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Awadh SM, Yaseen ZM, Al-Suwaiyan MS. The role of environmental trace element toxicants on autism: A medical biogeochemistry perspective. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 251:114561. [PMID: 36696851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Since genetic factors alone cannot explain most cases of Autism, the environmental factors are worth investigating as they play an essential role in the development of some cases of Autism. This research is a review paper that aims to clarify the role of the macro elements (MEs), Trace elements (TEs) and ultra-trace elements (UTEs) on human health if they are greater or less than the normal range. Aluminium (Al), cadmium Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) have been reviewed. Exposure to toxicants has a chemical effect that may ultimately lead to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Cr, As and Al are found in high concentrations in the blood of an autistic child when compared to normal child reference values. The toxic metals, particularly aluminium, are primarily responsible for difficulties in socialization and language skills disabilities. Zinc and copper are important elements in regulating the gene expression of metallothioneins (MTs), and zinc deficiency may be a risk factor for ASD pathogenesis. Autistics frequently have zinc deficiency combined with copper excess; as part of the treatment protocol, it is critical to monitor zinc and copper levels in autistic people, particularly those with zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency is linked to epileptic seizures, which are common in autistic patients. Higher serum manganese and copper significantly characterize people who have ASD. Autistic children have significantly decreased lead and cadmium in urine, whereas they have significantly higher urine Cr. A higher level of As and Hg was found in the ASD individual's blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salih Muhammad Awadh
- Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
| | - Zaher Mundher Yaseen
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Interdisciplinary Research Center for Membranes and Water Security, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohammad Saleh Al-Suwaiyan
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Interdisciplinary Research Center for Construction and Building Materials, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
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Ni Y, Loftus CT, Szpiro AA, Young MT, Hazlehurst MF, Murphy LE, Tylavsky FA, Mason WA, LeWinn KZ, Sathyanarayana S, Barrett ES, Bush NR, Karr CJ. Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Behavioral Problems and Cognitive Performance: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:67008. [PMID: 35737514 PMCID: PMC9222764 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population studies support the adverse associations of air pollution exposures with child behavioral functioning and cognitive performance, but few studies have used spatiotemporally resolved pollutant assessments. OBJECTIVES We investigated these associations using more refined exposure assessments in 1,967 mother-child dyads from three U.S. pregnancy cohorts in six cities in the ECHO-PATHWAYS Consortium. METHODS Pre- and postnatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) exposures were derived from an advanced spatiotemporal model. Child behavior was reported as Total Problems raw score using the Child Behavior Checklist at age 4-6 y. Child cognition was assessed using cohort-specific cognitive performance scales and quantified as the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ). We fitted multivariate linear regression models that were adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological factors to estimate associations per 2-unit increase in pollutant in each exposure window and examined modification by child sex. Identified critical windows were further verified by distributed lag models (DLMs). RESULTS Mean NO2 and PM2.5 ranged from 8.4 to 9.0 ppb and 8.4 to 9.1 μg/m3, respectively, across pre- and postnatal windows. Average child Total Problems score and IQ were 22.7 [standard deviation (SD): 18.5] and 102.6 (SD: 15.3), respectively. Children with higher prenatal NO2 exposures were likely to have more behavioral problems [β: 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39, 2.08; per 2 ppb NO2], particularly NO2 in the first and second trimester. Each 2-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at age 2-4 y was associated with a 3.59 unit (95% CI: 0.35, 6.84) higher Total Problems score and a 2.63 point (95% CI: -5.08, -0.17) lower IQ. The associations between PM2.5 and Total Problems score were generally stronger in girls. Most predefined windows identified were not confirmed by DLMs. DISCUSSION Our study extends earlier findings that have raised concerns about impaired behavioral functioning and cognitive performance in children exposed to NO2 and PM2.5 in utero and in early life. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10248.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ni
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christine T. Loftus
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Adam A. Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael T. Young
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Marnie F. Hazlehurst
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Laura E. Murphy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Frances A. Tylavsky
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - W. Alex Mason
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kaja Z. LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Catherine J. Karr
