1
|
Mercan S, Kilic MD, Zengin S, Yayla M. Experimental study for inorganic and organic profiling of toy makeup products: Estimating the potential threat to child health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:33975-33992. [PMID: 38696006 PMCID: PMC11136717 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33362-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Inorganic elements are added to toys as impurities to give desired stability, brightness, flexibility, and color; however, these elements may cause numerous health issues after acute or chronic exposure. In this study, the inorganic profile of 14 elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Se, Sb, Pb, and Zn) in 63 toy makeup products was identified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after microwave acid digestion method. Additionally, organic allergen fragrance was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The systemic exposure dosage (SED), margin of safety (MoS), lifetime cancer risk (LCR), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard indices were used to assess the safety evaluation. Then, 57 out of 63 samples (90.48%) exceeded the limits at least for one toxic element with descending order Ni > Cr > Co > Pb > Sb > Cd > As > Hg. The SED values were compared with tolerable daily intake values and remarkably differences were found for Al and Pb. The MoS values for 57.15% of samples exceeded the limit value for Al, As, Cd, Co, Hg, Mn, Sb, and Zn elements. The LCR values were observed at 100% (n = 63), 79.37% (n = 50), 85.71% (n = 54), 77.78% (n = 49), and 18.87% (n = 10) for Cr, Ni, As, Pb, and Cd, respectively. Also, the skin sensitization risks were obtained for Cr and Ni at 26.980% (n = 17) and 9.52% (n = 6), respectively. The HQ values for 80% of samples were found to be ≥ 1 at least for one parameter. The investigation of fragrance allergens in samples did not show any significant ingredients. As a result, toy makeup products marketed in local stores were found to be predominantly unsafe. Children should be protected from harmful chemicals by regular monitoring and strict measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selda Mercan
- Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, Istanbul University- Cerrahpasa, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Mihriban Dilan Kilic
- Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, Istanbul University- Cerrahpasa, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Simge Zengin
- Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, Istanbul University- Cerrahpasa, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Yayla
- Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, Istanbul University- Cerrahpasa, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ramazani Z, Nakhaee S, Sharafi K, Rezaei Z, Mansouri B. Autism spectrum disorder: Cadmium and mercury concentrations in different biological samples, a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of human studies. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27789. [PMID: 38496888 PMCID: PMC10944282 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the differences in cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) concentrations between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and controls. In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, three thousand one hundred forty-five studies were collected from scientific databases including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar from January 2000 to October 2022 and were investigated for eligibility. As a result, 37 studies published in the period from 2003 to 2022 met our inclusion criteria and were considered in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity assumption was evaluated using the Chi-squared-based Q-test and I-squared (I2) statistics. The pooled estimates were shown in the forest plots with Hedges' g (95% confidence interval) values. The random effects model demonstrated that there is no significant difference in the blood (Hedges' g: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.72, p > 0.05), hair (Hedges' g: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.50, p > 0.05), and urinary (Hedges' g: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.76, p > 0.05) Cd levels of the case group versus control subjects. Moreover, the pooled findings of studies showed no significant difference in the blood (Hedges' g: 1.69, 95% CI: 0.09, 3.48, p > 0.05), hair (Hedges' g: 3.42, 95% CI: 1.96, 8.80, p > 0.05), and urinary (Hedges' g: 0.49, 95% CI: 1.29 - 0.30, p > 0.05) Hg concentrations. The results demonstrated no significant differences in Hg and Cd concentrations in different biological samples of children with ASD compared to control subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zana Ramazani
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Samaneh Nakhaee
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Kiomars Sharafi
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Zaynab Rezaei
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Borhan Mansouri
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rishan ST, Kline RJ, Rahman MS. Exploitation of environmental DNA (eDNA) for ecotoxicological research: A critical review on eDNA metabarcoding in assessing marine pollution. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 351:141238. [PMID: 38242519 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
The rise in worldwide population has led to a noticeable spike in the production, consumption, and transportation of energy and food, contributing to elevated environmental pollution. Marine pollution is a significant global environmental issue with ongoing challenges, including plastic waste, oil spills, chemical pollutants, and nutrient runoff, threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. Pollution detection and assessment are crucial to understanding the state of marine ecosystems. Conventional approaches to pollution evaluation usually represent laborious and prolonged physical and chemical assessments, constraining their efficacy and expansion. The latest advances in environmental DNA (eDNA) are valuable methods for the detection and surveillance of pollution in the environment, offering enhanced sensibility, efficacy, and involvement. Molecular approaches allow genetic information extraction from natural resources like water, soil, or air. The application of eDNA enables an expanded evaluation of the environmental condition by detecting both identified and unidentified organisms and contaminants. eDNA methods are valuable for assessing community compositions, providing indirect insights into the intensity and quality of marine pollution through their effects on ecological communities. While eDNA itself is not direct evidence of pollution, its analysis offers a sensitive tool for monitoring changes in biodiversity, serving as an indicator of environmental health and allowing for the indirect estimation of the impact and extent of marine pollution on ecosystems. This review explores the potential of eDNA metabarcoding techniques for detecting and identifying marine pollutants. This review also provides evidence for the efficacy of eDNA assessment in identifying a diverse array of marine pollution caused by oil spills, harmful algal blooms, heavy metals, ballast water, and microplastics. In this report, scientists can expand their knowledge and incorporate eDNA methodologies into ecotoxicological research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sakib Tahmid Rishan
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Richard J Kline
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, USA; School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Md Saydur Rahman
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, USA; School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lin HH, Jung CR, Lin CY, Chang YC, Hsieh CY, Hsu PC, Chuang BR, Hwang BF. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to heavy metals in PM 2.5 and autism spectrum disorder. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116874. [PMID: 37595830 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and its incidence is increasing over time. Although several environmental factors have been suspected to be risk factors for ASD, studies on the effects of airborne heavy metals on newly developed ASD are still limited. We conducted a large birth cohort study of 168,062 live term births in Taichung during 2004-2011 to assess the association of heavy metals in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) with ASD, and identify sensitive time windows during prenatal and postnatal periods. Heavy metals, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in PM2.5, were estimated using the Weather Research and Forecasting/Chem (WRF/Chem), inserted from the top 75 emission sources for the module. The association between childhood ASD and 4 metals were analyzed from pregnancy to 9 months after birth. The Cox proportional hazard model with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the association between heavy metals in PM2.5 and ASD. We identified 666 incident ASD cases in 168,062 participants. A positive association between Hg and ASD was found at 9 months after birth (Hazard Ratio: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.13-2.36). According to the DLNM, there was an increased risk of exposure to Hg during 10-25 weeks after birth, and decreased risk of exposure to Hg during gestational weeks 4-6. Exposure to As and Hg on the risk of ASD were significantly stronger in low birth weight infants (<2500 g) than in those of birth weight ≥2500 g during postnatal period. Postnatal exposure to Hg in PM2.5 may associate with increased ASD incidence. Infants with low birth weight and exposure to As and Hg in PM2.5 are more likely to develop ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ren Jung
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Chuan-Yao Lin
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Chu Chang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yun Hsieh
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chuan Hsu
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bao-Ru Chuang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Fang Hwang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ding M, Shi S, Qie S, Li J, Xi X. Association between heavy metals exposure (cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury) and child autistic disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1169733. [PMID: 37469682 PMCID: PMC10353844 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1169733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Studies have found that toxic heavy metals exposure could induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and is of epigenetic effect, which might be associated with the occurrence of Autistic Disorder (ASD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to elucidate the association between exposure to 4 heavy metals, cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic(As), and mercury (Hg), and the occurrence of ASD in children. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, from their inception to October 2022, for epidemiological investigations that explore the association between exposure to Cd, Pb, As, or Hg and the occurrence of child ASD. Results A total of 53 studies were included, involving 5,054 individuals aged less than 18 (2,533 ASD patients and 2,521 healthy controls). Compared with the healthy controls, in hair and blood tests, concentrations of the 4 heavy metals were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the healthy control group, and the differences in Pb, arsenic and Hg were statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the urine test, concentrations of arsenic and Hg were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the healthy control group (P < 0.05), while the results of Cd and Pb were opposite to those of arsenic and Hg (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis for geographic regions showed that ASD patients in Asia and Europe had higher concentrations of the 4 heavy metals, compared with the healthy controls, in which the differences in Pb, arsenic, and Hg were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while in North America, the healthy controls had higher Cd, arsenic, and Hg concentrations (P > 0.05). Conclusion Compared with the healthy control group, the ASD group had higher concentrations of Cd, Pb, arsenic, and Hg. These 4 heavy metals play different roles in the occurrence and progression of ASD. Moreover, there is significant heterogeneity among the included studies due to controversies about the study results among different countries and regions and different sources of detection materials. The results of this study firmly support the policies to limit heavy metals exposure, especially among pregnant women and young children, so as to help reduce the incidence of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Ding
- Correspondence: Mengmeng Ding Shanshan Shi Shuyan Qie
| | - Shanshan Shi
- Correspondence: Mengmeng Ding Shanshan Shi Shuyan Qie
| | - Shuyan Qie
- Correspondence: Mengmeng Ding Shanshan Shi Shuyan Qie
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nakhaee S, Amirabadizadeh A, Farnia V, Ali Azadi N, Mansouri B, Radmehr F. Association Between Biological Lead Concentrations and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Children: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:1567-1581. [PMID: 35499802 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03265-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Studies have been conducted in different countries of the world to illustrate a link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and lead (Pb) in different specimens such as hair, blood, and urine. Therefore, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between Pb concentration in biological samples (blood, urine, and hair) and ASD in children through case-control and cross-sectional studies. In this systematic review, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies from January 2000 to February 2022. A random-effects model was used to pool the results. The effect sizes were standardized mean differences (proxied by Hedges' g) followed by a 95% confidence interval. Pooling data under the random effect model from blood and hair studies showed a significant difference between the children in the ASD group and the control group in blood lead level (Hedges' g: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.33-2.09, P = 0.01) and hair level (Hedges' g: 2.20, 95% CI: 0.56-3.85, P = 0.01). For urine studies, pooling data under the random effect model from eight studies indicated no significant difference between the children in the ASD group and control group in urinary lead level (Hedges' g: - 0.34, 95% CI: - 1.14,0.45, P = 0.40). Moreover, the funnel plot and the results of the Egger test for the blood and urine samples showed no publication bias, while, for the hair samples, the funnel plot illustrated the existence of publication bias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Nakhaee
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Alireza Amirabadizadeh
- Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 9717113163, Iran
| | - Vahid Farnia
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Nemam Ali Azadi
- Biostatistics Department, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Borhan Mansouri
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Farnaz Radmehr
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shiani A, Sharafi K, Omer AK, Kiani A, Karamimatin B, Massahi T, Ebrahimzadeh G. A systematic literature review on the association between exposures to toxic elements and an autism spectrum disorder. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159246. [PMID: 36220469 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental illness characterized by difficulties in social communication and repetitive behaviors. There have been many previous studies of toxic metals in ASD. Therefore, the priority of this study is to review the relationships between exposure to toxic metals and ASD. MATERIALS & METHODS This study was based on a comprehensive search of international databases, such as Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, for all works related to the subject under discussion from 1982 to 2022. We further summarize published data linked to this topic and discuss with clarifying evidence that agrees and conflicts with the association between exposure to toxic metals, including mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and aluminum (Al) and ASD. RESULTS 40 out of 63 papers met the requirements for meta-analysis. Blood Pb levels (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.81; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.36-1.25), blood Hg (SMD = 0.90; CI: 0.30-1.49), hair Pb (SMD = 1.47; CI: 0.03-2.92), urine As (SMD = 0.65; CI: 0.22-1.09), and urine Al levels (SMD = 0.85; CI: 0.40-1.29) in autistic individuals were significantly higher than those of healthy control (HC). Whereas, blood As levels (SMD = 1.33; CI: -1.32-3.97), hair As (SMD = 0.55; CI: -0.14-1.24), hair Cd (SMD = 0.60; CI: -0.31-1.51), hair Hg (SMD = 0.41; CI: -0.30-1.12), hair Al (SMD = 0.87; CI: -0.02-1.77), urine Pb (SMD = -0.68; CI: -2.55-1.20), urine Cd (SMD = -0.26; CI: -0.94-0.41), and urine Hg levels (SMD = 0.47; CI: -0.09-1.04) in autistic individuals were significantly lower than those of HC. CONCLUSION Toxic metal content significantly differed between individuals with ASD and HC in the current meta-analysis. The results assist in clarifying the significance of toxic metals as environmental factors in the development of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Shiani
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Clinical Research Development Center, Taleghani and Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Kiomars Sharafi
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Abdullah Khalid Omer
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran; Razga Company, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
| | - Amir Kiani
- Regenerative Medicine Research Center (RMRC), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Behzad Karamimatin
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Tooraj Massahi
- Students Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Ebrahimzadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Imam B, Rahmatinia M, Shahsavani A, Khodagholi F, Hopke PK, Bazazzpour S, Hadei M, Yarahmadi M, Abdollahifar MA, Torkmahalleh MA, Kermani M, Ilkhani S, MirBehbahani SH. Autism-like symptoms by exposure to air pollution and valproic acid-induced in male rats. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:59263-59286. [PMID: 35384534 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19865-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollution during prenatal or neonatal periods is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to epidemiology studies. Furthermore, prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has also been found to be associated with an increased prevalence of ASD. To assess the association between simultaneous exposure to VPA and air pollutants, seven exposure groups of rats were included in current study (PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants exposed - high dose of VPA (PGE-high); PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants exposed - low dose of VPA (PGE-low); gaseous pollutants only exposed - high dose of VPA (GE-high); gaseous pollutants only exposed - low dose of VPA (GE-low); clean air exposed - high dose of VPA (CAE-high); clean air exposed - low dose of VPA (CAE-low) and clean air exposed (CAE)). The pollution-exposed rats were exposed to air pollutants from embryonic day (E0) to postnatal day 42 (PND42). In all the induced groups, decreased oxidative stress biomarkers, decreased oxytocin receptor (OXTR) levels, and increased the expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were found. The volumes of the cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal decreased in all induced groups in comparison to CAE. Additionally, increased numerical density of glial cells and decreased of numerical density of neurons were found in all induced groups. Results show that simultaneous exposure to air pollution and VPA can cause ASD-related behavioral deficits and air pollution reinforced the mechanism of inducing ASD ̉s in VPA-induced rat model of autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bahran Imam
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Rahmatinia
- Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Shahsavani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Air Quality and Climate Change Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Fariba Khodagholi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Philip K Hopke
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA
| | - Shahriyar Bazazzpour
- Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Hadei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Yarahmadi
- Environmental and Occupational Health Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Amouei Torkmahalleh
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 010000
| | - Majid Kermani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Ilkhani
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Heng YY, Asad I, Coleman B, Menard L, Benki-Nugent S, Hussein Were F, Karr CJ, McHenry MS. Heavy metals and neurodevelopment of children in low and middle-income countries: A systematic review. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265536. [PMID: 35358213 PMCID: PMC8970501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of harmful environmental exposures, which disproportionately affects low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), contributes to >25% of deaths and diseases worldwide and detrimentally affects child neurodevelopment. Few resources succinctly summarize the existing literature on this topic. Our objective is to systematically review and characterize the evidence regarding the relationship between heavy metals and neurodevelopment of children in LMICs. METHODS We conducted a medical librarian-curated search on multiple online databases to identify articles that included individuals <18 years living in a LMIC, quantitatively measured exposure to a heavy metal (either prenatal or postnatal), and used a standardized measurement of neurodevelopment (i.e. cognitive, language, motor, and behavior). Reviews, editorials, or case studies were excluded. Results were analyzed qualitatively, and quality was assessed. RESULTS Of the 18,043 screened articles, 298 full-text articles were reviewed, and 100 articles met inclusion criteria. The included studies represented data from 19 LMICs, only one of which was classified as a low-income country. Ninety-four percent of postnatal lead and all postnatal manganese studies showed a negative association with metal exposure and neurodevelopment, which were the strongest relationships among the metals studied. Postnatal exposure of mercury was associated with poor neurodevelopment in only half of studies. Limited data on postnatal arsenic and cadmium suggests an association with worse neurodevelopment. Findings were mixed for prenatal arsenic and lead, although some evidence supports that the neurotoxicity of lead was amplified in the presence of manganese. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT We found that lead and manganese appear to consistently have a detrimental effect on the neurodevelopment of children, and more evidence is needed for mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. Better characterization of these effects can motivate and inform prioritization of much needed international policies and programs to reduce heavy metal exposures for young children within LMICs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yan Heng
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Iqra Asad
- School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Bailey Coleman
- School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Laura Menard
- Ruth Lilly Medical Library, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Sarah Benki-Nugent
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Faridah Hussein Were
- Department of Chemistry, College of Biological and Physical Sciences of the University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Catherine J. Karr
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Megan S McHenry
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Dong HY, Feng JY, Li HH, Yue XJ, Jia FY. Non-parental caregivers, low maternal education, gastrointestinal problems and high blood lead level: predictors related to the severity of autism spectrum disorder in Northeast China. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:11. [PMID: 34980074 PMCID: PMC8722278 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-03086-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased rapidly in recent years. Environmental factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ASD. These factors may include socioeconomic factors, nutritional factors, heavy metal exposure, air pollution, etc. Our aim is to analyze possible environmental factors associated with the severity of ASD. Methods All participating children were divided into two groups (mild and moderate/severe) according to the severity of their symptoms, as determined by their Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores. The socioeconomic, demographic factors and the nutritional factors that may affect the severity of ASD were included in the logistic regression to analyze whether they were predictors that affected the severity of ASD. Results Logistic regression showed that caregivers(P = 0.042), maternal education (P = 0.030), gastrointestinal problems (P = 0.041) and a high serum concentration of lead (P = 0.003) were statistically significantly associated with ASD severity. Conclusion Many environmental factors affect the severity of ASD. We concluded that non-parental caregivers, low maternal education, gastrointestinal problems and high blood lead level maybe predictors that affected the severity of ASD in northeast China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Han-Yu Dong
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin Province, China
| | - Jun-Yan Feng
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin Province, China
| | - Hong-Hua Li
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin Province, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Yue
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin Province, China
| | - Fei-Yong Jia
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Amadi CN, Orish CN, Frazzoli C, Orisakwe OE. Association of autism with toxic metals: A systematic review of case-control studies. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 212:173313. [PMID: 34896416 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors have been associated with the etiology of autism spectrum disorder ASD in recent times. The involvement of toxic metals in the generation of reactive oxygen species and their epigenetics effects have been implicated in ASD. This systemic review examines the association of toxic metals with autism in children. A systematic literature search was performed in scientific databases such as PubMed, Google scholar, and Scopus. Case-control studies evaluating toxic metal levels in different tissues of ASD children and comparing them to healthy children (control group) were identified. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. Six case-control studies with 425 study subjects met our inclusion criteria. A total of four studies indicated higher levels of As, Pb, Hg, Cd, Al, Sn, Sb, Ba, TI, W, and Zr in whole blood, RBC, in whole blood, RBC, and hair samples of children with autism compared with control suggestive of a greater toxic metal exposure (immediate and long-term). Three studies identified significantly higher concentrations of Cd, Pb and Hg in urine and hair samples of autistic children compared to control suggesting decreased excretion and possible high body burden of these metals. The findings from this review demonstrate that high levels of toxic metals are associated with ASD, therefore, critical care is necessary to reduce body burden of these metals in children with ASD as a major therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia N Amadi
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, PMB, 5323 Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Chinna N Orish
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, PMB, 5323 Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Chiara Frazzoli
- Department for Cardiovascular, Dysmetabolic and Aging Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Orish E Orisakwe
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, PMB, 5323 Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria; African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, 5323 Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Influence of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activating Environmental Pollutants on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179258. [PMID: 34502168 PMCID: PMC8431328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term that includes many different disorders that affect the development, communication, and behavior of an individual. Prevalence of ASD has risen exponentially in the past couple of decades. ASD has a complex etiology and traditionally recognized risk factors only account for a small percentage of incidence of the disorder. Recent studies have examined factors beyond the conventional risk factors (e.g., environmental pollution). There has been an increase in air pollution since the beginning of industrialization. Most environmental pollutants cause toxicities through activation of several cellular receptors, such as the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)/cytochrome P450 (CYPs) pathway. There is little research on the involvement of AhR in contributing to ASD. Although a few reviews have discussed and addressed the link between increased prevalence of ASD and exposure to environmental pollutants, the mechanism governing this effect, specifically the role of AhR in ASD development and the molecular mechanisms involved, have not been discussed or reviewed before. This article reviews the state of knowledge regarding the impact of the AhR/CYP pathway modulation upon exposure to environmental pollutants on ASD risk, incidence, and development. It also explores the molecular mechanisms involved, such as epigenesis and polymorphism. In addition, the review explores possible new AhR-mediated mechanisms of several drugs used for treatment of ASD, such as sulforaphane, resveratrol, haloperidol, and metformin.
Collapse
|
13
|
Associations of Metabolic Genes ( GSTT1, GSTP1, GSTM1) and Blood Mercury Concentrations Differ in Jamaican Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041377. [PMID: 33546147 PMCID: PMC7913200 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We investigated interactive roles of three metabolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes (GSTP1, GSTT1, and GSTM1) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) status in relation to blood Hg concentrations (BHC) of Jamaican children. We used data from 266 children (2-8 years) with ASD and their 1:1 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls. After adjusting General Linear Models for child’s age, socioeconomic status, consumption of leafy vegetables, fried plantain, canned fish, and the interaction between GSTP1 and GSTT1, we found significant interactions between GSTP1 and ASD status in relation to BHC either in a co-dominant or dominant genetic model for GSTP1(P < 0.001, P = 0.007, respectively). In the co-dominant model for the Ile105Val GSTP1 polymorphism, geometric mean (GM) BHC in ASD cases with genotype Ile/Ile were significantly higher than in cases with the Ile/Val genotype (0.73 vs. 0.48 µg/L, P = 0.01). In contrast, in TD controls with the Ile/Val genotype GM BHC were significantly higher than in those with the Ile/Ile genotype (0.72 vs. 0.49 µg/L, P = 0.03) or the Val/Val genotype (0.72 vs. 0.51 µg/L, P = 0.04). Although our findings are consistent with the role of GSTP1 in detoxification of Hg, replication in other populations is warranted.
Collapse
|
14
|
Kaur I, Behl T, Aleya L, Rahman MH, Kumar A, Arora S, Akter R. Role of metallic pollutants in neurodegeneration: effects of aluminum, lead, mercury, and arsenic in mediating brain impairment events and autism spectrum disorder. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:8989-9001. [PMID: 33447979 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-12255-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder of the brain characterized by shortfall in the social portfolio of an individual and abbreviated interactive and communication aspects rendering stereotypical behavior and pitfalls in a child's memory, thinking, and learning capabilities. The incidence of ASD has accelerated since the past decade, portraying environment as one of the primary assets, comprising of metallic components aiming to curb the neurodevelopmental pathways in an individual. Many regulations like Clean Air Act and critical steps taken by countries all over the globe, like Sweden and the USA, have rendered the necessity to study the effects of environmental metallic components on ASD progression. The review focuses on the primary metallic components present in the environment (aluminum, lead, mercury, and arsenic), responsible for accelerating ASD symptoms by a set of general mechanisms like oxidative stress reduction, glycolysis suppression, microglial activation, and metalloprotein disruption, resulting in apoptotic signaling, neurotoxic effects, and neuroinflammatory responses. The effect of these metals can be retarded by certain protective strategies like chelation, dietary correction, certain agents (curcumin, mangiferin, selenium), and detoxification enhancement, which can necessarily halt the neurodegenerative effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ishnoor Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Tapan Behl
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India.
| | - Lotfi Aleya
- Chrono-Environnement Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6249, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, Paris, France
| | - Md Habibur Rahman
- Department of Global Medical Science, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Arun Kumar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Sandeep Arora
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
| | - Rokeya Akter
- Department of Global Medical Science, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Are Obese Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder More Likely to Be Selenium Deficient? Research Findings on Pre- and Post-Pubertal Children. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12113581. [PMID: 33266486 PMCID: PMC7700552 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Selenium is involved in many metabolic pathways that are critical for life. Information concerning the metabolic effects of selenium in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obesity is still conflicting and incomplete. The pre- and post-pubertal selenium profiles of patients with ASD and obesity have not yet been investigated. The goal of the study was to examine selenium content before and after puberty in euthyroid children diagnosed with ASD, compared to age-matched neurotypical controls, with respect to overweight or obesity as a co-existing pathology. Serum, toenail, and 24h urine selenium levels were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 287 prepubertal children (mean age 8.09 years), divided into groups: ASD with overweight/obesity (ASD+/Ob+); ASD without overweight/obesity (ASD+/Ob-); non-ASD with overweight/obesity (ASD-/Ob+); and non-ASD without overweight/obesity (ASD-/Ob-). The assessment was repeated in 258 of the children after puberty (mean age 14.26 years).The lowest serum (p < 0.001), urine (p < 0.001) and toenail (p < 0.001) selenium levels before and after puberty were observed in ASD+/Ob+ patients, and the highest in ASD-/Ob-. There were no differences in serum/toenail selenium levels between ASD+/Ob- and ASD-/Ob+ groups. The presence of ASD was associatedwith lower serum (p < 0.001) and toenail (p < 0.001) selenium in BMI-matched groups. In neurotypical patients, post-pubertal serum selenium levels were lower (p < 0.001) than pre-pubertal levels. In the multiple linear regression analyses, selenium levels showed inverse relationships with BMI (p < 0.001) and male gender (p < 0.001), irrespective of the sample type. The serum (p = 0.002) and toenail (p < 0.001) selenium levels were inversely associated with the presence of ASD. ASD, obesity/overweight, and male gender have independent impacts on selenium levels in children. Puberty may affect selenium content in neurotypical children of both genders, but not in ASD patients.
Collapse
|
16
|
Virolainen S, Hussien W, Dalibalta S. Autism spectrum disorder in the United Arab Emirates: potential environmental links. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2020; 35:359-369. [PMID: 32663174 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2020-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been experiencing an increase in global prevalence in recent decades. While many factors could account for this reality, certain environmental links have been shown to contribute to ASD development and etiology. The Middle East has had relatively little published research on ASD etiology although statistics indicate that ASD affects 1 in 146 births in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This review therefore aims to examine potential causes of ASD within the UAE specifically, focusing on environmental links that may contribute to the rise in ASD cases in this population. Significantly, suboptimal breastfeeding practices, high levels of vitamin D deficiency, increased exposure to pollution, pesticides and heavy metals within the UAE may all be potentially important contributing factors to ASD in this population. Our findings support the notion that there are key links between various environmental factors and ASD prevalence in the UAE. The lack of knowledge and much research on ASD within the UAE deeply necessitates further studies on its etiology as it poses a serious public health challenge in the region and globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Wejdan Hussien
- Department of Biology, Chemistry & Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sarah Dalibalta
- Department of Biology, Chemistry & Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rahbar MH, Samms-Vaughan M, Lee M, Zhang J, Hessabi M, Bressler J, Bach MA, Grove ML, Shakespeare-Pellington S, Beecher C, McLaughlin W, Loveland KA. Interaction between a Mixture of Heavy Metals (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese, Aluminum) and GSTP1, GSTT1, and GSTM1 in Relation to Autism Spectrum Disorder. RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2020; 79:101681. [PMID: 33193808 PMCID: PMC7664834 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to many environmental chemicals, including metals, often does not occur in isolation, hence requires assessment of the associations between exposure to mixtures of chemicals and human health. OBJECTIVES To investigate associations of a metal mixture of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), additively or interactively with each of three glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes (GSTP1, GSTT1, and GSTM1). METHOD Using data from 266 case-control pairs of Jamaican children (2-8 years old), we fitted negative and positive generalized weighted quantile sum (gWQS) regression models to assess the aforementioned associations. RESULTS Based on additive and interactive negative gWQS models adjusted for maternal age, parental education, child's parish, and seafood consumption, we found inverse associations of the overall mixture score with ASD [MOR (95% CI): 0.70 (0.49, 0.99); P < 0.05) and [MOR (95%CI): 0.46 (0.25, 0.84); P = 0.01], respectively. In an unadjusted negative gWQS model, we found a marginally significant interaction between GSTP1 and a mixture of three metals (Pb, Hg, and Mn) (P = 0.07) while the association was no longer significant after adjustment for the same covariates (P = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS Differences in diet between ASD and control groups may play a role in the inverse associations we found. The possible interactive association between Mn and GSTP1 in ASD based on gWQS is consistent with our previous reports. However, possible interaction of GSTP1 with Pb and Hg in ASD requires further investigation and replication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad H. Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Division of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) Core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maureen Samms-Vaughan
- Department of Child & Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - MinJae Lee
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population & Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) Core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Manouchehr Hessabi
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) Core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jan Bressler
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - MacKinsey A. Bach
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Megan L. Grove
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Compton Beecher
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Wayne McLaughlin
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
- Caribbean Genetics (CARIGEN), The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Katherine A. Loveland
- Louis A Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chehbani F, Gallello G, Brahim T, Ouanes S, Douki W, Gaddour N, Cervera Sanz ML. The status of chemical elements in the blood plasma of children with autism spectrum disorder in Tunisia: a case-control study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:35738-35749. [PMID: 32601867 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09819-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders defined by a deficit in social interactions and the presence of restricted and stereotypical behaviors or interests. The etiologies of autism remain mostly unknown. Many genetic and environmental factors have been suspected. Among these environmental factors, exposure to several chemical elements has been previously studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of trace elements in the blood plasma of children with ASD with typically developed children (TDC). The participants in this study consisted of 89 children with ASD (14 girls and 74 boys) and 70 TD children (29 girls and 41 boys). The levels of 33 chemical elements have been analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS). We detected significant differences in the levels of eight elements between the two groups, among which there were three rare earth elements (REEs): Eu, Pr, and Sc (p = 0.000, p = 0.023, and p < 0.001 respectively); four heavy metals: Bi, Tl, Ti, and V (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001 respectively); and one essential element: Cu (p = 0.043). Children with ASD had higher levels of Er, Pr, Sc, Bi, Tl, Ti, and V, and lower levels of Cu in comparison with the TD group. The children exposed to passive smoking had lower levels of lead (Pb) compared with children without exposure (p = 0.018). Four elements (Cr, Er, Dy, and Pr) were negatively correlated to the severity of ASD. The level of Cu was significantly associated with autistic children's behavior (p = 0.014). These results suggest that children with ASD might have abnormal plasma levels of certain chemical elements (including Er, Pr, Sc, Bi, Tl, Ti, and V, and Cu), and some of these elements might be associated with certain clinical features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fethia Chehbani
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Laboratory "Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10", Monastir University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
| | - Gianni Gallello
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Prehistory, Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Takoua Brahim
- Unite of Child psychiatry, Monastir University Hospital, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Sami Ouanes
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Wahiba Douki
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Laboratory "Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10", Monastir University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia
- Biochemistry-Toxicology Laboratory, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Naoufel Gaddour
- Unite of Child psychiatry, Monastir University Hospital, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sulaiman R, Wang M, Ren X. Exposure to Aluminum, Cadmium, and Mercury and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:2699-2718. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rosalind Sulaiman
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
- Research and Education in Energy, Environment and Water Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Xuefeng Ren
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jafari Mohammadabadi H, Rahmatian A, Sayehmiri F, Rafiei M. The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis. Pediatric Health Med Ther 2020; 11:369-378. [PMID: 33061742 PMCID: PMC7519826 DOI: 10.2147/phmt.s210042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is a likelihood of a possible relationship between the concentrations of copper, lead, and mercury and autism. The present review was carried out to determine the relationship between the concentrations of these elements and autism by meta-analysis. METHODS In this study, searching Scopus, PubMed, and Science Direct databases, 18 articles conducted in different countries from 1982 to 2019 were collected. Studies' heterogeneity was investigated using the I2 index. The data were analyzed using R and STATA software. RESULTS In these 18 studies, 1797 patients (981 cases and 816 controls) aged 2 to 16 years were examined. Concentration of the samples (blood, hair, and nails) for both case and control groups was evaluated. There was no significant relationship between copper concentration and autism (SMD (95% CI): 0.02 (-1.16,1.20); I2=97.7%; P=0.972); there was a significant relationship between mercury concentration and autism (SMD (95% CI): 1.96 (0.56,3.35); I2=98.6%; P=0.006); there was also a significant relationship between lead concentration and autism (SMD (95% CI): 2.81 (1.64,3.98); I2=97.8%; P=0.000). CONCLUSION There is, nevertheless, a significant relationship between mercury concentration and autism. Thus, the concentration of mercury can be listed as a pathogenic cause (disease-causing) for autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fatemeh Sayehmiri
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rafiei
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Soetrisno FN, Delgado-Saborit JM. Chronic exposure to heavy metals from informal e-waste recycling plants and children's attention, executive function and academic performance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 717:137099. [PMID: 32092800 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
E-waste contains valuable metals that require appropriate waste management plans. However, rudimentary e-waste processing methods are a source of heavy metals environmental pollution. This study has characterised concentrations of heavy metals in soil (n = 10), water (n = 10) and hair (n = 44) of children in areas surrounding Jakarta (Indonesia), where e-waste is being or has been conducted in the past, and in a reference unexposed site. Chronic exposure to Mn, Pb, Hg, As and Cd and its associations with attention and executive function, characterised with the Trail Making Test (TMT), along with academic performance scores was conducted using multivariate regression analysis. Models were adjusted for age, gender, parental education, environmental tobacco smoke and residential traffic. Lead (3653 ± 3355 mg/kg), cadmium (3.4 ± 0.9 mg/kg) and mercury (15.2 ± 28.5 mg/kg) concentrations from soil and manganese concentrations in water (1.43 ± 0.64 mg/L) in the exposed sites were higher than current regulations. Heavy metal concentrations in hair of children living near e-waste facilities was higher than for children living in non-exposed areas (Pb: 0.155 ± 0.187 vs 0.0729 ± 0.08 mg/g; Mn: 0.130 ± 0.212 vs 0.018 ± 0.045 mg/g; Hg: 0.008 ± 0.0042 vs 0.002 ± 0.0011 mg/g) suggesting chronic exposure to heavy metals. Manganese exposure was associated with worse cognitive performance in the domains of attention (TMT-A score: 66 s, 95% CI 0.09, 132), executive function (TMT-B score: 105 s, 95% CI 11.5, 198) and social sciences (-29%, 95% CI -54, -4.7) (per unit of Mn in hair mg/g). These results suggest that informal e-waste activities contribute to local heavy metal soil contamination, and could be an important source of metal exposure to children living in the vicinity of these facilities with putative impacts on their cognitive performance. E-waste management regulation and remediation programmes should be implemented to reduce environmental pollution and associated health effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fitria Nurbaidah Soetrisno
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; BP Berau Ltd, Tangguh LNG, West Papua, Indonesia
| | - Juana Maria Delgado-Saborit
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; ISGlobal Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Moody EC, Colicino E, Wright RO, Mupere E, Jaramillo EG, Amarasiriwardena C, Cusick SE. Environmental exposure to metal mixtures and linear growth in healthy Ugandan children. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233108. [PMID: 32413070 PMCID: PMC7228047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stunting is an indicator of poor linear growth in children and is an important public health problem in many countries. Both nutritional deficits and toxic exposures can contribute to lower height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) and stunting (HAZ < -2). OBJECTIVES In a community-based cross-sectional sample of 97 healthy children ages 6-59 months in Kampala, Uganda, we examined whether exposure to Pb, As, Cd, Se, or Zn were associated with HAZ individually or as a mixture. METHODS Blood samples were analyzed for a mixture of metals, which represent both toxins and essential nutrients. The association between HAZ and metal exposure was tested using multivariable linear regression and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression, which uses mixtures of correlated exposures as a predictor. RESULTS There were 22 stunted children in the sample, mean HAZ was -0.74 (SD = 1.84). Linear regression showed that Pb (β = -0.80, p = 0.021) and Se (β = 1.92, p = 0.005) were significantly associated with HAZ. The WQS models separated toxic elements with a presumed negative effect on HAZ (Pb, As, Cd) from essential nutrients with presumed positive effect on HAZ (Se and Zn). The toxic mixture was significantly associated with lower HAZ (β = -0.47, p = 0.03), with 62% of the effect from Pb. The nutrient WQS index did not reach statistical significance (β = -0.47, p = 0.16). DISCUSSION Higher blood lead and lower blood selenium level were both associated with lower HAZ. The significant associations by linear regression were reinforced by the WQS models, although not all associations reached statistical significance. These findings suggest that healthy children in this neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda, who have a high burden of toxic exposures, may experience detrimental health effects associated with these exposures in an environment where exposure sources are not well characterized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Moody
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Robert O. Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ezekiel Mupere
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ericka G. Jaramillo
- Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Chitra Amarasiriwardena
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Sarah E. Cusick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Eqani SAMAS, Khuram F, Alamdar A, Tahir A, Shah STA, Nasir A, Javed S, Bibi N, Hussain A, Rasheed H, Shen H. Environmental exposure pathway analysis of trace elements and autism risk in Pakistani children population. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:136471. [PMID: 31927446 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The pursuit of industrialization and urbanization in developing countries disrupt the fragile environment, resulting in biogeochemical extra-emission of the trace elements into human inhabitance causing serious health concerns. We aimed to determine the associations between Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk and exposure to trace elements (As, Zn, Ni, Pb, Hg, Cu, Cd, and Co), associations between the internal doses and environmental sources of these elements were also assessed. Genetic susceptibility to toxins was assessed through GSTT1 and GSTM1 null polymorphism analysis. Our results showed that lower BMI in children was significantly associated with ASD (p < 0.05, AOR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.98). As was significantly higher in both hair (p < 0.01, AOR = 18.29; 95% CI: 1.98, 169) and urine (p < 0.01, AOR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06) samples from children with ASD; urinary Hg (p < 0.05, AOR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.39, 6.07) and Pb (p < 0.05, AOR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.77) were also positively associated with ASD. Regarding the genetic susceptibility, Cu was significantly associated with GSTM1 positive genotype (p < 0.05, AOR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.10). Children inhabiting the urban areas exposed to significantly higher levels of studied trace elements. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) values highlighted that the different land use settings resulted in children's source specific exposure to studied trace elements. The exposure pathway analysis showed that the distal factors of land-use settings associated with children increased exposure risk for most of the investigated elements, noticeably As, Pb and Hg associated with ASD prevalence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ambreen Alamdar
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan; Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Ayesha Tahir
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Arshan Nasir
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sundus Javed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nazia Bibi
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Alamdar Hussain
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hifza Rasheed
- National Water Quality Laboratory, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Heqing Shen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Fiłon J, Ustymowicz-Farbiszewska J, Krajewska-Kułak E. Analysis of lead, arsenic and calcium content in the hair of children with autism spectrum disorder. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:383. [PMID: 32204706 PMCID: PMC7092413 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08496-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Explanation of the pathogenesis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is one of the most significant challenges for scientists today. It is believed that a major pathogenetic factor of this condition is epigenetic changes caused by environmental factors, including toxic metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), aluminium (Al), and arsenic (As)). The nervous system may also be affected by deficiencies of both micro- and macroelements (e.g. calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn)). The aim of the study was to analyze the concentrations of Pb, As, and Ca in the hair of children with ASD and a control group. METHODS The materials for the study comprised hair samples collected from 30 children diagnosed with ASD (case group) and 30 children randomly selected from the general population of Bialystok and surrounding region (control group). Concentrations of Pb, As, and Ca were tested with electron microscopy scanning method. Next, the content of the analyzed elements in the hair was assessed as well as their impact on autism development in the children and the mutual interactions between them. The obtained results were statistically analyzed with Statistica PL 12.5., using the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS Mean Ca level in the hair of the case group was lower than the mean level of this element in the control group. Mean As and Pb concentration in the hair of children with ASD was statistically significantly higher than the mean concentration of this element in the hair of children without neurological disorders. Statistically insignificant weak positive correlations between Ca and As content and negative between Ca and Pb in the hair of children from the case group were noted. Also, statistically significant mean positive correlations between Pb and As were observed. CONCLUSIONS In this small study, according to the observations, children diagnosed with ASD suffer from Ca deficiency and toxic metal overload (As and Pb). These abnormalities may play the main role, as an environmental factor, in the pathogenesis of the analyzed disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Fiłon
- Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie 7A, 15-096 Bialystok, Poland
| | | | - Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak
- Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie 7A, 15-096 Bialystok, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gil-Hernández F, Gómez-Fernández AR, la Torre-Aguilar MJ, Pérez-Navero JL, Flores-Rojas K, Martín-Borreguero P, Gil-Campos M. Neurotoxicity by mercury is not associated with autism spectrum disorders in Spanish children. Ital J Pediatr 2020; 46:19. [PMID: 32050998 PMCID: PMC7017444 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-020-0780-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The pathophysiological etiologies related with the development of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) remain controversial. Different authors have studied neurotoxins such as mercury (Hg) and their relationship with ADS. The objective of this study was to assess the levels of Hg in hair in a group of ASD children (chronic exposure) and in urinary excretion (acute exposure), in comparison to a healthy group. Methods A case-control study was conducted in Spanish children. We compared 54 ASD children (aged 2–6) with no other associated pathology to a normally-developing control group (54 subjects). Results There were no differences in urine (p:0.631) and hair (p:1.000) samples percentages below the limits of detection between the control and the ASD groups, and also between patients in the regression ASD subgroup (AMR) (p:0.08) and the non-regression ASD subgroup (ANMR) (p:0.705). When the analysis was adjusted for age and sex, the differences between Hg levels maintained not significant. There were no correlations between Hg concentrations in the ASD group as a whole (p: 0.739), or when they were subdivided into ASD-AMR (p: 0.739) and ASD-ANMR (p: 0.363). Conclusions The present study shows no evidence in our geographical area to support an association between mercury neurotoxicity and the etiopathogenesis of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Gil-Hernández
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Granada University, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio R Gómez-Fernández
- Department of Pediatrics, Reina Sofía University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain
| | - María Josede la Torre-Aguilar
- Department of Pediatrics, Reina Sofía University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan L Pérez-Navero
- Department of Pediatrics, Reina Sofía University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain. .,Center for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Katherine Flores-Rojas
- Pediatric Metabolism Unit, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Instituto Maimónides Investigación Biomédica(IMIBIC), Córdoba University, CIBEROBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Martín-Borreguero
- Unit of Psychology and Pediatric Psychiatry, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Mercedes Gil-Campos
- Pediatric Metabolism Unit, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Instituto Maimónides Investigación Biomédica(IMIBIC), Córdoba University, CIBEROBN, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Joubert BR, Mantooth SN, McAllister KA. Environmental Health Research in Africa: Important Progress and Promising Opportunities. Front Genet 2020; 10:1166. [PMID: 32010175 PMCID: PMC6977412 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization in 2016 estimated that over 20% of the global disease burden and deaths were attributed to modifiable environmental factors. However, data clearly characterizing the impact of environmental exposures and health endpoints in African populations is limited. To describe recent progress and identify important research gaps, we reviewed literature on environmental health research in African populations over the last decade, as well as research incorporating both genomic and environmental factors. We queried PubMed for peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, or books examining environmental exposures and health outcomes in human populations in Africa. Searches utilized medical subheading (MeSH) terms for environmental exposure categories listed in the March 2018 US National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, which includes chemicals with worldwide distributions. Our search strategy retrieved 540 relevant publications, with studies evaluating health impacts of ambient air pollution (n=105), indoor air pollution (n = 166), heavy metals (n = 130), pesticides (n = 95), dietary mold (n = 61), indoor mold (n = 9), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs, n = 0), electronic waste (n = 9), environmental phenols (n = 4), flame retardants (n = 8), and phthalates (n = 3), where publications could belong to more than one exposure category. Only 23 publications characterized both environmental and genomic risk factors. Cardiovascular and respiratory health endpoints impacted by air pollution were comparable to observations in other countries. Air pollution exposures unique to Africa and some other resource limited settings were dust and specific occupational exposures. Literature describing harmful health effects of metals, pesticides, and dietary mold represented a context unique to Africa. Studies of exposures to phthalates, PFASs, phenols, and flame retardants were very limited. These results underscore the need for further focus on current and emerging environmental and chemical health risks as well as better integration of genomic and environmental factors in African research studies. Environmental exposures with distinct routes of exposure, unique co-exposures and co-morbidities, combined with the extensive genomic diversity in Africa may lead to the identification of novel mechanisms underlying complex disease and promising potential for translation to global public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie R Joubert
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | | | - Kimberly A McAllister
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wang M, Hossain F, Sulaiman R, Ren X. Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic and Lead and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Chem Res Toxicol 2019; 32:1904-1919. [PMID: 31549506 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic (iAs) and lead (Pb) rank first and second on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's priority list of hazardous substances. Both are known neurotoxic metals that cause detrimental effects on brain development and lead to deficits in cognitive function and behavioral performance in children. Studies have indicated a potential link between iAs and Pb exposure and a higher risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To provide further insight into whether developmental exposure to iAs or Pb is associated with ASD, we conducted a systematic review and combined data into a meta-analysis to evaluate the available human evidence on the relationships. We systematically reviewed relevant studies published through December 30, 2018 and identified 14 studies on iAs and 37 studies on Pb exposure and their respective associations with ASD. Among them, 8 (53.3%) and 19 (51.3%) studies reported a positive association for iAs and Pb, respectively, and none reported a sole inverse association. In the following meta-analysis, we found statistically significant higher iAs concentrations, in hair and in blood, for children diagnosed with ASD compared with controls across studies. However, the findings on Pb exposure were inconsistent, with a significant association for hair Pb, no association for urinary Pb, and an inverse association for blood Pb. After considering strengths and limitations of the body of research, we concluded that there is consistent evidence supporting a positive association between early life iAs exposure and diagnosis of ASD and inconsistent evidence for Pb exposure and ASD risk. We believe it is in the best interest of policy makers and the public to reduce exposures to iAs and Pb among pregnant women and children. Further, our research supports the need for large perspective human studies with accurate measurement and determination of the long-term body burden of iAs and Pb exposures to assess the impact of iAs and Pb exposures on ASD risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Research and Education in Energy, Environment and Water Institute , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , New York 14260 , United States
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Exposure routes and health effects of heavy metals on children. Biometals 2019; 32:563-573. [DOI: 10.1007/s10534-019-00193-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
29
|
Possible Metabolic Alterations among Autistic Male Children: Clinical and Biochemical Approaches. J Mol Neurosci 2019; 67:204-216. [PMID: 30600432 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-018-1225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The present cross-sectional, hospital-based study was carried out on 146 Egyptian male children, 73 males with autism who were comparable with another 73 healthy age- and sex-matched children, recruited from the outpatients' psychiatric clinics of the Neuropsychiatric and Pediatric Departments of South Valley and Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt. Neuropsychological assessments of autistic males were done using CARS, short sensory profile and intelligent quotients. Serum markers of mitochondrial dysfunction (lactate, pyruvate, and lactate to pyruvate ratio, creatine kinase (CK), L-carnitine, ammonia, lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase), oxidative stress and blood levels of heavy metals (mercury, lead and aluminium) were measured. Serum cholesterol, cortisol, free testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrostenedione, adenosine deaminase and Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool were also performed. There was evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction among autistic children. Additionally, there were significantly lower serum total cholesterol, cortisol and estradiol as well as significantly higher dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) and free testosterone (p < 0.05 for all markers). Twenty-eight (38%) cases were positive for H. pylori antigen in their stool with significant higher serum ammonia and lower adenosine deaminase than in H. pylori-negative autistic children. Mitochondrial dysfunction, H. pylori infection and low cholesterol were prevalent among autistic male children, which should be targeted during autism management.
Collapse
|
30
|
Oliveira CS, Nogara PA, Ardisson-Araújo DMP, Aschner M, Rocha JBT, Dórea JG. Neurodevelopmental Effects of Mercury. ADVANCES IN NEUROTOXICOLOGY 2018; 2:27-86. [PMID: 32346667 PMCID: PMC7188190 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ant.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The toxicology of mercury (Hg) is of concern since this metal is ubiquitously distributed in the environment, and living organisms are routinely exposed to Hg at low to high levels. The toxic effects of Hg are well studied and it is known that they may differ depending on the Hg chemical species. In this chapter, we emphasize the neurotoxic effects of Hg during brain development. The immature brain is more susceptible to Hg exposure, since all the Hg chemical forms, not only the organic ones, can harm it. The possible consequences of Hg exposure during the early stages of development, the additive effects with other co-occurring neurotoxicants, and the known mechanisms of action and targets will be addressed in this chapter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia S Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Pablo A Nogara
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Daniel M P Ardisson-Araújo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
- Laboratório de Virologia de Insetos, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY, USA
| | - João B T Rocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - José G Dórea
- Professor Emeritus, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Dickerson AS, Rotem RS, Christian MA, Nguyen VT, Specht AJ. Potential Sex Differences Relative to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Metals. Curr Environ Health Rep 2018; 4:405-414. [PMID: 28988324 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-017-0164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This study aims to summarize the current body of literature on the relationship between various toxic metals exposures (i.e., aluminum, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a focus on potential sex differences in these associations. RECENT FINDINGS Sex differences in ASD diagnosis and mutagenic effects of toxic exposures indicate that sex differences may play a major part in the causal relationship of any potential associations seen; however, we were only able to find three studies that reported on sex differences in observed associations with toxic metals exposure and ASD. We also found several studies investigating associations between ASD and metals exposures, including 11 on aluminum, 6 on antimony, 15 on arsenic, 5 on beryllium, 17 on cadmium, 11 on chromium, 25 on lead, 14 on manganese, and 13 on nickel with markers of exposure in hair, urine, blood, teeth, fingernails, and air pollution. Results for each metal were conflicting, but studies on cadmium and lead yielded the highest proportion of studies with positive results (72% and 36%, respectively). Based on our examination of existing literature, the current evidence warrants a considerable need for evaluations of sex differences in future studies assessing the association between metals exposures and ASD. Additionally, failure to account for potential sex differences could result in bias and misinterpretation of exposure-disease relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aisha S Dickerson
- Departments of Epidemiology and Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Environmental and Occupation Medicine and Epidemiology Division of the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Street, Landmark Center L3-125, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ran S Rotem
- Department Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - MacKinsey A Christian
- Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, and Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Vy T Nguyen
- Department Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Aaron J Specht
- Department Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Skalny AV, Simashkova NV, Skalnaya MG, Klyushnik TP, Chernova LN, Tinkov AA. Mercury and autism spectrum disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2018; 118:75-79. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20181185275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
33
|
Omotosho IO, Akinade AO, Lagunju IA. Calcium and Magnesium Levels Are down Regulated in Nigerian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cerebral Palsy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.4236/nm.2018.93016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
34
|
Ryu J, Ha EH, Kim BN, Ha M, Kim Y, Park H, Hong YC, Kim KN. Associations of prenatal and early childhood mercury exposure with autistic behaviors at 5years of age: The Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 605-606:251-257. [PMID: 28667852 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although mercury is an established neurotoxin, only few longitudinal studies have investigated the association between prenatal and early childhood mercury exposure and autistic behaviors. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal cohort study using an ongoing prospective birth cohort initiated in 2006, wherein blood mercury levels were measured at early and late pregnancy; in cord blood; and at 2 and 3years of age. We analyzed 458 mother-child pairs. Autistic behaviors were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at 5years of age. Both continuous SRS T-scores and T-scores dichotomized by a score of ≥60 or <60 were used as outcomes. RESULTS The geometric mean of mercury concentrations in cord blood was 5.52μg/L. In adjusted models, a doubling of blood mercury levels at late pregnancy (β=1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39, 3.29), in cord blood (β=2.24, 95% CI: 0.22, 4.27), and at 2years (β=2.12, 95% CI: 0.54, 3.70) and 3years (β=2.80, 95% CI: 0.89, 4.72) of age was positively associated with the SRS T-scores. When the SRS T-scores were dichotomized, we observed positive associations with mercury levels at late pregnancy (relative risk [RR]=1.31, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.60) and in cord blood (RR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.63). CONCLUSION We found that blood mercury levels at late pregnancy and early childhood were associated with more autistic behaviors in children at 5years of age. Further study on the long-term effects of mercury exposure is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Ryu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Boong-Nyun Kim
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Nam Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Public Health and Medical Service, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Mercury Hair Concentration among Primary School Children in Malaysia. CHILDREN-BASEL 2017; 4:children4120109. [PMID: 29240681 PMCID: PMC5742754 DOI: 10.3390/children4120109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The main concern regarding mercury exposure is the adverse health effect on the developing nervous system. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine hair mercury levels and their association with socio-demographic characteristics, complaints about mercury poisoning symptoms and the fish consumption pattern among children in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 school children aged 11 years old. Hair was collected from the children and the total mercury was analyzed using oxygen combustion–gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Anthropometric data, a fish consumption questionnaire and mercury poisoning symptoms were collected during a personal interview. The mean hair mercury level among primary school children was 0.63 ± 0.59 µg/g with the geometric mean of 0.47 µg/g. A total of 14% of respondents had hair mercury levels above 1 µg/g. A multiple binary logistic regression analysis outlined that fish consumption of at least one meal per week increased the likelihood of having a high mercury level (odds ratio (OR) 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–10.4). This study confirms the existence of a mercury burden among Malaysian children and the level is high compared to other regional studies. This study provides important baseline data regarding the mercury level among children in Malaysia.
Collapse
|
36
|
Morris G, Puri BK, Frye RE. The putative role of environmental aluminium in the development of chronic neuropathology in adults and children. How strong is the evidence and what could be the mechanisms involved? Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:1335-1355. [PMID: 28752219 PMCID: PMC5596046 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0077-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The conceptualisation of autistic spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease has undergone something of a paradigm shift in recent years and rather than being viewed as single illnesses with a unitary pathogenesis and pathophysiology they are increasingly considered to be heterogeneous syndromes with a complex multifactorial aetiopathogenesis, involving a highly complex and diverse combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. One such environmental factor implicated as a potential cause in both syndromes is aluminium, as an element or as part of a salt, received, for example, in oral form or as an adjuvant. Such administration has the potential to induce pathology via several routes such as provoking dysfunction and/or activation of glial cells which play an indispensable role in the regulation of central nervous system homeostasis and neurodevelopment. Other routes include the generation of oxidative stress, depletion of reduced glutathione, direct and indirect reductions in mitochondrial performance and integrity, and increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines in both the brain and peripherally. The mechanisms whereby environmental aluminium could contribute to the development of the highly specific pattern of neuropathology seen in Alzheimer's disease are described. Also detailed are several mechanisms whereby significant quantities of aluminium introduced via immunisation could produce chronic neuropathology in genetically susceptible children. Accordingly, it is recommended that the use of aluminium salts in immunisations should be discontinued and that adults should take steps to minimise their exposure to environmental aluminium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerwyn Morris
- Tir Na Nog, Bryn Road seaside 87, Llanelli, Wales, SA15 2LW, UK
| | - Basant K Puri
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England, W12 0HS, UK.
| | - Richard E Frye
- College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
El-Ansary A, Bjørklund G, Tinkov AA, Skalny AV, Al Dera H. Relationship between selenium, lead, and mercury in red blood cells of Saudi autistic children. Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:1073-1080. [PMID: 28326463 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-9996-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Environmental contribution to ASD is due in large part to the sensitivity of the developing brain to external exposures such as lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) as toxic heavy metals or due to a poor detoxification ability as the phenotype of this disorder. Selenium (Se) as an antioxidant element that counteracts the neurotoxicity of Hg, and Pb, presumably through the formation of nontoxic complexes. In the present study, Pb, Hg, and Se were measured in red blood cells (RBCs) of 35 children with ASD and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy control children using atomic absorption spectrometry. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis of the obtained data was performed to measure the predictive value of their absolute and relative concentrations. The obtained data demonstrates a significant elevation of Hg and Pb together with a significant decrease in the Se levels in RBCs of patients with ASD when compared to the healthy controls. The ratios of Se to both Pb and Hg were remarkably altered, being indicative of heavy metal neurotoxicity in patients with ASD. In conclusion, the present study indicates the importance of Se for prevention and/or therapy of heavy metal neurotoxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Afaf El-Ansary
- Central Laboratory, Center for Female Scientific and Medical Colleges, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Autism Research and Treatment Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Geir Bjørklund
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Toften 24, 8610, Mo i Rana, Norway.
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- Orenburg State University, Orenburg, Russia
- Orenburg State Medical University, Orenburg, Russia
- Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - Anatoly V Skalny
- Orenburg State Medical University, Orenburg, Russia
- Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
- RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Moscow, Russia
| | - Hussain Al Dera
- Basic Medical Science Department, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Skalny AV, Simashkova NV, Klyushnik TP, Grabeklis AR, Bjørklund G, Skalnaya MG, Nikonorov AA, Tinkov AA. Hair toxic and essential trace elements in children with autism spectrum disorder. Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:195-202. [PMID: 27581303 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-016-9899-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the study was to investigate hair trace elements content in children suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 74 ASD children and 74 sex- and age-matched controls divided into two age groups (2-4 and 5-9 years) were investigated. Hair trace elements content was assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A general cohort of ASD children was characterized by 29 %, 41 %, and 24 % lower hair levels of chromium (Cr), iodine (I), and vanadium (V), respectively, whereas the level of selenium (Se) exceeded the respective control values by 31 %. In ASD children aged 2-4 years hair Cr, I and V content was 68 %, 36 % and 41 % lower than in the controls. Older ASD children were characterized by 45 % increase in hair Se levels. In a general cohort of ASD children hair beryllium (Be) and tin (Sn) levels were 50 % and 34 % lower than the control values. In the first age group (2-4 years) of ASD children 34 %, 42 %, and 73 % lower levels of arsenic (As), boron (B), and Be were detected. In the second age group of ASD children only a nearly significant 25 % decrease in hair lead (Pb) was detected. Surprisingly, no significant group difference in hair mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) content was detected. Generally, the results of the present study demonstrate that children with ASD are characterized by lower values in hair of not only essential but also toxic trace elements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anatoly V Skalny
- All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Moscow, Russia.
- Orenburg State University, Orenburg, Russia.
- Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia.
- RUDN University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Natalia V Simashkova
- Scientific Center for Mental Health, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana P Klyushnik
- Scientific Center for Mental Health, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Geir Bjørklund
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Mo i Rana, Norway
| | - Margarita G Skalnaya
- RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- Russian Society of Trace Elements in Medicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr A Nikonorov
- Orenburg State University, Orenburg, Russia
- Department of Biochemistry, Orenburg State Medical University, Orenburg, Russia
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- Orenburg State University, Orenburg, Russia
- Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
- RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biochemistry, Orenburg State Medical University, Orenburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Domingues VF, Nasuti C, Piangerelli M, Correia-Sá L, Ghezzo A, Marini M, Abruzzo PM, Visconti P, Giustozzi M, Rossi G, Gabbianelli R. Pyrethroid Pesticide Metabolite in Urine and Microelements in Hair of Children Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Investigation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:388. [PMID: 27482573 PMCID: PMC4847050 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13040388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The number of children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is dramatically increasing as well as the studies aimed at understanding the risk factors associated with the development of ASD. Since the etiology of ASD is partly genetic and partly environmental, factors (i.e., heavy metals, pesticides) as well as lifestyle seem to have a key role in the development of the disease. ASD and Control (CTR) children, aged 5–12 years, were compared. Gas chromatography coupled with trap mass detector was used to measure the level of 3-PBA, the main pyrethroid metabolite in urine in a group of ASD patients, while optical emission spectrometry analysis was employed to estimate the level of metals and microelements in hair in a different group of ASD children. The presence of 3-PBA in urine seems to be independent of age in ASD children, while a positive correlation between 3-PBA and age was observed in the control group of the same age range. Urine concentration of 3-BPA in ASD children had higher values than in the control group, which were marginally significant (p = 0.054). Mg results were significantly decreased in ASD with respect to controls, while V, S, Zn, and Ca/Mg were marginally increased, without reaching statistical significance. Results of Principal Component (PC) analysis of metals and microelements in hair were not associated with either age or health status. In conclusion, 3-PBA in urine and Mg in hair were changed in ASD children relative to control ones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina F. Domingues
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; (V.F.D.); (L.C.-S.)
| | - Cinzia Nasuti
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
| | - Marco Piangerelli
- Computer Science Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
| | - Luísa Correia-Sá
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; (V.F.D.); (L.C.-S.)
| | - Alessandro Ghezzo
- DIMES, School of Medicine, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy and Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, 20162 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (M.M.); (P.M.A.)
| | - Marina Marini
- DIMES, School of Medicine, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy and Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, 20162 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (M.M.); (P.M.A.)
| | - Provvidenza M. Abruzzo
- DIMES, School of Medicine, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy and Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, 20162 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (M.M.); (P.M.A.)
| | - Paola Visconti
- IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences-Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | | | - Gerardo Rossi
- Laboratorio NovEra srl, 62012 Civitanova Marche, Italy; (M.G.); (G.R.)
| | - Rosita Gabbianelli
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-737-403208
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Role of Metabolic Genes in Blood Aluminum Concentrations of Jamaican Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13111095. [PMID: 27834815 PMCID: PMC5129305 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13111095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Aluminum is a neurotoxic metal with known health effects in animals and humans. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) genes and enzymes play a major role in detoxification of several heavy metals. Besides a direct relationship with oxidative stress; aluminum decreases GST enzyme activities. Using data from 116 Jamaican children; age 2–8 years; with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 116 sex- and age-matched typically developing (TD) children; we investigated the association of polymorphisms in three GST genes (GSTP1; GSTM1; and GSTT1) with mean blood aluminum concentrations in children with and without ASD. Using log-transformed blood aluminum concentration as the dependent variable in a linear regression model; we assessed the additive and interactive effects of ASD status and polymorphisms in the three aforementioned GST genes in relation to blood aluminum concentrations. Although none of the additive effects were statistically significant (all p > 0.16); we observed a marginally significant interaction between GSTP1 Ile105Val (rs1695) and ASD status (p = 0.07); even after controlling for parental education level and consumption of avocado; root vegetables; and tuna (canned fish). Our findings indicate a significantly lower (p < 0.03) adjusted geometric mean blood aluminum concentration for TD children who had the Val/Val genotype (14.57 µg/L); compared with those with Ile/Ile or Ile/Val genotypes who had an adjusted geometric mean of 23.75 µg/L. However; this difference was not statistically significant among the ASD cases (p = 0.76). Our findings indicate that ASD status may be a potential effect modifier when assessing the association between GSTP1 rs1695 and blood aluminum concentrations among Jamaican children. These findings require replication in other populations.
Collapse
|