title: Prenatal di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure and disruption of adrenal androgens and glucocorticoids levels in cord blood: The Hokkaido Study.
abstract: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is known for its endocrine disrupting properties. We previously demonstrated that prenatal DEHP exposure is associated with decreased progesterone levels and testosterone/estradiol ratio in the cord blood. However, evidence of the effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on adrenal androgen and glucocorticoids in infants is scarce. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the association between prenatal DEHP exposure and adrenal androgen and glucocorticoids, and to discuss its effects on steroid hormone profiles in infants. This is part of a birth cohort study: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health, Sapporo Cohort. Among the 514 participants, 202 mother-infant pairs with available data on maternal mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), adrenal androgen (dehydroepiandrostenedione [DHEA] and androstenedione) and glucocorticoid (cortisol and cortisone) cord blood levels were included in this study. After adjusting for potential confounders, a linear regression analysis showed that maternal MEHP levels were associated with reduced cortisol and cortisone levels and glucocorticoid/adrenal androgen ratio, whereas increased DHEA levels and DHEA/androstenedione ratio. In a quartile model, when comparing the adjusted least square means in the 4th quartile of MEHP with those in the 1st quartile, cortisol and cortisone levels and glucocorticoid/adrenal androgen ratio decreased, whereas DHEA/androstenedione and cortisol/cortisone ratios increased. Significant p-value trends for cortisol and cortisone levels, cortisol/cortisone ratio, and glucocorticoid/adrenal androgen ratio were observed. In combination with the previous results of reduced progesterone levels and testosterone/estradiol ratio, prenatal exposure to DEHP altered the steroid hormone profiles of infants. Further studies investigating the long-term effects of DEHP exposure on growth, neurodevelopment, and gonad and reproductive function are required.
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Yamanashi University, 1110, Shimogato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Division of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Houman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goudarzi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tamie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Kushiro Rosai Hospital, 13-23, Nakazono-cho, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nonomura
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Electronic address: rkishi@med.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kishi
keywords: Adrenal androgen; Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); Fetal blood; Glucocorticoid; Mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP); Prenatal exposure