1
|
Kindschuh WF, Baldini F, Liu MC, Liao J, Meydan Y, Lee HH, Heinken A, Thiele I, Thaiss CA, Levy M, Korem T. Preterm birth is associated with xenobiotics and predicted by the vaginal metabolome. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:246-259. [PMID: 36635575 PMCID: PMC9894755 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01293-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, yet its prevention and early risk stratification are limited. Previous investigations have suggested that vaginal microbes and metabolites may be implicated in sPTB. Here we performed untargeted metabolomics on 232 second-trimester vaginal samples, 80 from pregnancies ending preterm. We find multiple associations between vaginal metabolites and subsequent preterm birth, and propose that several of these metabolites, including diethanolamine and ethyl glucoside, are exogenous. We observe associations between the metabolome and microbiome profiles previously obtained using 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing, including correlations between bacteria considered suboptimal, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, and metabolites enriched in term pregnancies, such as tyramine. We investigate these associations using metabolic models. We use machine learning models to predict sPTB risk from metabolite levels, weeks to months before birth, with good accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78). These models, which we validate using two external cohorts, are more accurate than microbiome-based and maternal covariates-based models (area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.55-0.59). Our results demonstrate the potential of vaginal metabolites as early biomarkers of sPTB and highlight exogenous exposures as potential risk factors for prematurity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William F Kindschuh
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Federico Baldini
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin C Liu
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jingqiu Liao
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yoli Meydan
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harry H Lee
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Almut Heinken
- School of Medicine, University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Ines Thiele
- School of Medicine, University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Discipline of Microbiology, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Christoph A Thaiss
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maayan Levy
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Tal Korem
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars program, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hopf NB, Spring P, Plateel G, Berthet A. Ethanolamines permeate slowly across human skin ex vivo, but cause severe skin irritation at low concentrations. Arch Toxicol 2019; 93:2555-2564. [PMID: 31435711 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-019-02542-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Skin exposures are common during cleaning activities, and may contribute to the overall body burden. Cleaning products may contain irritants such as monoethanolamine (MEA) and diethanol amine (DEA). The significance of the skin exposure route is unknown, as no estimates for MEA skin permeation are available. We used in vitro flow-through diffusion cells with excised fresh human skin to measure skin permeation, and assessed skin damage with histological methods. MEA(aq) by itself (2%) or as a constituent in cleaning products (0.25% working solution) did not permeate after 1 h or 24 h of exposure. MEA(aq) (10%) did not permeate skin after 1 h but after 24 h with a delay (Tlag; 7 h) and a moderate permeation rate (J; 26.6 μg/cm2/h). MEA permeation rate was 20-fold greater (544 μg/cm2/h) and ¼ of the time lag (1.5 h) when applied as undiluted cleaning product (13% MEA) compared to 10% MEA(aq). DEA in cleaning products did not permeate skin after 24 h. MEA and DEA produced skin irritations at low concentrations (1% MEA) and severe skin irritations when tested as a constituent in cleaning products. Absorption increased from 0 to 3% after 24 h to 14-29% after 88 h of MEA exposure, and is likely explained by the increased damage of the skin barrier. Limitations of this study are the low number of skin donors (N = 5) available. Our results demonstrate that topically applied MEA permeates across human skin relatively slowly and not below 5% while relatively extensively as a constituent of a commercial cleaning product.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy B Hopf
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté; formerly known as Institute for Work and Health (IST)), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Philipp Spring
- Department of Dermatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gregory Plateel
- University Centre of Legal Medicine (CUMRL), Universities of Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aurelie Berthet
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté; formerly known as Institute for Work and Health (IST)), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pecquet AM, Martinez JM, Vincent M, Erraguntla N, Dourson M. Derivation of a no-significant-risk-level for tetrabromobisphenol A based on a threshold non-mutagenic cancer mode of action. J Appl Toxicol 2018; 38:862-878. [PMID: 29441599 PMCID: PMC6099322 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A no‐significant‐risk‐level of 20 mg day–1 was derived for tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Uterine tumors (adenomas, adenocarcinomas, and malignant mixed Müllerian) observed in female Wistar Han rats from a National Toxicology Program 2‐year cancer bioassay were identified as the critical effect. Studies suggest that TBBPA is acting through a non‐mutagenic mode of action. Thus, the most appropriate approach to derivation of a cancer risk value based on US Environmental Protection Agency guidelines is a threshold approach, akin to a cancer safe dose (RfDcancer). Using the National Toxicology Program data, we utilized Benchmark dose software to derive a benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL10) as the point of departure (POD) of 103 mg kg–1 day–1. The POD was adjusted to a human equivalent dose of 25.6 mg kg–1 day–1 using allometric scaling. We applied a composite adjustment factor of 100 to the POD to derive an RfDcancer of 0.26 mg kg–1 day–1. Based on a human body weight of 70 kg, the RfDcancer was adjusted to a no‐significant‐risk‐level of 20 mg day–1. This was compared to other available non‐cancer and cancer risk values, and aligns well with our understanding of the underlying biology based on the toxicology data. Overall, the weight of evidence from animal studies indicates that TBBPA has low toxicity and suggests that high doses over long exposure durations are needed to induce uterine tumor formation. Future research needs include a thorough and detailed vetting of the proposed adverse outcome pathway, including further support for key events leading to uterine tumor formation and a quantitative weight of evidence analysis. A non‐mutagenic threshold mode of action for tetrabromobisphenol A was utilized to derive a no‐significant‐risk‐level of 20 mg day–1 for uterine tumors (adenomas, adenocarcinomas, and malignant mixed Müllerian combined) observed in female Wistar Han rats from a National Toxicology Program 2‐year bioassay. The most recent available techniques were utilized, including literature review, benchmark dose software, mode of action analysis, and threshold extrapolation. The derived no‐significant‐risk‐level aligns well with other available non‐cancer and cancer risk values based on the biology of these tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Pecquet
- Risk Science Center, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 160 Panzeca Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA
| | - Jeanelle M Martinez
- Risk Science Center, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 160 Panzeca Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA
| | - Melissa Vincent
- Risk Science Center, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 160 Panzeca Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA
| | | | - Michael Dourson
- Risk Science Center, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 160 Panzeca Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA
| |
Collapse
|