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Wang SS, Lu AX, Cao LL, Ran XF, Wang YQ, Liu C, Yan CH. Effects of prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants on neonatal Outcomes:A mother-child cohort (Shanghai, China). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111767. [PMID: 34391732 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), known as common environmental pollutants, which have adverse effects on neurobehavioral development, are widely applied in industry and agriculture. However, evidence about neurodevelopmental toxicity of POPs in humans is limited. This study aimed to explore the relationship between prenatal exposure to POPs and birth outcome of the newborn including birth length, weight, and head circumference. In this study, 1522 mother-child pairs were included in this study and cord blood samples were collected, which were detected to determine exposure level of 37 POPs in total. After delivery, the neonatal anthropometric indices detection (birth length, weight, and head circumference) was performed. According to the multivariate linear regression, the newborn with high detection rates (≥75 percentile) of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) in the umbilical cord blood were demonstrated negative relationship with birth head circumference after adjusting for confounding factors, but not related with birth length and weight. After confirming that there was a nonlinear relationship between HCB and birth head circumference based on sex stratification through the generalized additive model (GAM), further two-piecewise linear regression model was conducted to explore the saturation threshold effect between HCB and birth head circumference, which showed cord serum HCB concentration greater than 0.5 μg/L was negatively associated with birth head circumference in girls. Our study provided evidence for the adverse influence of HCB, β-HCH and p,p'-DDE exposure during pregnancy on the birth head circumference of offspring. Although HCB induced reduction of birth head circumference was found in girls, the mechanism of gender difference remained unclear. Further studies are needed to explore the effect of POPs on the growth and development of offspring based on in vivo or in vitro experimental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Su Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - An-Xin Lu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu-Lu Cao
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu-Fang Ran
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Qian Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liu
- School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chong-Huai Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Wang S, Hu C, Lu A, Wang Y, Cao L, Wu W, Li H, Wu M, Yan C. Association between prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and neurodevelopment in early life: A mother-child cohort (Shanghai, China). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 208:111479. [PMID: 33099138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As common environmental pollutants, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are widely applied in industry and agriculture have adverse effects on neurodevelopment. However, evidence on the neurotoxicity of POPs in neural development of offspring is limited. This study explored the relationship between prenatal exposure to POPs and neurodevelopment of 18-month-old toddlers in a mother-child cohort in Shanghai, China. In this study, we determined exposure levels of 37 POPs in cord blood serum collected at the time of delivery. The detection rate of pollutants HCB, β-HCH, and p,p'-DDE was higher than 60%, so these will be discussed in the following analysis. From birth to approximately 18 months, we followed up infants to longitudinally explore whether POPs influenced their language, motor, and cognitive development according to a Bayley-Ⅲ assessment . Based on multivariable regression analyses, the β-HCH concentration in cord serum was negatively related to motor development scores in children at 18 months by adjusting for the covariates, but there was no change in language and cognition. Further piecewise linear regression analysis showed that a cord serum β-HCH concentration greater than 0.2 μg/L had a significantly negative correlation with the motor development scores. p,p'-DDE was positively associated with language development at 18 months before and after adjusting for covariates. But prenatal HCB levels were not associated with any of the Bayley-Ⅲ subscales at 18 months. We concluded that prenatal exposure to β-HCH might have adverse effects on infants' motor development. The minimum harmful concentration of β-HCH was estimated at 0.2 μg/L in cord serum. The unexpected positive association between p,p'-DDT and language development could be due to live birth bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susu Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunping Hu
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Anxin Lu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaqian Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lulu Cao
- Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Li
- Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Shandong, Jining, China
| | - Meiqin Wu
- The Women and Children's Health Care Department Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No.2699, West Gaoke Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
| | - Chonghuai Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Ijomone OM, Olung NF, Akingbade GT, Okoh COA, Aschner M. Environmental influence on neurodevelopmental disorders: Potential association of heavy metal exposure and autism. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2020; 62:126638. [PMID: 32891009 PMCID: PMC7655547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors have been severally established to play major roles in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is associated with symptoms that reduce the quality of life of affected individuals such as social interaction deficit, cognitive impairment, intellectual disabilities, restricted and repetitive behavioural patterns. ASD pathogenesis has been associated with environmental and genetic factors that alter physiologic processes during development. Here, we review literatures highlighting the environmental impact on neurodevelopmental disorders, and mechanisms by which environmental toxins may influence neurodevelopment. Furthermore, this review discusses reports highlighting neurotoxic metals (specifically, lead, mercury, cadmium, nickel and manganese) as environmental risk factors in the aetiology of ASD. This work, thus suggests that improving the environment could be vital in the management of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omamuyovwi M Ijomone
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Human Anatomy, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
| | - Nzube F Olung
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Grace T Akingbade
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Human Anatomy, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Comfort O A Okoh
- The Neuro- Lab, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA; IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia.
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Prenatal β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) Exposure and 7-Year Child IQ in the CHAMACOS Birth Cohort. Neurotox Res 2020; 37:553-563. [PMID: 31955369 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00160-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fetal and infant exposures to β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) occur through placental and breastmilk transfers. No studies have examined the relationship between β-HCH and child intelligence quotient (IQ). This study examined associations between in utero β-HCH exposure and cognitive development in 7-year-old children. Data from women and children (n = 256) participating in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort study were evaluated. We assessed exposure to β-HCH by measuring maternal serum concentration during pregnancy. We administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Fourth Edition, to children at age 7. Analyses were adjusted for maternal age, country of birth, work status, parity, and other pesticide exposures, language used for child cognitive assessment, and duration of breastfeeding. Higher serum β-HCH concentrations were associated with higher cognitive scores across all unadjusted models for the full-scale and sub-scale cognitive tests. In the adjusted models, a 10-fold increase in serum β-HCH concentration was associated with a 4.5-point increase in Working Memory IQ score (95% CI, 0.6 to 8.3; p = 0.02). We observed no significant interaction by length of breastfeeding or sex on associations. Our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to β-HCH is not adversely related to IQ at age 7 in a cohort of Mexican American children with fairly high exposure in utero as measured by maternal serum levels. Future research must replicate these findings in other study cohorts of women and children.
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Xiang H, Tao Y, Zhang B, Liang C, Li Z, Feng L, Qi J, Pan W, Tong J, Yan S, Tao F. Protective effect of high zinc levels on preterm birth induced by mercury exposure during pregnancy: A birth cohort study in China. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2019; 55:71-77. [PMID: 31345369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aims of our study were to determine whether prenatal mercury levels are associated with the risk of preterm birth (PTB) and whether high maternal serum zinc (Zn) levels alleviate any negative effects of maternal mercury (Hg) exposure regarding PTB. METHODS Serum concentrations of Zn and Hg were measured in 3025 pregnant women from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort. Before the collection of blood samples, they underwent examinations via the completion of questionnaires. The delivery records of the women were obtained from a series of medical records. We divided the study population into tertiles according to the participants' Hg levels: the low-Hg group (the first tertile, <0.30 μg/L), the medium-Hg group (the second tertile, 0.30-0.43 μg/L) and the high-Hg group (the third tertile, ≥0.43 μg/L). The associations of Hg exposure with both the risk of PTB and gestational age (weeks) at birth were estimated using a binary logistic regression model and multivariable linear regression analysis, respectively. Afterwards, we conducted a repeated analyses test after the participants were stratified according to their Zn levels, using the 75th percentile division method. RESULTS Overall, the medians and the interquartile ranges of Hg and Zn in the second trimester were 0.36 (0.27, 0.48) μg/L and 812.34 (731.26, 896.59) μg/L, respectively. Hg levels were associated with PTB [adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.91 (1.17, 3.12) for the third tertile vs. the first tertile of the serum Hg levels]. In the stratification analysis of the participants in the low-Zn group, the high-Hg group exhibited a significant odds ratio of PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.87 (1.08, 3.24)], compared to the low-Hg group. However, in the participants from the high-Zn group, the high-Hg group exhibited a non-significant OR of PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI): 2.32 (0.73, 7.42)]. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, gestational age (weeks) at delivery was significantly and inversely associated with the ln-transformed Hg concentrations [adjusted β (95% CI): -0.16 (-0.26, -0.06)]. Similarly, after the stratification analysis in the high-Zn group, there were no significant associations between PTB and the Hg levels [adjusted β (95% CI): -0.12 (-0.33, 0.09)]. CONCLUSION Prenatal Hg exposure adversely affected PTB, and high Zn levels alleviate this effect, which indicates that a more stringent control of Hg and a sufficient intake of Zn are necessary to help birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Xiang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yiran Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Baoli Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chunmei Liang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, China
| | - Zhijuan Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lanlan Feng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Qi
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Wan Pan
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Tong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shuangqin Yan
- Ma'anshan Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center, Ma'anshan, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, China.
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Olguín N, Müller ML, Rodríguez-Farré E, Suñol C. Neurotransmitter amines and antioxidant agents in neuronal protection against methylmercury-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultures of mice cortical neurons. Neurotoxicology 2018; 69:278-287. [PMID: 30075218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental toxicant with detrimental effects on the developing brain and adult nervous system. The main mechanisms identified include oxidative stress, changes in intracellular calcium, mitochondrial changes, inhibition of glutamate uptake, of protein synthesis and disruption of microtubules. However, little is known about mechanisms of protection against MeHg neurotoxicity. We found that resveratrol (10 μM) and ascorbic acid (200 μM) protected MeHg-induced cell death in primary cultures of cortical neurons. In this work, we aimed at finding additional targets that may be related to MeHg mode of action in cell toxicity with special emphasis in cell protection. We wonder whether neurotransmitters may affect the MeHg effects on neuronal death. Our findings show that neurons exposed to low MeHg concentrations exhibit less mortality if co-exposed to 10 μM dopamine (DA). However, DA metabolites, HVA (homovanillic acid) and DOPAC (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) are not responsible for such protection. Furthermore, both DA D1 and D2 receptors agonists showed a protective effect against MeHg toxicity. It is striking though that DA receptor antagonists SKF83566 (10 μM) and haloperidol (10 μM) did not inhibit DA protection against MeHg. In addition, the protective effect of 10 μM DA against MeHg-induced toxicity was not affected by additional organochlorine pollutants exposure. Our results also demonstrate that cells exposed to MeHg in presence of 100 μM acetylcholine (ACh), show an increase in cell mortality at the "threshold value" of 100 nM MeHg. Finally, norepinephrine (10 μM) and serotonin (20 μM) also had an effect on cell protection. Altogether, we propose to further investigate the additional mechanisms that may be playing an important role in MeHg-induced cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nair Olguín
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC - IDIBAPS, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marie-Lena Müller
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC - IDIBAPS, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Rodríguez-Farré
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC - IDIBAPS, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Suñol
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC - IDIBAPS, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
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9
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Ballester F, Iñiguez C, Murcia M, Guxens M, Basterretxea M, Rebagliato M, Vioque J, Lertxundi A, Fernandez-Somoano A, Tardon A, Sunyer J, Llop S. Prenatal exposure to mercury and longitudinally assessed fetal growth: Relation and effect modifiers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 160:97-106. [PMID: 28968527 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal mercury exposure has been related to reductions in anthropometry at birth. Levels of mercury have been reported as being relatively elevated in the Spanish population. OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation between prenatal exposure to mercury and fetal growth. METHODS Study subjects were pregnant women and their newborns (n:1867) participating in a population-based birth cohort study set up in four Spanish regions from the INMA Project. Biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), abdominal circumference (AC), and estimated fetal weight (EFW) were measured by ultrasounds at 12, 20, and 34 weeks of gestation. Size at and growth between these points were assessed by standard deviation (SD) scores adjusted for constitutional characteristics. Total mercury (T-Hg) was determined in cord blood. Associations were investigated by linear regression models, adjusted by sociodemographic, environmental, nutritional - including four seafood groups - and lifestyle-related variables in each sub-cohort. Final estimates were obtained using meta-analysis. Effect modification by sex, seafood intake and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener 153 concentration was assessed. RESULTS Geometric mean of cord blood T-Hg was 8.2μg/L. All the estimates of the association between prenatal Hg and growth from 0 to 12 weeks showed reductions in SD-scores, which were only statistically significant for BPD. A doubling of cord blood T-Hg was associated with a 0.58% reduction in size of BPD at week 12 (95% confidence interval -CI-: - 1.10, - 0.07). Size at week 34 showed estimates suggestive of a small reduction in EFW, i.e., a doubling of T-Hg levels was associated with a reduction of 0.38% (95% CI: - 0.91, 0.15). An interaction between PCB153 and T-Hg was found, with statistically significant negative associations of T-Hg with AC and EFW in late pregnancy among participants with PCB153 below the median. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to mercury during pregnancy was associated with early reductions in BPD. Moreover, an antagonism with PCB 153 was observed with noteworthy reductions late in pregnancy in AC and EFW in the group with lower PCB153.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Ballester
- Nursing School, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Carmen Iñiguez
- FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Mario Murcia
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mònica Guxens
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mikel Basterretxea
- Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, San Sebastián, Spain; Health Research Institute (BIODONOSTIA), San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Marisa Rebagliato
- FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Medicine Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Jesús Vioque
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Universidad Miguel Hernández, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Aitana Lertxundi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Universidad del País Vasco, Spain
| | - Ana Fernandez-Somoano
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; IUOPA, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - Adonina Tardon
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
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Cuerpos tóxicos: la percepción del riesgo de la contaminación interna por compuestos químicos en España. Salud Colect 2017; 13:225-237. [DOI: 10.18294/sc.2017.1161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Este artículo analiza la percepción social de la exposición humana a los compuestos químicos, y los discursos y las prácticas sobre las fronteras corporales ante la contaminación interna. A partir de una investigación cualitativa e interdisciplinar en Cataluña, se exploran los significados sociales que se atribuyen a los peligros y riesgos ambientales y alimentarios de los compuestos químicos que afectan a la salud humana y el lugar que el cuerpo ocupa en la producción de estos discursos. Entre junio y noviembre de 2011 se realizaron 43 entrevistas semiestructuradas a trabajadores con alguna conciencia sobre contaminantes químicos, en las que se profundizó cómo estas personas (re)interpretan los diferentes discursos existentes sobre la contaminación interna, sus percepciones sobre la introducción de compuestos químicos en el cuerpo y los peligros que estas sustancias representan para la salud.
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11
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Modabbernia A, Velthorst E, Reichenberg A. Environmental risk factors for autism: an evidence-based review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Mol Autism 2017; 8:13. [PMID: 28331572 PMCID: PMC5356236 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0121-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 412] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to recent evidence, up to 40-50% of variance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) liability might be determined by environmental factors. In the present paper, we conducted a review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of environmental risk factors for ASD. We assessed each review for quality of evidence and provided a brief overview of putative mechanisms of environmental risk factors for ASD. FINDINGS Current evidence suggests that several environmental factors including vaccination, maternal smoking, thimerosal exposure, and most likely assisted reproductive technologies are unrelated to risk of ASD. On the contrary, advanced parental age is associated with higher risk of ASD. Birth complications that are associated with trauma or ischemia and hypoxia have also shown strong links to ASD, whereas other pregnancy-related factors such as maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, and caesarian section have shown a less strong (but significant) association with risk of ASD. The reviews on nutritional elements have been inconclusive about the detrimental effects of deficiency in folic acid and omega 3, but vitamin D seems to be deficient in patients with ASD. The studies on toxic elements have been largely limited by their design, but there is enough evidence for the association between some heavy metals (most important inorganic mercury and lead) and ASD that warrants further investigation. Mechanisms of the association between environmental factors and ASD are debated but might include non-causative association (including confounding), gene-related effect, oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia/ischemia, endocrine disruption, neurotransmitter alterations, and interference with signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Compared to genetic studies of ASD, studies of environmental risk factors are in their infancy and have significant methodological limitations. Future studies of ASD risk factors would benefit from a developmental psychopathology approach, prospective design, precise exposure measurement, reliable timing of exposure in relation to critical developmental periods and should take into account the dynamic interplay between gene and environment by using genetically informed designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Modabbernia
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Eva Velthorst
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Seaver Autism Center, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life exposure to air pollution has been linked with cognitive impairment in children, but the results have not been conclusive. We analyzed the association between traffic-related air pollution and cognitive function in a prospective birth cohort in Rome. METHODS A cohort of 719 newborns was enrolled in 2003-2004 as part of the GASPII project. At age 7 years, 474 children took the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III to assess their cognitive development in terms of IQ composite scores. Exposure to air pollutants (NO2, PMcoarse, PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance) at birth was assessed using land use regression models. We also considered variables indicating traffic intensity. The effect of environmental pollution on IQ was evaluated performing a linear regression model for each outcome, adjusting for gender, child age at cognitive test, maternal age at delivery, parental educational level, siblings, socio-economic status, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and tester. To account for selection bias at enrollment and during follow-up, the regression models were weighted for the inverse probabilities of participation and follow-up. RESULTS A 10 μg/m³ higher NO2 exposure during pregnancy was associated with 1.4 fewer points (95% confidence interval = -2.6, -0.20) of verbal IQ, and 1.4 fewer points (95% confidence interval = -2.7, -0.20) of verbal comprehension IQ. Similar associations were found for traffic intensity in a 100 m buffer around home. Other pollutants showed negative associations with larger confidence intervals. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous evidence, this study suggests an association of exposure to NO2 and traffic intensity with the verbal area of cognitive development.See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/EDE/B12.
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