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Van Buren E, Azzara D, Rangel-Moreno J, Garcia-Hernandez MDLL, Murphy SP, Cohen ED, Lewis E, Lin X, Park HR. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals placental response under environmental stress. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6549. [PMID: 39095385 PMCID: PMC11297347 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The placenta is crucial for fetal development, yet the impact of environmental stressors such as arsenic exposure remains poorly understood. We apply single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze the response of the mouse placenta to arsenic, revealing cell-type-specific gene expression, function, and pathological changes. Notably, the Prap1 gene, which encodes proline-rich acidic protein 1 (PRAP1), is significantly upregulated in 26 placental cell types including various trophoblast cells. Our study shows a female-biased increase in PRAP1 in response to arsenic and localizes it in the placenta. In vitro and ex vivo experiments confirm PRAP1 upregulation following arsenic treatment and demonstrate that recombinant PRAP1 protein reduces arsenic-induced cytotoxicity and downregulates cell cycle pathways in human trophoblast cells. Moreover, PRAP1 knockdown differentially affects cell cycle processes, proliferation, and cell death depending on the presence of arsenic. Our findings provide insights into the placental response to environmental stress, offering potential preventative and therapeutic approaches for environment-related adverse outcomes in mothers and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Van Buren
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Azzara
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Javier Rangel-Moreno
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - Shawn P Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Ethan D Cohen
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Ethan Lewis
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Xihong Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Statistics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hae-Ryung Park
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
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2
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Rychlik KA, Illingworth EJ, Sanchez IF, Attreed SE, Sinha P, Casin KM, Taube N, Loube J, Tasneen R, Kabir R, Nuermberger E, Mitzner W, Kohr MJ, Sillé FCM. Long-term effects of prenatal arsenic exposure from gestational day 9 to birth on lung, heart, and immune outcomes in the C57BL/6 mouse model. Toxicol Lett 2023; 383:17-32. [PMID: 37244563 PMCID: PMC10527152 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal arsenic exposure is a major public health concern, associated with altered birth outcomes and increased respiratory disease risk. However, characterization of the long-term effects of mid-pregnancy (second trimester) arsenic exposure on multiple organ systems is scant. This study aimed to characterize the long-term impact of mid-pregnancy inorganic arsenic exposure on the lung, heart, and immune system, including infectious disease response using the C57BL/6 mouse model. Mice were exposed from gestational day 9 till birth to either 0 or 1000 µg/L sodium (meta)arsenite in drinking water. Male and female offspring assessed at adulthood (10-12 weeks of age) did not show significant effects on recovery outcomes after ischemia reperfusion injury but did exhibit increased airway hyperresponsiveness compared to controls. Flow cytometric analysis revealed significantly greater total numbers of cells in arsenic-exposed lungs, lower MHCII expression in natural killer cells, and increased percentages of dendritic cell populations. Activated interstitial (IMs) and alveolar macrophages (AMs) isolated from arsenic-exposed male mice produced significantly less IFN-γ than controls. Conversely, activated AMs from arsenic-exposed females produced significantly more IFN-γ than controls. Although systemic cytokine levels were higher upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection in prenatally arsenic-exposed offspring there was no difference in lung Mtb burden compared to controls. This study highlights significant long-term impacts of prenatal arsenic exposure on lung and immune cell function. These effects may contribute to the elevated risk of respiratory diseases associated with prenatal arsenic exposure in epidemiology studies and point to the need for more research into mechanisms driving these maintained responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristal A Rychlik
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Public Health Program, School of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX, USA
| | - Emily J Illingworth
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ian F Sanchez
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah E Attreed
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA/ARS Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Plum Island, CT, USA
| | - Prithvi Sinha
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kevin M Casin
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nicole Taube
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeff Loube
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rokeya Tasneen
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Raihan Kabir
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric Nuermberger
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wayne Mitzner
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark J Kohr
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fenna C M Sillé
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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3
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Griffith JA, Dunn A, DeVallance E, Schafner KJ, Engles KJ, Batchelor TP, Goldsmith WT, Wix K, Hussain S, Bowdridge EC, Nurkiewicz TR. Maternal nano-titanium dioxide inhalation alters fetoplacental outcomes in a sexually dimorphic manner. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1096173. [PMID: 36950144 PMCID: PMC10025460 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1096173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The placenta plays a critical role in nutrient-waste exchange between the maternal and fetal circulations, thus functioning as an interface that profoundly impacts fetal growth and development. The placenta has long been considered an asexual organ, but, due to its embryonic origin it shares the same sex as the fetus. Exposures to toxicant such as diesel exhaust, have been shown to result in sexually dimorphic outcomes like decreased placental mass in exposed females. Therefore, we hypothesize that maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure during gestation alters placental hemodynamics in a sexually dimorphic manner. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed from gestational day 10-19 to nano-TiO2 aerosols (12.17 ± 1.69 mg/m3) or filtered air (sham-control). Dams were euthanized on GD20, and fetal tissue was collected based on fetal sex: whole placentas, placental junctional zone (JZ), and placental labyrinth zone (LZ). Fetal mass, placental mass, and placental zone percent areas were assessed for sex-based differences. Exposed fetal females were significantly smaller compared to their exposed male counterparts (2.65 ± 0.03 g vs 2.78 ± 0.04 g). Nano-TiO2 exposed fetal females had a significantly decreased percent junctional zone area compared to the sham-control females (24.37 ± 1.30% vs 30.39 ± 1.54%). The percent labyrinth zone area was significantly increased for nano-TiO2 females compared to sham-control females (75.63 ± 1.30% vs 69.61 ± 1.54%). Placental flow and hemodynamics were assessed with a variety of vasoactive substances. It was found that nano-TiO2 exposed fetal females only had a significant decrease in outflow pressure in the presence of the thromboxane (TXA2) mimetic, U46619, compared to sham-control fetal females (3.97 ± 1.30 mm Hg vs 9.10 ± 1.07 mm Hg) and nano-TiO2 fetal males (9.96 ± 0.66 mm Hg). Maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure has a greater effect on fetal female mass, placental zone mass and area, and adversely impacts placental vasoreactivity. This may influence the female growth and development later in life, future studies need to further study the impact of maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure on zone specific mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Griffith
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Allison Dunn
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Evan DeVallance
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Kallie J. Schafner
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Kevin J. Engles
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Thomas P. Batchelor
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - William T. Goldsmith
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Kimberley Wix
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Salik Hussain
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Elizabeth C. Bowdridge
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Timothy R. Nurkiewicz
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
- Center for Inhalation Toxicology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, United States
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Singh RD, Tiwari R, Sharma V, Khan H, Gangopadhyay S, Singh S, Koshta K, Shukla S, Arjaria N, Mandrah K, Jagdale PR, Patnaik S, Roy SK, Singh D, Giri AK, Srivastava V. Prenatal arsenic exposure induces immunometabolic alteration and renal injury in rats. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:1045692. [PMID: 36714129 PMCID: PMC9874122 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1045692] [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: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Arsenic (As) exposure is progressively associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a leading public health concern present worldwide. The adverse effect of As exposure on the kidneys of people living in As endemic areas have not been extensively studied. Furthermore, the impact of only prenatal exposure to As on the progression of CKD also has not been fully characterized. In the present study, we examined the effect of prenatal exposure to low doses of As 0.04 and 0.4 mg/kg body weight (0.04 and 0.4 ppm, respectively) on the progression of CKD in male offspring using a Wistar rat model. Interestingly, only prenatal As exposure was sufficient to elevate the expression of profibrotic (TGF-β1) and proinflammatory (IL-1α, MIP-2α, RANTES, and TNF-α) cytokines at 2-day, 12- and 38-week time points in the exposed progeny. Further, alteration in adipogenic factors (ghrelin, leptin, and glucagon) was also observed in 12- and 38-week old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. An altered level of these factors coincides with impaired glucose metabolism and homeostasis accompanied by progressive kidney damage. We observed a significant increase in the deposition of extracellular matrix components and glomerular and tubular damage in the kidneys of 38-week-old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. Furthermore, the overexpression of TGF-β1 in kidneys corresponds with hypermethylation of the TGF-β1 gene-body, indicating a possible involvement of prenatal As exposure-driven epigenetic modulations of TGF-β1 expression. Our study provides evidence that prenatal As exposure to males can adversely affect the immunometabolism of offspring which can promote kidney damage later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radha Dutt Singh
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India,Radha Dutt Singh, ,
| | - Ratnakar Tiwari
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vineeta Sharma
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Hafizurrahman Khan
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Siddhartha Gangopadhyay
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Sukhveer Singh
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Kavita Koshta
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Shagun Shukla
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nidhi Arjaria
- Advanced Imaging Facility, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kapil Mandrah
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India,Regulatory Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pankaj Ramji Jagdale
- Regulatory Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Satyakam Patnaik
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India,Regulatory Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Somendu Kumar Roy
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India,Regulatory Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Dhirendra Singh
- Regulatory Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ashok Kumar Giri
- Molecular and Human Genetics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Vikas Srivastava
- Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India,*Correspondence: Vikas Srivastava, ,
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5
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Crute CE, Hall SM, Landon CD, Garner A, Everitt JI, Zhang S, Blake B, Olofsson D, Chen H, Murphy SK, Stapleton HM, Feng L. Evaluating maternal exposure to an environmental per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mixture during pregnancy: Adverse maternal and fetoplacental effects in a New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156499. [PMID: 35679923 PMCID: PMC9374364 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are often found in drinking water, and serum PFAS are detected in up to 99% of the population. However, very little is known about how exposure to mixtures of PFAS affects maternal and fetal health. The aim of this study was to investigate maternal, fetal, and placental outcomes after preconceptional and gestational exposure to an environmentally relevant PFAS mixture in a New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit model. Dams were exposed via drinking water to control (no detectable PFAS) or a PFAS mixture for 32 days. This mixture was formulated with PFAS to resemble levels measured in tap water from Pittsboro, NC (10 PFAS compounds; total PFAS load = 758.6 ng/L). Maternal, fetal, and placental outcomes were evaluated at necropsy. Thyroid hormones were measured in maternal serum and kit blood. Placental gene expression was evaluated by RNAseq and qPCR. PFAS exposure resulted in higher body weight (p = 0.01), liver (p = 0.01) and kidney (p = 0.01) weights, blood pressure (p = 0.05), and BUN:CRE ratio (p = 0.04) in dams, along with microscopic changes in renal cortices. Fetal weight, measures, and histopathology were unchanged, but a significant interaction between dose and sex was detected in the fetal: placental weight ratio (p = 0.036). Placental macroscopic changes were present in PFAS-exposed dams. Dam serum showed lower T4 and a higher T3:T4 ratio, although not statistically significant. RNAseq revealed that 11 of the 14 differentially expressed genes (adj. p < 0.1) are involved in placentation or pregnancy complications. In summary, exposure elicited maternal weight gain and signs of hypertension, renal injury, sex-specific changes in placental response, and differential expression of genes involved in placentation and preeclampsia. Importantly, these are the first results to show adverse maternal and placental effects of an environmentally-relevant PFAS mixture in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Crute
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Samantha M Hall
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Chelsea D Landon
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Angela Garner
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey I Everitt
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Bevin Blake
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Didrik Olofsson
- Omiqa Bioinformatics GmbH, Altensteinstasse 40, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Henry Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Susan K Murphy
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Liping Feng
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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6
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Dutta S, Gorain B, Choudhury H, Roychoudhury S, Sengupta P. Environmental and occupational exposure of metals and female reproductive health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:62067-62092. [PMID: 34558053 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16581-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Untainted environment promotes health, but the last few decades experienced steep upsurge in environmental contaminants posing detrimental physiological impact. The responsible factors mainly include the exponential growth of human population, havoc rise in industrialization, poorly planned urbanization, and slapdash environment management. Environmental degradation can increase the likelihood of human exposure to heavy metals, resulting in health consequences such as reproductive problems. As a result, research into metal-induced causes of reproductive impairment at the genetic, epigenetic, and biochemical levels must be strengthened further. These metals impact upon the female reproduction at all strata of its regulation and functions, be it development, maturation, or endocrine functions, and are linked to an increase in the causes of infertility in women. Chronic exposures to the heavy metals may lead to breast cancer, endometriosis, endometrial cancer, menstrual disorders, and spontaneous abortions, as well as pre-term deliveries, stillbirths. For example, endometriosis, endometrial cancer, and spontaneous abortions are all caused by the metalloestrogen cadmium (Cd); lead (Pb) levels over a certain threshold can cause spontaneous abortion and have a teratogenic impact; toxic amounts of mercury (Hg) have an influence on the menstrual cycle, which can lead to infertility. Impact of environmental exposure to heavy metals on female fertility is therefore a well-known fact. Thus, the underlying mechanisms must be explained and periodically updated, given the growing evidence on the influence of increasing environmental heavy metal load on female fertility. The purpose of this review is to give a concise overview of how heavy metal affects female reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Dutta
- Department of Oral Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia
| | - Bapi Gorain
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Hira Choudhury
- School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Pallav Sengupta
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia.
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7
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Negro Silva LF, Makhani K, Lemaire M, Lemarié CA, Plourde D, Bolt AM, Chiavatti C, Bohle DS, Lehoux S, Goldberg MS, Mann KK. Sex-Specific Effects of Prenatal and Early Life Inorganic and Methylated Arsenic Exposure on Atherosclerotic Plaque Development and Composition in Adult ApoE-/- Mice. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:57008. [PMID: 34014776 PMCID: PMC8136521 DOI: 10.1289/ehp8171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies indicate that early life arsenic exposures are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Different oxidation and methylation states of arsenic exist in the environment and are formed in vivo via the action of arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3MT). Methylated arsenicals are pro-atherogenic postnatally, but pre- and perinatal effects are unclear. This is particularly important because methylated arsenicals are known to cross the placenta. OBJECTIVES We tested the effects of early life exposure to inorganic and methylated arsenicals on atherosclerotic plaque formation and its composition in apolipoprotein E knock-out (apoE-/-) mice and evaluated whether apoE-/- mice lacking As3MT expression were susceptible to this effect. METHODS We exposed apoE-/- or apoE-/-/As3MT-/- mice to 200 ppb inorganic or methylated arsenic in the drinking water from conception to weaning and assessed atherosclerotic plaques in the offspring at 18 wk of age. Mixed regression models were used to estimate the mean difference in each outcome relative to controls, adjusting for sex and including a random effects term to account for within-litter clustering. RESULTS Early life exposure to inorganic arsenic, and more profoundly methylated arsenicals, resulted in significantly larger plaques in the aortic arch and sinus in both sexes. Lipid levels in these plaques were higher without a substantial difference in macrophage numbers. Smooth muscle cell content was not altered, but collagen content was lower. Importantly, there were sex-specific differences in these observations, where males had higher lipids and lower collagen in the plaque, but females did not. In mice lacking As3MT, arsenic did not alter the plaque size, although the size was highly variable. In addition, control apoE-/-/As3MT-/- mice had significantly larger plaque size compared with control apoE-/-. CONCLUSION This study shows that early life exposure to inorganic and methylated arsenicals is pro-atherogenic with sex-specific differences in plaque composition and a potential role for As3MT in mice. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8171.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kiran Makhani
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maryse Lemaire
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine A. Lemarié
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- EA3878, European University of Occidental Brittany, Brest, France
- UMR 1078, Institut national de la santé et de la recherché médicale, Brest, France
| | - Dany Plourde
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alicia M. Bolt
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher Chiavatti
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - D. Scott Bohle
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Lehoux
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mark S. Goldberg
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Koren K. Mann
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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8
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Song L, Liu B, Wang L, Wu M, Zhang L, Liu Y, Bi J, Yang S, Zhang B, Xia W, Xu S, Chen R, Cao Z, Wang Y. Exposure to arsenic during pregnancy and newborn mitochondrial DNA copy number: A birth cohort study in Wuhan, China. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 243:125335. [PMID: 31765894 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arsenic (As) is a widely distributed environmental chemical with potentially different toxicities. However, little is known about the impact of maternal As exposure on newborn mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), which may lie on the pathway linking As exposure to adverse health impacts. OBJECTIVES We aimed to explore whether maternal As exposure was associated with newborn mtDNAcn. METHODS We conducted a birth cohort study of 762 mother-infant pairs in Wuhan, China, 2013-2015. Cord blood mtDNAcn was determined using qPCR. Maternal urinary As levels in each trimester were quantified by ICP-MS. Multiple informant models were used to examine the associations of repeated urinary As levels with cord blood mtDNAcn. RESULTS The median urinary As levels in the first, second, and third trimesters were 17.2 μg/L, 16.0 μg/L, and 17.0 μg/L, respectively. In the multivariate model, each doubling increase in the first-trimester urinary As level was associated with a 6.6% (95% CI: -12.4%, -0.5%) decrease in cord blood mtDNAcn. The highest versus lowest quintile of first-trimester urinary As level was associated with a 19.0% (95% CI: -32.9%, -2.2%) lower cord blood mtDNAcn. No significant associations of urinary As levels in the second and third trimesters with cord blood mtDNAcn were observed. The inverse relationship between first-trimester urinary As level and cord blood mtDNAcn was more pronounced among female infants. CONCLUSIONS First-trimester As exposure was related to decreased cord blood mtDNAcn. The potential health impacts of decreased mtDNAcn in early life need to be further clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bingqing Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulin Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingyang Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yunyun Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jianing Bi
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Senbei Yang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ruoling Chen
- Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Zhongqiang Cao
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Youjie Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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9
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Muse ME, Li Z, Baker ER, Cottingham KL, Korrick SA, Karagas MR, Gilbert-Diamond D. Relation between in utero arsenic exposure and growth during the first year of life in a New Hampshire pregnancy cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108604. [PMID: 31710845 PMCID: PMC7333643 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have previously reported that in utero arsenic exposure is associated with increased length and other anthropometric outcomes at birth in a U.S. cohort. However, it is unknown whether these anthropometric differences persist through early life. OBJECTIVES We assessed in utero arsenic exposure in relation to attained anthropometry and growth trajectories through the first year of life. METHODS Among 760 mother-infant pairs from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, we assessed in utero arsenic exposure using maternal second trimester urinary arsenic and assessed infant growth from medical records. RESULTS Median maternal second trimester total urinary arsenic (tAs; inorganic arsenic + monomethylarsonic acid + dimethylarsinic acid) was 3.96 μg/L (IQR: 2.02, 6.72). In adjusted linear mixed effects models, each doubling of maternal urinary tAs was associated with a 0.05 increase in length WHO Z score (95% CI: 0, 0.09) over the first year of life which corresponds to an approximately 0.12 cm increase in males and 0.13 cm increase in females at 12 months. No associations were observed between urinary tAs and attained weight, weight-for-length, or head circumference. In adjusted piecewise linear mixed effects models, each doubling of urinary tAs was associated with a 0.07 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.12) cm per month decreased length growth rate through 3.5 months with no evidence of an association thereafter. No associations were observed between urinary tAs and infant weight gain or change in weight-for-length and head circumference through one year. CONCLUSIONS On average, infants exposed to higher in utero arsenic attained modestly longer length during the first year, despite having slower linear growth in the first 3.5 months of life. This suggests that the previously demonstrated arsenic-associated longer length among study infants at birth persists through the first year of life. No other anthropometric associations with in utero arsenic exposure were observed across the full study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E Muse
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA.
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Emily R Baker
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Kathryn L Cottingham
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Diane Gilbert-Diamond
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
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10
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Winterbottom EF, Ban Y, Sun X, Capobianco AJ, Marsit CJ, Chen X, Wang L, Karagas MR, Robbins DJ. Transcriptome-wide analysis of changes in the fetal placenta associated with prenatal arsenic exposure in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. Environ Health 2019; 18:100. [PMID: 31752878 PMCID: PMC6868717 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0535-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to arsenic, even at common environmental levels, adversely affects child health. These adverse effects include impaired fetal growth, which can carry serious health implications lifelong. However, the mechanisms by which arsenic affects fetal health and development remain unclear. METHODS We addressed this question using a group of 46 pregnant women selected from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS), a US cohort exposed to low-to-moderate arsenic levels in drinking water through the use of unregulated private wells. Prenatal arsenic exposure was assessed using maternal urine samples taken at mid-gestation. Samples of the fetal portion of the placenta were taken from the base of the umbilical cord insertion at the time of delivery, stored in RNAlater and frozen. We used RNA sequencing to analyze changes in global gene expression in the fetal placenta associated with in utero arsenic exposure, adjusting for maternal age. Gene set enrichment analysis and enrichment mapping were then used to identify biological processes represented by the differentially expressed genes. Since our previous analyses have identified considerable sex differences in placental gene expression associated with arsenic exposure, we analyzed male and female samples separately. RESULTS At FDR < 0.05, no genes were differentially expressed in female placenta, while 606 genes were differentially expressed in males. Genes showing the most significant associations with arsenic exposure in females were LEMD1 and UPK3B (fold changes 2.51 and 2.48), and in males, FIBIN and RANBP3L (fold changes 0.14 and 0.15). In gene set enrichment analyses, at FDR < 0.05, a total of 211 gene sets were enriched with differentially expressed genes in female placenta, and 154 in male placenta. In female but not male placenta, 103 of these gene sets were also associated with reduced birth weight. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal multiple biological functions in the fetal placenta that are potentially affected by increased arsenic exposure, a subset of which is sex-dependent. Further, our data suggest that in female infants, the mechanisms underlying the arsenic-induced reduction of birth weight may involve activation of stress response pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily F Winterbottom
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
| | - Yuguang Ban
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Xiaodian Sun
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Anthony J Capobianco
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Lily Wang
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - David J Robbins
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
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11
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Song L, Liu B, Zhang L, Wu M, Wang L, Cao Z, Zhang B, Li Y, Wang Y, Xu S. Association of prenatal exposure to arsenic with newborn telomere length: Results from a birth cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 175:442-448. [PMID: 31158562 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The telomere length at birth has important implications for telomere dynamics over the lifespan; however, few studies have explored the relationship between prenatal arsenic exposure and newborn telomere length (TL). We investigated whether newborn TL is related to prenatal arsenic exposure. METHODS We used data from a birth cohort study of 762 mother-newborn pairs conducted between November 2013 and March 2015 in Wuhan, China. We measured relative cord blood TL using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Arsenic concentrations were measured in spot urine samples collected during three trimesters using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We applied multiple informant models to explore the relationships between prenatal urinary arsenic concentrations and cord blood TL. RESULTS The geometric means of urinary arsenic concentrations were 21.7 μg/g creatinine, 27.3 μg/g creatinine, and 27.1 μg/g creatinine in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, a doubling of maternal urinary arsenic concentration during the third trimester was related to a 5.75% (95% CI: 1.70%, 9.95%) increase in cord blood TL, particularly in female infants. Similarly, mothers in the highest quartile of urinary arsenic during the third trimester had an 11.45% (95% CI: 1.91%, 21.88%) longer cord blood TL than those in the lowest quartile. However, no significant association was found between maternal urinary arsenic concentration and cord blood TL during the first and second trimesters. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that maternal arsenic exposure during the third trimester was positively associated with newborn TL. The elongation of newborn telomeres due to prenatal arsenic exposure may offer new insights into the mechanisms underlying arsenic-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bingqing Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingyang Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulin Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhongqiang Cao
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Youjie Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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12
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Winterbottom EF, Moroishi Y, Halchenko Y, Armstrong DA, Beach PJ, Nguyen QP, Capobianco AJ, Ayad NG, Marsit CJ, Li Z, Karagas MR, Robbins DJ. Prenatal arsenic exposure alters the placental expression of multiple epigenetic regulators in a sex-dependent manner. Environ Health 2019; 18:18. [PMID: 30819207 PMCID: PMC6396530 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to arsenic has been linked to a range of adverse health conditions in later life. Such fetal origins of disease are frequently the result of environmental effects on the epigenome, leading to long-term alterations in gene expression. Several studies have demonstrated effects of prenatal arsenic exposure on DNA methylation; however the impact of arsenic on the generation and decoding of post-translational histone modifications (PTHMs) is less well characterized, and has not been studied in the context of prenatal human exposures. METHODS In the current study, we examined the effect of exposure to low-to-moderate levels of arsenic in a US birth cohort, on the expression of 138 genes encoding key epigenetic regulators in the fetal portion of the placenta. Our candidate genes included readers, writers and erasers of PTHMs, and chromatin remodelers. RESULTS Arsenic exposure was associated with the expression of 27 of the 138 epigenetic genes analyzed. When the cohort was stratified by fetal sex, arsenic exposure was associated with the expression of 40 genes in male fetal placenta, and only 3 non-overlapping genes in female fetal placenta. In particular, we identified an inverse relationship between arsenic exposure and expression of the gene encoding the histone methyltransferase, PRDM6 (p < 0.001). Mutation of PRDM6 has been linked to the congenital heart defect, patent ductus arteriosus. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that prenatal arsenic exposure may have sex-specific effects on the fetal epigenome, which could plausibly contribute to its subsequent health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily F. Winterbottom
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Yuka Moroishi
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Yuliya Halchenko
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - David A. Armstrong
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756 USA
| | - Paul J. Beach
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Quang P. Nguyen
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Anthony J. Capobianco
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Nagi G. Ayad
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - David J. Robbins
- Molecular Oncology Program, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
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13
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Sobolewski M, Conrad K, Marvin E, Allen JL, Cory-Slechta DA. Endocrine active metals, prenatal stress and enhanced neurobehavioral disruption. Horm Behav 2018; 101:36-49. [PMID: 29355495 PMCID: PMC5970043 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Metals, including lead (Pb), methylmercury (MeHg) and arsenic (As), are long-known developmental neurotoxicants. More recently, environmental context has been recognized to modulate metals toxicity, including nutritional state and stress exposure. Modulation of metal toxicity by stress exposure can occur through shared targeting of endocrine systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Our previous rodent research has identified that prenatal stress (PS) modulates neurotoxicity of two endocrine active metals (EAMs), Pb and MeHg, by altering HPA and CNS systems disrupting behavior. Here, we review this research and further test the hypothesis that prenatal stress modulates metals neurotoxicity by expanding to test the effect of developmental As ± PS exposure. Serum corticosterone and behavior was assessed in offspring of dams exposed to As ± PS. PS increased female offspring serum corticosterone at birth, while developmental As exposure decreased adult serum corticosterone in both sexes. As + PS induced reductions in locomotor activity in females and reduced response rates on a Fixed Interval schedule of reinforcement in males, with the latter suggesting unique learning deficits only in the combined exposure. As-exposed males showed increased time in the open arms of an elevated plus maze and decreased novel object recognition whereas females did not. These data further confirm the hypothesis that combined exposure to chemical (EAMs) and non-chemical (PS) stressors results in enhanced neurobehavioral toxicity. Given that humans are exposed to multiple environmental risk factors that alter endocrine function in development, such models are critical for risk assessment and public health protection, particularly for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Sobolewski
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States. marissa:
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Elena Marvin
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Joshua L Allen
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
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14
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Stahl K, Rahmani S, Prydz A, Skauli N, MacAulay N, Mylonakou MN, Torp R, Skare Ø, Berg T, Leergaard TB, Paulsen RE, Ottersen OP, Amiry-Moghaddam M. Targeted deletion of the aquaglyceroporin AQP9 is protective in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194896. [PMID: 29566083 PMCID: PMC5864064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 90% of the cases of Parkinson’s disease have unknown etiology. Gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra is the main cause of morbidity in this disease. External factors such as environmental toxins are believed to play a role in the cell loss, although the cause of the selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons remains unknown. We have previously shown that aquaglyceroporin AQP9 is expressed in dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes of rodent brain. AQP9 is permeable to a broad spectrum of substrates including purines, pyrimidines, and lactate, in addition to water and glycerol. Here we test our hypothesis that AQP9 serves as an influx route for exogenous toxins and, hence, may contribute to the selective vulnerability of nigral dopaminergic (tyrosine hydroxylase-positive) neurons. Using Xenopus oocytes injected with Aqp9 cRNA, we show that AQP9 is permeable to the parkinsonogenic toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). Stable expression of AQP9 in HEK cells increases their vulnerability to MPP+ and to arsenite—another parkinsonogenic toxin. Conversely, targeted deletion of Aqp9 in mice protects nigral dopaminergic neurons against MPP+ toxicity. A protective effect of Aqp9 deletion was demonstrated in organotypic slice cultures of mouse midbrain exposed to MPP+in vitro and in mice subjected to intrastriatal injections of MPP+in vivo. Seven days after intrastriatal MPP+ injections, the population of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in substantia nigra is reduced by 48% in Aqp9 knockout mice compared with 67% in WT littermates. Our results show that AQP9 –selectively expressed in catecholaminergic neurons—is permeable to MPP+ and suggest that this aquaglyceroporin contributes to the selective vulnerability of nigral dopaminergic neurons by providing an entry route for parkinsonogenic toxins. To our knowledge this is the first evidence implicating a toxin permeable membrane channel in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease.
