title: Effects of zinc, copper, and selenium on placental cadmium transport.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential effects of zinc, copper, and selenium on placental cadmium transport. From November 2002 through January 2003, a total of 47 healthy pregnant women from Da-Ye City, Hubei Province in Central China participated in the study. Their age, parity, gestational age, pregnancy history, and lifestyle data were obtained by questionnaire interview. The placental, whole-blood, and cord blood levels of cadmium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), whole-blood zinc was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS), whole-blood copper by ICP-MS, and selenium was by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry (AFS). The cord blood cadmium concentration (0.020-1.48 microg/L) was significantly lower than in maternal blood (0.80-25.20 microg/L, p<0.01). The placental cadmium concentration was from 0.082 to 3.97 microg/g dry weight. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that lower levels of maternal blood copper were significantly associated with higher cadmium concentrations in cord blood. Placental cadmium in women with lower levels of maternal blood zinc was significantly higher than in those with normal zinc levels. The placental cadmium level in women with lower whole-blood selenium was significantly lower than in subjects with normal selenium levels. It was concluded that the essential elements copper, selenium, and zinc might significantly affect placental cadmium transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, P. O. Box 71, 300192 Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yongcheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jixian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qingfen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yaguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Naifen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Aiping
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Husheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ou-Yang
authors.forename: Jinhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Tiqiang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001692:Biological Transport; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D003300:Copper; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc