title: The effects of air pollution and smoking on placental cadmium, zinc concentration and metallothionein expression.
abstract: This study is designed to determine the placental zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) levels in mothers who were smokers, mothers who were thought to be exposed to air pollution, and mothers who were non-smokers and to investigate the relationship between the expression of placental metallothionein (MT) binding these metals and blood progesterone level. Placental Zn and Cd levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Presence of placental MT was determined immunohistochemically. Placental changes were examined by light microscope after H&E and PAS staining. Immunohistochemical MT staining of syncytiotrophoblastic and villous interstitial cells were scored as positive or negative. Among the 92 mothers included in the study, 33 were smokers (Group I), 29 had been exposed to air pollution (Group II) and 30 were non-smoker rural residents who had never been exposed to air pollution (Group III). Mean off-spring birth weight of 3198.62+/-380.01 g and mean placenta weight of 561.38+/-111.55 g of Group II were lower when compared with those of other two groups. In Group I, mean placental Cd and Zn were 0.063+/-0.022 microg/g and 39.84+/-15.5 microg/g, respectively, being higher than in other groups. In Group II, mean placental Cd and Zn levels were higher than those of Group III. Blood progesterone levels of subjects in Group I (121 ng/ml) were the lowest of all groups. While the mean count of villi was the highest in Group III; the highest mean count of syncytial knots was in Group II. Thickening of vasculo-syncytial membrane was most prominent in Group I. Similarly, MT staining was positive and very dense in 72.7% (24/33) of cases in Group I (p<or=0.05). MT staining was positive in 69.0% (29/20) and denser in Group II cases compared to 36% (11/30) in Group III (p<or=0.05). This study showed that smoking increased Cd levels in placenta and accompanied an increase in placental MT expression immunohistochemically. The effects of exposure to air pollution are equally harmful as smoking related effects.
authors.affiliation: Health Services, Vocational School of Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. hcsorkun@pau.edu.tr
authors.forename: Hulya Cetin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sorkun
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bir
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbulut
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Divrikli
authors.forename: Gulten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erken
authors.forename: Huriye
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demirhan
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duzcan
authors.forename: Latif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elci
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Unsal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yozgatli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D011374:Progesterone; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc