Dataset Information

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Newborn Telomere Length: A Birth Cohort Study in Wuhan, China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Telomere length (TL) is a marker of biological aging and is inversely related to aging-related diseases. The setting of TL at birth may have important implications for lifelong telomere dynamics; however, its determinants remain poorly understood.

Objectives

The purpose of our study was to explore the relationships between prenatal exposure to phthalates and umbilical cord blood TL.

Methods

A total of 762 mother–newborn pairs were recruited from a birth cohort study performed between November 2013 and March 2015 in Wuhan, China. Relative cord blood TL was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Six phthalate metabolites were measured in urine samples acquired from pregnant women during the three trimesters. Multiple informant models were applied to estimate the associations between prenatal exposure to phthalates and cord blood TL and to evaluate potential windows of vulnerability.

Results

Exposure to mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ([Formula: see text]) during the first trimester were inversely related to cord blood TL. In addition, we observed a female-specific association between maternal exposure to MEP during the first trimester and cord blood TL ([Formula: see text]). The associations between maternal exposure to MECPP, MEHHP, MEOHP, and [Formula: see text] during the first trimester and cord blood TL were consistent between males and females (all [Formula: see text]).

Conclusion

This prospective study demonstrated that prenatal exposure to some phthalate metabolites were associated with shorter cord blood TL. Our results, if confirmed in other populations, may provide more evidence of adverse health outcomes of phthalate exposure and support the hypothesis that the intrauterine environment may be one of the major determinants for newborn TL. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4492.

SUBMITTER: Song L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6792351 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Newborn Telomere Length: A Birth Cohort Study in Wuhan, China.

Song Lulu L Liu Bingqing B Wu Mingyang M Zhang Lina L Wang Lulin L Zhang Bin B Xiong Chao C Li Yuanyuan Y Cao Zhongqiang Z Wang Youjie Y Xu Shunqing S

Environmental health perspectives 20190826 8

<h4>Background</h4>Telomere length (TL) is a marker of biological aging and is inversely related to aging-related diseases. The setting of TL at birth may have important implications for lifelong telomere dynamics; however, its determinants remain poorly understood.<h4>Objectives</h4>The purpose of our study was to explore the relationships between prenatal exposure to phthalates and umbilical cord blood TL.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of 762 mother–newborn pairs were recruited from a birth cohort st ...[more]

PMID: 31449465

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Project description:BackgroundTelomere length (TL) predicts the onset of cellular senescence and correlates with longevity and age-related disease risk. While telomeres erode throughout life, adults display fixed ranking and tracking of TL, supporting the importance of the early environment in determining inter-individual variability across the life course. Given their guanine-rich structure, telomeres are highly susceptible to oxidative stress (OS). We examined maternal metal exposure, which can induce OS, in relation to newborn TL. We also considered the modifying role of maternal antioxidant intake.MethodsAnalyses included 100 mother-newborn pairs enrolled in the Boston and New York City-based PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) pregnancy cohort. We measured As, Ba, Cd, Ni, and Pb in maternal late-pregnancy urine by ICP-MS and quantified relative leukocyte TL (rLTL) in cord blood using qPCR. We used Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression to estimate the metal mixture - rLTL association and conducted repeated holdout validation to improve the stability of estimates across data partitions. We examined models stratified by high (>median) versus low (≤median) maternal antioxidant intake, estimated from Block98 Food Frequency Questionnaires. We considered urinary creatinine, week of urine collection, maternal age, and race/ethnicity as covariates.ResultsIn adjusted models, urinary metals were inversely associated with newborn rLTL (βWQS = -0.50, 95% CI: -0.78, -0.21). The top metals contributing to the negative association included Ba (weight: 35.4%), Cd (24.5%) and Pb (26.9%). In models stratified by antioxidant intake, the significant inverse association between metals and rLTL remained only among mothers with low antioxidant intake (low: βWQS = -0.92, 95% CI: -1.53, -0.30; high: βWQS = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.58, 0.52). Results were similar in unadjusted models.ConclusionsRelative LTL was shorter among newborns of mothers with higher exposure to metals during pregnancy. Higher maternal antioxidant intake may mitigate the negative influence of metals on newborn rLTL.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Previous studies suggest that prenatal exposure to phthalates, ubiquitous synthetic chemicals, may adversely affect neurodevelopment. However, data are limited on how phthalates affect cognition, executive function, and behavioral function into adolescence. OBJECTIVE:We aimed to investigate associations of prenatal phthalate exposure with neurodevelopment in childhood and adolescence in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study. METHODS:We examined associations between maternal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations measured twice during pregnancy and a range of neurodevelopmental outcomes from ages 7 through 16 y in the CHAMACOS birth cohort (n=334). We used age-specific linear regression models and generalized estimating equation models to assess longitudinal effects and examined differences by sex. RESULTS:Phthalate metabolites were detected in 88%-100% of samples, depending on the metabolite. Associations of phthalates with neurodevelopmental outcomes were largely null with some noteworthy patterns. Higher prenatal concentrations of metabolites of low-molecular weight phthalates (?LMW) were associated with more self-reported hyperactivity [?=0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1, 1.4 per 2-fold increase in ?LMW phthalates], attention problems (?=1.5, 95% CI: 0.7, 2.2), and anxiety (?=0.9, 95% CI: 0.0, 1.8) at age 16. We observed sex-specific differences for the sums of high-molecular-weight and di(2-ethylhexyl) metabolites and cognitive outcomes (e.g., ? for Full-Scale IQ for boys=-1.9, 95% CI: -4.1, 0.3 and -1.7, 95% CI: -3.8, 0.3, respectively; ? for girls=1.8, 95% CI: 0.1, 3.4 and 1.6, 95% CI: 0.0, 3.2, respectively; p-int=0.01 for both). CONCLUSION:We found predominantly null associations of prenatal phthalates with neurodevelopment in CHAMACOS, and weak associations of ?LMW phthalates with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence. No previous studies have examined associations of prenatal phthalate exposure with neurodevelopment into adolescence, an important time for manifestations of effects. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5165.

Project description:BackgroundTelomere length (TL) is variable at birth and is inversely associated with body mass index (BMI) in adulthood. A growing number of evidences suggested that a higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI results in adverse offspring health outcomes, especially shorter newborn TL. However, a newborn's genetic endowment is equally derived from both parents, the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL has been rarely discussed. We aimed to determine the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL.MethodsA total of 1082 parent-newborn pairs were recruited from the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort (GZBC). TL in cord blood was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and expressed as the ratio of telomere copy number to single-copy gene number (T/S). A series of linear regressions were performed to assess the associations between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL.ResultsMothers who were overweight before pregnancy had significantly shorter cord blood telomere length in their newborns than those who were normal weight before pregnancy [percentage change: - 7.96% (95% CI: - 14.49 to - 0.69%; P = 0.032)]. Further analysis of the combined effects of parental weight status on newborn TL showed that TL was significantly shortened among newborns whose mothers were overweight and fathers were of healthy weight when compared with those whose mothers and fathers were both of normal weight [percentage change: - 8.38% (95% CI: - 15.47 to - 0.92%; P = 0.028)]. Subgroup analysis indicated these effects were more pronounced among male newborns and those whose paternal age < 31 years or maternal age ≥ 28 years at delivery.ConclusionsMaternal pre-pregnancy overweight, but not paternal pre-pregnancy overweight is associated with shorter newborn TL. Weight control in reproductive women and effective healthy weight management before pregnancy may be of particular benefit for improving longevity and life quality of offspring.

Project description:BackgroundPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are endocrine disrupting chemicals with widespread exposures across the U.S. given their abundance in consumer products. PFAS and PBDEs are associated with reproductive toxicity and adverse health outcomes, including certain cancers. PFAS and PBDEs may affect health through alternations in telomere length. In this study, we examined joint associations between prenatal exposure to PFAS, PBDEs, and maternal and newborn telomere length using mixture analyses, to characterize effects of cumulative environmental chemical exposures.MethodsStudy participants were enrolled in the Chemicals in Our Bodies (CIOB) study, a demographically diverse cohort of pregnant people and children in San Francisco, CA. Seven PFAS (ng/mL) and four PBDEs (ng/g lipid) were measured in second trimester maternal serum samples. Telomere length (T/S ratio) was measured in delivery cord blood of 292 newborns and 110 second trimester maternal whole blood samples. Quantile g-computation was used to assess the joint associations between groups of PFAS and PBDEs and newborn and maternal telomere length. Groups considered were: (1) all PFAS and PBDEs combined, (2) PFAS, and (3) PBDEs. Maternal and newborn telomere length were modeled as separate outcomes.ResultsT/S ratios in newborn cord and maternal whole blood were moderately correlated (Spearman ρ = 0.31). In mixtures analyses, a simultaneous one quartile increase in all PFAS and PBDEs was associated with a small increase in newborn (mean change per quartile increase = 0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.03, 0.08) and maternal telomere length (mean change per quartile increase = 0.03 (95% CI = -0.03, 0.09). When restricted to maternal-fetal paired samples (N = 76), increasing all PFAS and PBDEs combined was associated with a strong, positive increase in newborn telomere length (mean change per quartile increase = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.28). These associations were primarily driven by PFAS (mean change per quartile increase = 0.11 [95% CI = 0.01, 0.22]). No associations were observed with maternal telomere length among paired samples.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that PFAS and PBDEs may be positively associated with newborn telomere length.

Project description:BackgroundPhthalate exposures are hypothesized to increase obesity; however, prior research has been largely cross-sectional.ObjectiveWe evaluated associations between prenatal phthalate exposures and body mass index (BMI) at child ages 5 and 7 years.MethodsNine metabolites of six phthalates-di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl-, di-iso-butyl-, di-n-butyl-, butylbenzyl-, and diethyl phthalates-were measured in spot urine samples collected from pregnant African-American and Dominican women during their third trimester, and from their children at ages 3 and 5 years. To reduce multiple comparison issues, we initially used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify major patterns of natural log (ln)-transformed metabolite concentrations. Height and weight were assessed at ages 5 and 7 years, and fat mass and waist circumference at age 7. Linearized generalized estimating equation analyses related maternal component scores to child anthropometric outcomes at ages 5 (n = 326) and 7 (n = 330) years.ResultsPCA identified a DEHP component and a non-DEHP component. In boys, higher maternal non-DEHP, but not DEHP, component scores were associated with lower BMI z-score (β = -0.30; 95% CI: -0.50, -0.10, n = 156), lower fat percentage (β = -1.62; 95% CI: -2.91, -0.34, n = 142), and smaller waist circumference (β = -2.02; 95% CI: -3.71, -0.32, n = 124). No significant associations with anthropometric outcomes were seen in girls (for BMI z-score, β = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.18, 0.31, n = 181). Interactions between sex and non-DEHP component association with outcomes were statistically significant (p < 0.01).ConclusionsContrary to hypotheses, prenatal non-DEHP phthalate exposures were associated with lower BMI z-score, waist circumference, and fat mass in boys during early childhood.CitationMaresca MM, Hoepner LA, Hassoun A, Oberfield SE, Mooney SJ, Calafat AM, Ramirez J, Freyer G, Perera FP, Whyatt RM, Rundle AG. 2016. Prenatal exposure to phthalates and childhood body size in an urban cohort. Environ Health Perspect 124:514-520; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408750.

Dataset Information

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Newborn Telomere Length: A Birth Cohort Study in Wuhan, China.

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Newborn Telomere Length: A Birth Cohort Study in Wuhan, China.

Similar Datasets

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