Molecular evidence of an interaction between prenatal environmental exposures and birth outcomes in a multiethnic population.
Inner-city, minority populations are high-risk groups for adverse birth outcomes and also are more likely to be exposed to environmental contaminants, including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in urban air. In a sample of nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women, we evaluated the effects on birth outcomes of prenatal exposure to ETS, using questionnaire data and plasma cotinine as a biomarker of exposure, and environmental PAHs using BaP-DNA adducts as a molecular dosimeter. We previously reported that among African Americans, high prenatal exposure to PAHs estimated by prenatal personal air monitoring was associated with lower birth weight (p = 0.003) and smaller head circumference (p = 0.01) after adjusting for potential confounders. In the present analysis, self-reported ETS was associated with decreased head circumference (p = 0.04). BaP-DNA adducts were not correlated with ETS or dietary PAHs. There was no main effect of BaP-DNA adducts on birth outcomes. However, there was a significant interaction between the two pollutants such that the combined exposure to high ETS and high adducts had a significant multiplicative effect on birth weight (p = 0.04) and head circumference (p = 0.01) after adjusting for ethnicity, sex of newborns, maternal body mass index, dietary PAHs, and gestational age. This study provides evidence that combined exposure to environmental pollutants at levels currently encountered in New York City adversely affects fetal development.
Perera
Frederica P
FP
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Avenue #B-109, New York, NY 10032, USA. Fpp1@columbia.edu
Rauh
Virginia
V
Whyatt
Robin M
RM
Tsai
Wei-Yann
WY
Bernert
John T
JT
Tu
Yi-Hsuan
YH
Andrews
Howard
H
Ramirez
Judyth
J
Qu
Lirong
L
Tang
Deliang
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001824:Body Constitution; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000097:blood; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009519:New York City; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D014504:Urban Health
D015415:Biomarkers; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D018736:DNA Adducts; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; C056612:benzo(a)pyrene-DNA adduct; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D003367:Cotinine