title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-aromatic DNA adducts in cord blood and behavior scores in New York city children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are widespread urban pollutants that can bind to DNA to form PAH-DNA adducts. Prenatal PAH exposure measured by personal monitoring has been linked to cognitive deficits in childhood in a prospective study conducted by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We measured PAH-DNA and other bulky aromatic adducts in umbilical cord white blood cells using the 32P-postlabeling assay to determine the association between this molecular dosimeter and behavioral/attention problems in childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children born to nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women residing in New York City (NYC) were followed from in utero to 7-8 years of age. At two time points before 8 years of age (mean ages, 4.8 years and 7 years), child behavior was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). To estimate and test the association between adducts and behavioral outcomes, both CBCL continuous raw scores and dichotomized T-scores were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher cord adducts were associated with higher symptom scores of Anxious/Depressed at 4.8 years and Attention Problems at 4.8 and 7 years, and with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition-oriented Anxiety Problems at 4.8 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that PAH exposure, measured by DNA adducts, may adversely affect child behavior, potentially affecting school performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032 , USA. fpp1@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Frederica P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vishnevetsky
authors.forename: Bingzhi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kathleen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Deliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rauh
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; C095911:polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-DNA adduct