Prenatal mercury exposure, neurodevelopment and apolipoprotein E genetic polymorphism.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between prenatal exposure to mercury (Hg) and neurodevelopment of the child, taking into account genetic polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (Apoe) and other relevant confounders. Six hundred and one mother-child pairs were recruited from the central Slovenia region and 243 from Rijeka, on the Croatian coast of the northern Adriatic. The total Hg in cord blood, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) assessment at 18 months of age and Apoe genotyping was performed on 361 children; 237 of them were from Slovenia and 124 from Croatia. The results showed negative association between low-to-moderate Hg exposure in children with normal neurodevelopmental outcome and cognitive and fine motor scores at 18 months of age as assessed by Bayley III. The Hg-related decrease in cognitive score was observed only in children carrying at least one Apoe ε4 allele, while the decrease in fine motor scores was independent of the Apoe genotype. Adjusting for selenium (Se) and lead (Pb) levels, a positive association between Se and the language score and a negative association between Pb and the motor score was observed, but not in the subgroup of children carrying the ε4 allele.
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Janja
J
Snoj Tratnik
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ingrid
I
Falnoga
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ajda
A
Trdin
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Darja
D
Mazej
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Vesna
V
Fajon
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ana
A
Miklavčič
Ex-Department of Occupational Health, Idrija Mercury Mine, Idrija, Slovenia.
Alfred B
AB
Kobal
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Clinical Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Joško
J
Osredkar
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Clinical Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Alenka
A
Sešek Briški
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Clinical Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Mladen
M
Krsnik
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Slovenia.
David
D
Neubauer
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Slovenia.
Jana
J
Kodrič
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Slovenia.
Staša
S
Stropnik
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Slovenia.
David
D
Gosar
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Slovenia.
Petra
P
Lešnik Musek
University in Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
Janja
J
Marc
University in Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
Simona
S
Jurkovič Mlakar
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Oleg
O
Petrović
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Inge
I
Vlašić-Cicvarić
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Igor
I
Prpić
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Ana
A
Milardović
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Jelena
J
Radić Nišević
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Danijela
D
Vuković
University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Department of Paediatrics, Rijeka, Croatia.
Elizabeta
E
Fišić
OIKON, Institute for Applied Ecology, Zagreb, Croatia.
Zdravko
Z
Špirić
'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: milena.horvat@ijs.si.
Milena
M
Horvat
D000328:Adult; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
C000612345:ApoE protein, human; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium
Apolipoprotein E; Cord blood; Genetic polymorphism; Lead; Mercury; Neurodevelopment; Selenium