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Petroff RL, Dolinoy DC, Wang K, Montrose L, Padmanabhan V, Peterson KE, Ruden DM, Sartor MA, Svoboda LK, Téllez-Rojo MM, Goodrich JM. Translational toxicoepigenetic Meta-Analyses identify homologous gene DNA methylation reprogramming following developmental phthalate and lead exposure in mouse and human offspring. Environ Int 2024; 186:108575. [PMID: 38507935 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Although toxicology uses animal models to represent real-world human health scenarios, a critical translational gap between laboratory-based studies and epidemiology remains. In this study, we aimed to understand the toxicoepigenetic effects on DNA methylation after developmental exposure to two common toxicants, the phthalate di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and the metal lead (Pb), using a translational paradigm that selected candidate genes from a mouse study and assessed them in four human birth cohorts. Data from mouse offspring developmentally exposed to DEHP, Pb, or control were used to identify genes with sex-specific sites with differential DNA methylation at postnatal day 21. Associations of human infant DNA methylation in homologous mouse genes with prenatal DEHP or Pb were examined with a meta-analysis. Differential methylation was observed on 6 cytosines (adjusted-p < 0.05) and 90 regions (adjusted-p < 0.001). This translational approach offers a unique method that can detect conserved epigenetic differences that are developmentally susceptible to environmental toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah L Petroff
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dana C Dolinoy
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Luke Montrose
- Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Karen E Peterson
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Maureen A Sartor
- Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Laurie K Svoboda
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Martha M Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Research on Nutrition and Health, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Goyal SP, Saravanan C. An insight into the critical role of gut microbiota in triggering the phthalate-induced toxicity and its mitigation using probiotics. Sci Total Environ 2023; 904:166889. [PMID: 37683852 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to phthalates, a major food safety concern, has been implicated in various chronic human disorders. As dietary exposure serves as a primary exposure route for phthalate exposure, understanding the detrimental impact on the gastrointestinal tract and resident gut microbiota is indispensable for better managing public health risks. Various reports have explored the intricate interplay between phthalate exposure, gut microbiota dysbiosis and host pathophysiology. For instance, oral exposure of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) affected the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and abundance of Akkermansia and Prevotella, ensuing impaired lipid metabolism and reproductive toxicity. In some cases, DEHP exposure altered the levels of gut microbial metabolites, namely short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids or p-cresol, resulting in cholesterol imbalance or neurodevelopmental disorders. Conversely, supplementation of gut-modulating probiotics like Lactococcus or Lactobacillus sp. averted the phthalate-induced hepatic or testicular toxicity through host gene regulation, gut microbial modulation or elimination of DEHP or DBP in faeces. Overall, the current review revealed the critical role of the gut microbiota in initiating or exacerbating phthalate-induced toxicity, which could be averted or mitigated by probiotics supplementation. Future studies should focus on identifying high-efficiency probiotic strains that could help reduce the exposure of phthalates in animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Popli Goyal
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonipat, Haryana 131028, India
| | - Chakkaravarthi Saravanan
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonipat, Haryana 131028, India.
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Mervish N, Valle C, Teitelbaum SL. Epidemiologic Advances Generated by the Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource Program. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2023; 10:148-157. [PMID: 38318392 PMCID: PMC10840994 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-023-00323-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Mervish
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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Mustieles V, Rolland M, Pin I, Thomsen C, Sakhi AK, Sabaredzovic A, Muckle G, Guichardet K, Slama R, Philippat C. Early-Life Exposure to a Mixture of Phenols and Phthalates in Relation to Child Social Behavior: Applying an Evidence-Based Prioritization to a Cohort with Improved Exposure Assessment. Environ Health Perspect 2023; 131:87006. [PMID: 37556305 PMCID: PMC10411634 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies aiming at relating exposure to phenols and phthalates with child social behavior characterized exposure using one or a few spot urine samples, resulting in substantial exposure misclassification. Moreover, early infancy exposure was rarely studied. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the associations of phthalates and phenols with child social behavior in a cohort with improved exposure assessment and to a priori identify the chemicals supported by a higher weight of evidence. METHODS Among 406 mother-child pairs from the French Assessment of Air Pollution exposure during Pregnancy and Effect on Health (SEPAGES) cohort, 25 phenols/phthalate metabolites were measured in within-subject pools of repeated urine samples collected at the second and third pregnancy trimesters (∼ 21 samples/trimester) and at 2 months and 1-year of age (∼ 7 samples/period). Social behavior was parent-reported at 3 years of age of the child using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). A structured literature review of the animal and human evidence was performed to prioritize the measured phthalates/phenols based on their likelihood to affect social behavior. Both adjusted linear regression and Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) regression models were fitted. False discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied only to nonprioritized chemicals. RESULTS Prioritized compounds included bisphenol A, bisphenol S, triclosan (TCS), diethyl-hexyl phthalate (Σ DEHP ), mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n -butyl phthalate (MnBP), and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP). With the exception of bisphenols, which showed a mixed pattern of positive and negative associations in pregnant mothers and neonates, few prenatal associations were observed. Most associations were observed with prioritized chemicals measured in 1-y-old infants: Each doubling in urinary TCS (β = 0.78 ; 95% CI: 0.00, 1.55) and MEP (β = 0.92 ; 95% CI: - 0.11 , 1.96) concentrations were associated with worse total SRS scores, whereas MnBP and Σ DEHP were associated with worse Social Awareness (β = 0.25 ; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.50) and Social Communication (β = 0.43 ; 95% CI: - 0.02 , 0.89) scores, respectively. BWQS also suggested worse total SRS [Beta 1 = 1.38 ; 95% credible interval (CrI): - 0.18 , 2.97], Social Awareness (Beta 1 = 0.37 ; 95% CrI: 0.06, 0.70), and Social Communication (Beta 1 = 0.91 ; 95% CrI: 0.31, 1.53) scores per quartile increase in the mixture of prioritized compounds assessed in 1-y-old infants. The few associations observed with nonprioritized chemicals did not remain after FDR correction, with the exception of benzophenone-3 exposure in 1-y-old infants, which was suggestively associated with worse Social Communication scores (corrected p = 0.07 ). DISCUSSION The literature search allowed us to adapt our statistical analysis according to the weight of evidence and create a corpus of experimental and epidemiological knowledge to better interpret our findings. Early infancy appears to be a sensitive exposure window that should be further investigated. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11798.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Mustieles
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Matthieu Rolland
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Pin
- Pediatric Department, Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, La Tronche, France
| | | | | | | | - Gina Muckle
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec - Université Laval Research Center, Québec City, Canada
| | - Karine Guichardet
- Pediatric Department, Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, La Tronche, France
| | - Rémy Slama
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
| | - Claire Philippat
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
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Cunha YGDO, do Amaral GCB, Felix AA, Blumberg B, Amato AA. Early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and autistic traits in childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1184546. [PMID: 37361542 PMCID: PMC10289191 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1184546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during critical neurodevelopmental windows has been associated with the risk of autistic traits. This systematic review of epidemiological studies examined the association between maternal exposure to EDCs during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar from inception to November 17, 2022, for studies investigating the association between prenatal exposure to EDCs and outcomes related to ASD. Two independent reviewers screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023389386). Results We included 27 observational studies assessing prenatal exposure to phthalates (8 studies), polychlorinated biphenyls (8 studies), organophosphate pesticides (8 studies), phenols (7 studies), perfluoroalkyl substances (6 studies), organochlorine pesticides (5 studies), brominated flame retardants (3 studies), dioxins (1 study), and parabens (1 study). The number of examined children ranged from 77 to 1,556, the age at the assessment of autistic traits ranged from 3 to 14 years, and most studies assessed autistic traits using the Social Responsiveness Scale. All but one study was considered to have a low risk of bias. Overall, there was no association between maternal exposure to specific ECDs during pregnancy and the occurrence of autistic traits in offspring. Conclusions Findings from the epidemiological studies evaluated here do not support an association between prenatal exposure to ECDs and the likelihood of autistic traits in later in life. These findings should not be interpreted as definitive evidence of the absence of neurodevelopment effects of EDCs affecting ASD risk, given the limitations of current studies such as representative exposure assessment, small sample sizes, inadequacy to assess sexually dimorphic effects, or the effects of EDC mixtures. Future studies should carefully address these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alana Almeida Felix
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Bruce Blumberg
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Angelica Amorim Amato
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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Rolland M, Lyon-Caen S, Thomsen C, Sakhi AK, Sabaredzovic A, Bayat S, Slama R, Méary D, Philippat C. Effects of early exposure to phthalates on cognitive development and visual behavior at 24 months. Environ Res 2023; 219:115068. [PMID: 36528043 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Studies focusing on the neurodevelopmental effects of phthalates seldom consider exposure during infancy, a critical period for brain development. Most rely on parent-completed questionnaires to assess child neurodevelopment, which may be subject to reporting error. We studied the associations between prenatal and infancy exposure to phthalates and objective measures of neurodevelopment at the age of two. METHODS We relied on 151 mother-child pairs from the SEPAGES mother-child cohort. Women were asked to collect three spot urine samples per day over seven consecutive days during the second (median: 18.0 gestational weeks) and third (median: 34.2 gestational weeks) trimesters of pregnancy. They then collected one urine sample per day over seven consecutive days from their infants around the age of 12 months. Metabolites of phthalates and non-phthalate plasticizers were measured in within-subject and within-period pools of repeated urine samples. Eye tracking tasks were performed at two years allowing to compute four indicators linked with cognitive development and visual behavior: mean fixation duration, novelty preference, percent time spent looking at the eyes and mean reaction time. RESULTS Pre-natal exposure to monobenzyl phthalate at the second and third trimesters was associated with shorter fixation durations. In models allowing for interaction with child sex, these associations were only observed among girls. Exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate at the third but not the second trimester was associated with increased time spent looking at a novel face and eyes. We observed faster reaction times and decreased time spent looking at the eyes in a face recognition task, with increased post-natal exposure to monoethyl, mono-iso-butyl and mono-n-butyl phthalates. DISCUSSION Relying on improved exposure assessment, we highlighted associations of pre- and post-natal exposure to phthalates with indicators derived from eye tracking tasks, mainly in girls. Some of these indicators have been affected in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Rolland
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble Alpes University, Inserm, CNRS, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Sarah Lyon-Caen
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble Alpes University, Inserm, CNRS, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | | | | | | | - Sam Bayat
- Department of Pulmonology and Physiology, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Rémy Slama
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble Alpes University, Inserm, CNRS, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - David Méary
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, LPNC, UMR 5105, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Claire Philippat
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble Alpes University, Inserm, CNRS, 38700 La Tronche, France.
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Thomson S, Drummond K, O'Hely M, Symeonides C, Chandran C, Mansell T, Saffery R, Sly P, Mueller J, Vuillermin P, Ponsonby AL. Increased maternal non-oxidative energy metabolism mediates association between prenatal di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exposure and offspring autism spectrum disorder symptoms in early life: A birth cohort study. Environ Int 2023; 171:107678. [PMID: 36516674 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal phthalate exposure has previously been linked to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether maternal and child central carbon metabolism is involved as part of the Barwon Infant Study (BIS), a population-based birth cohort of 1,074 Australian children. We estimated phthalate daily intakes using third-trimester urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and other relevant indices. The metabolome of maternal serum in the third trimester, cord serum at birth and child plasma at 1 year were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance. We used the Small Molecule Pathway Database and principal component analysis to construct composite metabolite scores reflecting metabolic pathways. ASD symptoms at 2 and 4 years were measured in 596 and 674 children by subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analyses demonstrated (i) prospective associations between higher prenatal di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) levels and upregulation of maternal non-oxidative energy metabolism pathways, and (ii) prospective associations between upregulation of these pathways and increased offspring ASD symptoms at 2 and 4 years of age. Counterfactual mediation analyses indicated that part of the mechanism by which higher prenatal DEHP exposure influences the development of ASD symptoms in early childhood is through a maternal metabolic shift in pregnancy towards non-oxidative energy pathways, which are inefficient compared to oxidative metabolism. These results highlight the importance of the prenatal period and suggest that further investigation of maternal energy metabolism as a molecular mediator of the adverse impact of prenatal environmental exposures such as phthalates is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Thomson
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Katherine Drummond
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Martin O'Hely
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, 299 Ryrie Street, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Christos Symeonides
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Chitra Chandran
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Toby Mansell
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Peter Sly
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, 62 Graham St, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
| | - Jochen Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Vuillermin
- Deakin University, IMPACT - the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, 299 Ryrie Street, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Anne-Louise Ponsonby
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
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Parenti M, Schmidt RJ, Ozonoff S, Shin HM, Tancredi DJ, Krakowiak P, Hertz-Picciotto I, Walker CK, Slupsky CM. Maternal Serum and Placental Metabolomes in Association with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in the MARBLES Cohort. Metabolites 2022; 12:829. [PMID: 36144233 PMCID: PMC9500898 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12090829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to phthalates, a family of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers, is associated with disruption of maternal metabolism and impaired neurodevelopment. We investigated associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and alterations of both the maternal third trimester serum metabolome and the placental metabolome at birth, and associations of these with child neurodevelopmental outcomes using data and samples from the Markers of Autism Risk in Babies Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) cohort. The third trimester serum (n = 106) and placental (n = 132) metabolomes were investigated using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Children were assessed clinically for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cognitive development. Although none of the urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations were associated with maternal serum metabolites after adjustment for covariates, mixture analysis using quantile g-computation revealed alterations in placental metabolites with increasing concentrations of phthalate metabolites that included reduced concentrations of 2-hydoxybutyrate, carnitine, O-acetylcarnitine, glucitol, and N-acetylneuraminate. Child neurodevelopmental outcome was not associated with the third trimester serum metabolome, but it was correlated with the placental metabolome in male children only. Maternal phthalate exposure during pregnancy is associated with differences in the placental metabolome at delivery, and the placental metabolome is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in males in a cohort with high familial ASD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Parenti
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Hyeong-Moo Shin
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Daniel J. Tancredi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Paula Krakowiak
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Cheryl K. Walker
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Carolyn M. Slupsky
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Petroff RL, Padmanabhan V, Dolinoy DC, Watkins DJ, Ciarelli J, Haggerty D, Ruden DM, Goodrich JM. Prenatal Exposures to Common Phthalates and Prevalent Phthalate Alternatives and Infant DNA Methylation at Birth. Front Genet 2022; 13:793278. [PMID: 35432478 PMCID: PMC9010032 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.793278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Phthalates are a diverse group of chemicals used in consumer products. Because they are so widespread, exposure to these compounds is nearly unavoidable. Recently, growing scientific consensus has suggested that phthalates produce health effects in developing infants and children. These effects may be mediated through mechanisms related to the epigenome, the constellation of mitotically heritable chemical marks and small compounds that guide transcription and translation. The present study examined the relationship between prenatal, first-trimester exposure of seven phthalates and epigenetics in two pregnancy cohorts (n = 262) to investigate sex-specific alterations in infant blood DNA methylation at birth (cord blood or neonatal blood spots). Prenatal exposure to several phthalates was suggestive of association with altered DNA methylation at 4 loci in males (all related to ΣDEHP) and 4 loci in females (1 related to ΣDiNP; 2 related to BBzP; and 1 related to MCPP) at a cutoff of q < 0.2. Additionally, a subset of dyads (n = 79) was used to interrogate the relationships between two compounds increasingly used as substitutions for common phthalates (ΣDINCH and ΣDEHTP) and cord blood DNA methylation. ΣDINCH, but not ΣDEHTP, was suggestive of association with DNA methylation (q < 0.2). Together, these results demonstrate that prenatal exposure to both classically used phthalate metabolites and their newer alternatives is associated with sex-specific infant DNA methylation. Research and regulatory actions regarding this chemical class should consider the developmental health effects of these compounds and aim to avoid regrettable substitution scenarios in the present and future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah L. Petroff
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Dana C. Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Deborah J. Watkins
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Joseph Ciarelli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Diana Haggerty
- Scholarly Activities and Scientific Support, Spectrum Health West Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Douglas M. Ruden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Jaclyn M. Goodrich,
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Tanner S, Thomson S, Drummond K, O’Hely M, Symeonides C, Mansell T, Saffery R, Sly PD, Collier F, Burgner D, Sugeng EJ, Dwyer T, Vuillermin P, Ponsonby AL. A Pathway-Based Genetic Score for Oxidative Stress: An Indicator of Host Vulnerability to Phthalate-Associated Adverse Neurodevelopment. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11040659. [PMID: 35453345 PMCID: PMC9030597 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The developing brain is highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, and adverse exposures can act through oxidative stress. Given that oxidative stress susceptibility is determined partly by genetics, multiple studies have employed genetic scores to explore the role of oxidative stress in human disease. However, traditional approaches to genetic score construction face a range of challenges, including a lack of interpretability, bias towards the disease outcome, and often overfitting to the study they were derived on. Here, we develop an alternative strategy by first generating a genetic pathway function score for oxidative stress (gPFSox) based on the transcriptional activity levels of the oxidative stress response pathway in brain and other tissue types. Then, in the Barwon Infant Study (BIS), a population-based birth cohort (n = 1074), we show that a high gPFSox, indicating reduced ability to counter oxidative stress, is linked to higher autism spectrum disorder risk and higher parent-reported autistic traits at age 4 years, with AOR values (per 2 additional pro-oxidant alleles) of 2.10 (95% CI (1.12, 4.11); p = 0.024) and 1.42 (95% CI (1.02, 2.01); p = 0.041), respectively. Past work in BIS has reported higher prenatal phthalate exposure at 36 weeks of gestation associated with offspring autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we examine combined effects and show a consistent pattern of increased neurodevelopmental problems for individuals with both a high gPFSox and high prenatal phthalate exposure across a range of outcomes, including high gPFSox and high DEHP levels against autism spectrum disorder (attributable proportion due to interaction 0.89; 95% CI (0.62, 1.16); p < 0.0001). The results highlight the utility of this novel functional genetic score and add to the growing evidence implicating gestational phthalate exposure in adverse neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Tanner
- Developing Brain Division, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (S.T.); (S.T.); (K.D.)
| | - Sarah Thomson
- Developing Brain Division, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (S.T.); (S.T.); (K.D.)
| | - Katherine Drummond
- Developing Brain Division, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (S.T.); (S.T.); (K.D.)
| | - Martin O’Hely
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Christos Symeonides
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- The Minderoo Foundation, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
| | - Toby Mansell
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
| | - Peter D. Sly
- Children’s Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia;
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Children’s Health and Environment, South Brisbane, QLD 4104, Australia
| | - Fiona Collier
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
- Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - David Burgner
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Eva J. Sugeng
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Terence Dwyer
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Peter Vuillermin
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
- Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Anne-Louise Ponsonby
- Developing Brain Division, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (S.T.); (S.T.); (K.D.)
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (M.O.); (C.S.); (T.M.); (R.S.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (T.D.); (P.V.)
- Correspondence:
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