Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons/aromatics, BDNF and child development

Journal Article · Thu Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2015.08.011· OSTI ID:22687703

Perera, Frederica ^[1]; Phillips, David H. ^[2]; Wang, Ya ^[3]; Roen, Emily; Herbstman, Julie ^[1]; Rauh, Virginia ^[3]; Wang, Shuang ^[3]; Tang, Deliang ^[1]

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1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032 (United States)
2. Analytical and Environmental Sciences Division, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, London SE1 9NH (United Kingdom)
3. Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032 (United States)

Objectives: Within a New York City (NYC) birth cohort, we assessed the associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and other aromatic DNA adducts and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations in umbilical cord blood, and neurodevelopment at age 2 years and whether BDNF is a mediator of the associations between PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts and neurodevelopment. Methods: PAH/aromatic-DNA adduct concentrations in cord blood were measured in 505 children born to nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women residing in NYC, and a subset was assessed for neurodevelopment at 2 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Development Index (MDI). A spectrum of PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts was measured using the {sup 32}P-postlabeling assay; DNA adducts formed by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a representative PAH, were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)/fluorescence. BDNF mature protein in cord blood plasma was quantified by an ELISA. Multivariate regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders, was conducted. Results: PAH/aromatic-DNA adduct concentration measured by postlabeling was inversely associated with BDNF concentration (p=0.02) and with MDI scores at 2 years (p=0.04). BDNF level was positively associated with MDI scores (p=0.003). Restricting to subjects having all three measures (PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts by postlabeling, MDI, and BDNF), results were similar but attenuated (p=0.13, p=0.05, p=0.01, respectively). Associations between B[a]P-DNA adducts and BDNF and B[a]P-DNA adducts and MDI at age 2 years were not significant. At age 3 years, the positive association of BDNF with MDI was not observed. Conclusions: The results at age 2 suggest that prenatal exposure to a spectrum of PAH/aromatic pollutants may adversely affect early neurodevelopment, in part by reducing BDNF levels during the fetal period. However, the same relationship was not seen at age 3. - Highlights: • Cord blood Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH)/aromatic-DNA adducts were assayed. • Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) concentration was measured concurrently. • Associations between biomarkers and neurodevelopment at age 2 years were assessed. • Adduct level was inversely associated with BDNF concentration and neurodevelopment. • BDNF level was positively associated with neurodevelopment scores at age 2 years.

• OSTI ID: 22687703
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Journal Name: Environmental Research Vol. 1542; ISSN ENVRAL; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BLOOD PLASMA
DNA
DNA ADDUCTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
PYRENE