title: Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons/aromatics, BDNF and child development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Within a New York City (NYC) birth cohort, we assessed the associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and other aromatic DNA adducts and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations in umbilical cord blood, and neurodevelopment at age 2 years and whether BDNF is a mediator of the associations between PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts and neurodevelopment.
  
  
  METHODS
  PAH/aromatic-DNA adduct concentrations in cord blood were measured in 505 children born to nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women residing in NYC, and a subset was assessed for neurodevelopment at 2 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Development Index (MDI). A spectrum of PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts was measured using the (32)P-postlabeling assay; DNA adducts formed by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a representative PAH, were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)/fluorescence. BDNF mature protein in cord blood plasma was quantified by an ELISA. Multivariate regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders, was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PAH/aromatic-DNA adduct concentration measured by postlabeling was inversely associated with BDNF concentration (p=0.02) and with MDI scores at 2 years (p=0.04). BDNF level was positively associated with MDI scores (p=0.003). Restricting to subjects having all three measures (PAH/aromatic-DNA adducts by postlabeling, MDI, and BDNF), results were similar but attenuated (p=0.13, p=0.05, p=0.01, respectively). Associations between B[a]P-DNA adducts and BDNF and B[a]P-DNA adducts and MDI at age 2 years were not significant. At age 3 years, the positive association of BDNF with MDI was not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results at age 2 suggest that prenatal exposure to a spectrum of PAH/aromatic pollutants may adversely affect early neurodevelopment, in part by reducing BDNF levels during the fetal period. However, the same relationship was not seen at age 3.
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: fpp1@columbia.edu.
authors: Frederica
authors: F
authors: Perera
authors: Analytical and Environmental Sciences Division, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors: David H
authors: DH
authors: Phillips
authors: Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Ya
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Roen
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Herbstman
authors: Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; The Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Avenue, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Rauh
authors: Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Shuang
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Deliang
authors: D
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: (32)P-postlabeling; BDNF; Cord blood; DNA adducts; Neurodevelopment; PAH