title: Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins from the maternal diet may be associated with immunosuppressive effects that persist into early childhood.
abstract: We investigated whether prenatal exposure from the maternal diet to the toxicants polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins is associated with the development of immune-related diseases in childhood. Children participating in BraMat, a sub-cohort of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), were followed in the three first years of life using annual questionnaires (0-3years; n=162, 2-3years; n=180), and blood parameters were examined at three years of age (n=114). The maternal intake of the toxicants was calculated using a validated food frequency questionnaire from MoBa. Maternal exposure to PCBs and dioxins was found to be associated with an increased risk of wheeze and more frequent upper respiratory tract infections. Furthermore, maternal exposure to PCBs and dioxins was found to be associated with reduced antibody response to a measles vaccine. No associations were found between prenatal exposure and immunophenotype data, allergic sensitization and vaccine-induced antibody responses other than measles. Our results suggest that prenatal dietary exposure to PCBs and dioxins may increase the risk of wheeze and the susceptibility to infectious diseases in early childhood.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway. solvor.berntsen@fhi.no
authors.forename: Solvor Berntsen
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Stølevik
authors.forename: Unni Cecilie
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Namork
authors.forename: Margaretha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.forename: Helle Margrete
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Helle Katrine
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Knutsen
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aaberge
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vainio
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Loveren
authors.forename: Martinus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Løvik
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Granum
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004147:Dioxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D009664:Norway; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls