caribbean coast. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 130:104809. [PMID: 31302530 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is an environmental pollutant with a toxicity that is a serious public health problem. The aim of this research was to evaluate the associations between Pb exposure and morphometric, hematological and biochemical parameters, mRNA expression of the P53, SOD1, ALAD, TNF and INF-γ genes, ALAD polymorphisms (db SNP ID: rs1800435) and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in children from the Colombian Caribbean. Blood lead levels (BLL) were determined in 554 participants between the ages of 5-16 years old, from different places of the Colombian Caribbean. A health survey was given to assess risk factors. Whole blood was used for hematology and plasma employed to analyze markers of hepatic toxicity. Gene expression was quantified from blood mRNA by RT-PCR. The ALAD polymorphism was characterized by PCR-RFLP, and the Kaufman's brief intelligence test was employed to estimate the IQ. The mean BLL was 3.5 ± 0.2 μg/dL. The site of greatest exposure to Pb was Tasajera, a poor fishing community, with an average of 8.9 ± 0.8 μg/dL. Breastfeeding was associated with high BLL. Morphometric characteristics and IQ were negatively correlated with BLL. The blood platelet count and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration showed positive and negative correlations with BLL, respectively. Negative relationships with BLL were observed with the ratios Neutrophils/Eosinophils and Neutrophils/Basophils, whereas for BLL and Neutrophils/Monocytes the association was positive. The associations between morphometric and some hematological parameters with BLL were age- and gender-related. The expression of ALAD, SOD1, INF-γ and P53 mRNA was down-regulated according to the BLL, whereas TNF showed an opposite trend. In short, fishing communities are at a high risk of Pb exposure. This xenobiotic can affect physical development and IQ, as well as hematological parameters, even at low concentrations. In addition, it can regulate the transcription of genes associated with inflammation, apoptosis, cell cycle, heme synthesis, and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Alvarez-Ortega
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130015, Colombia
| | - Karina Caballero-Gallardo
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130015, Colombia
| | - Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130015, Colombia.
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Burns JS, Williams PL, Sergeyev O, Korrick SA, Rudnev S, Plaku-Alakbarova B, Revich B, Hauser R, Lee MM. Associations of peri-pubertal serum dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls with growth and body composition among Russian boys in a longitudinal cohort. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019; 223:228-237. [PMID: 31466867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood exposure to organochlorines has been associated with alterations in somatic growth. We evaluated the associations of peri-pubertal serum levels of dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) and nondioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs), with adolescent growth, body composition, and near adult height (NAH) in a longitudinal cohort study of Russian boys. METHODS 473 8-9 year-old boys had serum DLCs and associated toxic equivalents (TEQs) and NDL-PCBs concentrations measured. Physical examinations were performed at enrollment between 2003 and 2005, and annually over 11 years to 2016; annual bio-electric impedance analysis (BIA) of body composition began in 2006. We used mixed effects models to evaluate associations of quartiles of serum chemical concentrations with longitudinal measurements through age 19 of body mass index (BMI-Z) and height (HT-Z) z-scores, annual height velocity (HV), and BIA-derived height-adjusted fat (FMi) and fat-free mass (FFMi) indexes. Potential modification by age of the associations of chemical exposures with growth was evaluated. NAH (defined as HV < 1 cm/year) and age at NAH attainment were estimated using parametric survival models accounting for right censoring. RESULTS The medians of serum ∑TEQs, ∑DLCs, and ∑NDL-PCBs were 21.1 pg TEQ/g lipid, 362 pg/g lipid, and 250 ng/g lipid, respectively. In multivariable models, higher serum concentrations of peri-pubertal ∑TEQs, ∑DLCs, and ∑NDL-PCBs were associated with significantly lower BMI-Z, FMi, and FFMi over 11 years of follow-up. The differences in FFMi for boys with higher versus lower ΣTEQs and ΣNDL-PCBs increased with age. In multivariable models, higher ∑NDL-PCBs were associated with lower HT-Z, with attenuation of the association with age (interaction p < 0.001). The highest versus the lowest quartiles of ∑NDL-PCBs were not associated with differences in NAH, but were associated with an average of 6 months later attainment of NAH. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that dioxin and NDL-PCB exposures during childhood are associated with alterations in body composition and subsequent somatic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane S Burns
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Group of Epigenetic Epidemiology, A.N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskye Gory, House 1, Building 40, Room 322, 119234, Moscow, Russia; Chapaevsk Medical Association, Meditsinskaya Str., 3a, Chapaevsk, Samara Region, 446100, Russia
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sergey Rudnev
- Marchuk Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkin Str., 8, 119333, Moscow, Russia
| | - Bora Plaku-Alakbarova
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Boris Revich
- Institute for Forecasting, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Nakhimovsky Prosp., Moscow, 117418, Russia
| | - Russ Hauser
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mary M Lee
- Nemours AI DuPont Hospital for Children/Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Jefferson University, 1600 Rockland Road, Suite 2C, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
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Li A, Zhuang T, Shi J, Liang Y, Song M. Heavy metals in maternal and cord blood in Beijing and their efficiency of placental transfer. J Environ Sci (China) 2019; 80:99-106. [PMID: 30952357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the effect of exposure to heavy metals in pregnant women in Beijing, China. We also evaluated the association of these heavy metals with birth weight and length of newborns. We measured the levels of 10 heavy metals, including lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), stannum (Sn), vanadium (V), and arsenic (As), in 156 maternal and cord blood pairs. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was used for measurement. Pb, As, Ti, Mn, and Sb showed high detection rates (>50%) in both maternal and cord blood. Fourteen (9%) mothers had blood Pb levels greater than the United States Center for Disease Control allowable threshold limit for children (50 μg/L). In prenatal exposure to these heavy metals, there was no significant association between any heavy metal and birth weight/length. Moreover, we estimated the placental transfer efficiency of each heavy metal, and the median placental transfer efficiency ranged from 49.6% (Ni) to 194% (Mn) (except for Cd and Sn). The level and detection rate of Cd in maternal blood were much higher than that in cord blood, which suggested that Cd had difficulty in passing the placental barrier. Prospective research should focus on the source and risk of heavy metals in non-occupationally exposed pregnant women in Beijing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aijing Li
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effects, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Taifeng Zhuang
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effects, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong Liang
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Maoyong Song
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effects, 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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Williams PL, Bellavia A, Korrick SA, Burns JS, Lee MM, Sergeyev O, Hauser R. Blood lead levels and timing of male sexual maturity: A longitudinal study of Russian boys. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 125:470-477. [PMID: 30769180 PMCID: PMC6388626 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher blood lead levels (BLLs) have been linked to neurologic deficits and impaired growth, but few studies have evaluated their association with timing of sexual maturity or pubertal progression in boys. METHODS In a longitudinal cohort of Russian boys enrolled at age 8-9 and followed to adulthood, BLLs were measured at study entry, and pubertal staging (genitalia and pubic hair) and testicular volume (TV) measurements were obtained annually. We used interval-censored regression models to estimate differences between boys with higher BLL (≥5 μg/dL) and lower BLL in mean ages at sexual maturity (genitalia stage 5, pubic hair stage 5, or TV ≥ 20 mL) and duration of pubertal progression (onset to maturity), adjusting for potential confounders. Mediation analyses were conducted to quantify the percent of lead's effect attributable to its association with reduced somatic growth. RESULTS Among 481 evaluable boys, 28% had BLL ≥ 5 μg/dL. Adjusted mean ages at sexual maturity were 14.7 years for genitalia, 16.1 for pubic hair, and 13.9 for TV. In adjusted models, boys with BLLs ≥5 μg/dL had later maturity than those with lower levels by 4-5 months depending on pubertal indicator. In mediation analyses, height and body mass index at age 11 accounted for 40-71% of the shift in age at maturity for boys with higher compared to lower BLLs. Higher BLLs were not associated with pace of pubertal progression. CONCLUSIONS Higher lead levels were associated with later attainment of sexual maturity in males, but not with the duration of pubertal progression. A high proportion of the delay in sexual maturity for boys with higher as compared to lower BLL was shown to be attributable to mediating effects of BLL on reduced growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America.
| | - Andrea Bellavia
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States of America
| | - Jane S Burns
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Mary M Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Nemours AI duPont Children's Hospital/Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Jefferson University, United States of America
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Chapaevsk Medical Association, Chapaevsk, Samara Region, Russia; A.N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America
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Kerr BT, Ochs-Balcom HM, López P, García-Vargas GG, Rosado JL, Cebrián ME, Kordas K. Effects of ALAD genotype on the relationship between lead exposure and anthropometry in a Cohort of Mexican children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 170:65-72. [PMID: 30557693 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Lead exposure is associated with children's growth, but this relationship may depend on the presence of susceptibility factors, including genetic variation. Blood lead levels (BLL) differ by ALAD (aminolevulinic acid dehydratase) genotype. We investigated the association between BLL and growth in Mexican first-graders with different ALAD genotypes. METHODS Children between the ages of 6-8 years (n = 602) attending first grade in schools within the vicinity of a metal foundry in Torreón, Mexico were enrolled into a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the efficacy of iron and/or zinc supplementation on blood lead levels (BLL) and cognition. BLL and anthropometry were assessed at baseline (height, height-for-age z-score (HAZ), knee height, head circumference), after 6 (head circumference) and 12 months (height, HAZ, knee height). Children with ALAD1-1 and ALAD1-2/2-2 were compared. The study sample included 538 and 470 participants who had complete data at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Separate multivariable linear regression models adjusted for covariates were used to test the association between BLL at baseline and each anthropometric measure. Covariates included age, sex, hemoglobin, crowding, and maternal education. BLL x ALAD genotype interaction term was tested. RESULTS Median BLL (10.1 μg/dL) did not differ by ALAD genotype. After covariate adjustment, baseline BLL was inversely associated with baseline height, HAZ, and knee height. The association (β [95% CI]) between BLL and baseline height (-0.38[-0.68, -0.09]), HAZ (-0.07[-0.12, -0.02]) and knee height (-0.14[-0.25, -0.02]), was somewhat stronger in children with ALAD1-2/2-2 than ALAD1-1 (-0.09[-0.16, -0.02], -0.02[-0.03, -0.004] and -0.04[-0.06, -0.01], respectively). No associations between BLL and growth at 6 or 12 months were detected irrespective of ALAD genotype. CONCLUSIONS BLL was adversely associated with anthropometric measures among Mexican children. ALAD genotype may be a susceptibility factor for the effects of lead on child growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan T Kerr
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Heather M Ochs-Balcom
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Patricia López
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Jorge L Rosado
- Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
| | | | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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