title: Altered miRNA expression in the cervix during pregnancy associated with lead and mercury exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Toxic metals including lead and mercury are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to assess the association between miRNA expression in the cervix during pregnancy with lead and mercury levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained cervical swabs from pregnant women (n = 60) and quantified cervical miRNA expression. Women's blood lead, bone lead and toenail mercury levels were analyzed. We performed linear regression to examine the association between metal levels and expression of 74 miRNAs adjusting for covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen miRNAs were negatively associated with toenail mercury levels, and tibial bone lead levels were associated with decreased expression of miR-575 and miR-4286.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings highlight miRNAs in the human cervix as novel responders to maternal chemical exposure during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Alison P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, RO 318, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Heather H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Burris
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Allan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Just
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Exposure Epidemiology & Risk Program, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.|Department of Clinical Sciences & Community Health University of Milan - Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.|Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Exposure Epidemiology & Risk Program, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Chitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amarasiriwardena
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oken
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition & Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maritsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solano-Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition & Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mercado-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Exposure Epidemiology & Risk Program, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.|Division of Research in Public Health, National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pantic
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition & Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Martha M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tellez-Rojo
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.|Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Exposure Epidemiology & Risk Program, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baccarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Robert O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D011041:Poisoning; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury
keywords: blood; bone; cervix; delivery; labor; lead; mercury; miRNA; patella; tibia