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MESH Headings
- 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/pharmacokinetics
- Animals
- Aquaporins/genetics
- Disease Models, Animal
- Dopaminergic Neurons/drug effects
- Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Deletion
- HEK293 Cells
- Humans
- MPTP Poisoning/genetics
- MPTP Poisoning/metabolism
- MPTP Poisoning/pathology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
- Neuroprotection/genetics
- Neuroprotective Agents/metabolism
- Parkinson Disease/genetics
- Parkinson Disease/pathology
- Parkinson Disease, Secondary/chemically induced
- Parkinson Disease, Secondary/genetics
- Parkinson Disease, Secondary/metabolism
- Parkinson Disease, Secondary/pathology
- Substantia Nigra/drug effects
- Substantia Nigra/metabolism
- Xenopus laevis
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Stahl
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Soulmaz Rahmani
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Agnete Prydz
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadia Skauli
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nanna MacAulay
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria N. Mylonakou
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Nordic EMBL Partnership, Norway Biotechnology Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Reidun Torp
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øivind Skare
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torill Berg
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trygve B. Leergaard
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ragnhild E. Paulsen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole P. Ottersen
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
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15
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Ponomarenko O, La Porte PF, Singh SP, Langan G, Fleming DEB, Spallholz JE, Alauddin M, Ahsan H, Ahmed S, Gailer J, George GN, Pickering IJ. Selenium-mediated arsenic excretion in mammals: a synchrotron-based study of whole-body distribution and tissue-specific chemistry. Metallomics 2017; 9:1585-1595. [PMID: 29058732 DOI: 10.1039/c7mt00201g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Arsenicosis, a syndrome caused by ingestion of arsenic contaminated drinking water, currently affects millions of people in South-East Asia and elsewhere. Previous animal studies revealed that the toxicity of arsenite essentially can be abolished if selenium is co-administered as selenite. Although subsequent studies have provided some insight into the biomolecular basis of this striking antagonism, many details of the biochemical pathways that ultimately result in the detoxification and excretion of arsenic using selenium supplements have yet to be thoroughly studied. To this end and in conjunction with the recent Phase III clinical trial "Selenium in the Treatment of Arsenic Toxicity and Cancers", we have applied synchrotron X-ray techniques to elucidate the mechanisms of this arsenic-selenium antagonism at the tissue and organ levels using an animal model. X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) of cryo-dried whole-body sections of laboratory hamsters that had been injected with arsenite, selenite, or both chemical species, provided insight into the distribution of both metalloids 30 minutes after treatment. Co-treated animals showed strong co-localization of arsenic and selenium in the liver, gall bladder and small intestine. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of freshly frozen organs of co-treated animals revealed the presence in liver tissues of the seleno bis-(S-glutathionyl) arsinium ion, which was rapidly excreted via bile into the intestinal tract. These results firmly support the previously postulated hepatobiliary excretion of the seleno bis-(S-glutathionyl) arsinium ion by providing the first data pertaining to organs of whole animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Ponomarenko
- Molecular and Environmental Science Research Group, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada.
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