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Kitaba NT, Knudsen GTM, Johannessen A, Rezwan FI, Malinovschi A, Oudin A, Benediktsdottir B, Martino D, González FJC, Gómez LP, Holm M, Jõgi NO, Dharmage SC, Skulstad SM, Watkins SH, Suderman M, Gómez-Real F, Schlünssen V, Svanes C, Holloway JW. Fathers' preconception smoking and offspring DNA methylation. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:131. [PMID: 37649101 PMCID: PMC10469907 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01540-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental studies suggest that exposures may impact respiratory health across generations via epigenetic changes transmitted specifically through male germ cells. Studies in humans are, however, limited. We aim to identify epigenetic marks in offspring associated with father's preconception smoking. METHODS We conducted epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) in the RHINESSA cohort (7-50 years) on father's any preconception smoking (n = 875 offspring) and father's pubertal onset smoking < 15 years (n = 304), using Infinium MethylationEPIC Beadchip arrays, adjusting for offspring age, own smoking and maternal smoking. EWAS of maternal and offspring personal smoking were performed for comparison. Father's smoking-associated dmCpGs were checked in subpopulations of offspring who reported no personal smoking and no maternal smoking exposure. RESULTS Father's smoking commencing preconception was associated with methylation of blood DNA in offspring at two cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites (CpGs) (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05) in PRR5 and CENPP. Father's pubertal onset smoking was associated with 19 CpGs (FDR < 0.05) mapped to 14 genes (TLR9, DNTT, FAM53B, NCAPG2, PSTPIP2, MBIP, C2orf39, NTRK2, DNAJC14, CDO1, PRAP1, TPCN1, IRS1 and CSF1R). These differentially methylated sites were hypermethylated and associated with promoter regions capable of gene silencing. Some of these sites were associated with offspring outcomes in this cohort including ever-asthma (NTRK2), ever-wheezing (DNAJC14, TPCN1), weight (FAM53B, NTRK2) and BMI (FAM53B, NTRK2) (p < 0.05). Pathway analysis showed enrichment for gene ontology pathways including regulation of gene expression, inflammation and innate immune responses. Father's smoking-associated sites did not overlap with dmCpGs identified in EWAS of personal and maternal smoking (FDR < 0.05), and all sites remained significant (p < 0.05) in analyses of offspring with no personal smoking and no maternal smoking exposure. CONCLUSION Father's preconception smoking, particularly in puberty, is associated with offspring DNA methylation, providing evidence that epigenetic mechanisms may underlie epidemiological observations that pubertal paternal smoking increases risk of offspring asthma, low lung function and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negusse Tadesse Kitaba
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Gerd Toril Mørkve Knudsen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ane Johannessen
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Faisal I Rezwan
- Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Andrei Malinovschi
- Department of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Oudin
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bryndis Benediktsdottir
- Department of Allergy, Respiratory Medicine and Sleep, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - David Martino
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | | | - Mathias Holm
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nils Oskar Jõgi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Shyamali C Dharmage
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Svein Magne Skulstad
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sarah H Watkins
- University of Bristol, MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Suderman
- University of Bristol, MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
| | - Francisco Gómez-Real
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health, Work, Environment and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Denmark, Aarhus, Denmark
- National Research Center for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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Khomich M, Lin H, Malinovschi A, Brix S, Cestelli L, Peddada S, Johannessen A, Eriksen C, Real FG, Svanes C, Bertelsen RJ. Association between lipid-A-producing oral bacteria of different potency and fractional exhaled nitric oxide in a Norwegian population-based adult cohort. J Transl Med 2023; 21:354. [PMID: 37246224 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04199-z] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lipid A is the primary immunostimulatory part of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule. The inflammatory response of LPS varies and depends upon the number of acyl chains and phosphate groups in lipid A which is specific for a bacterial species or strain. Traditional LPS quantification assays cannot distinguish between the acylation degree of lipid A molecules, and therefore little is known about how bacteria with different inflammation-inducing potencies affect fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). We aimed to explore the association between pro-inflammatory hexa- and less inflammatory penta-acylated LPS-producing oral bacteria and FeNO as a marker of airway inflammation. METHODS We used data from a population-based adult cohort from Norway (n = 477), a study center of the RHINESSA multi-center generation study. We applied statistical methods on the bacterial community- (prediction with MiRKAT) and genus-level (differential abundance analysis with ANCOM-BC) to investigate the association between the oral microbiota composition and FeNO. RESULTS We found the overall composition to be significantly associated with increasing FeNO levels independent of covariate adjustment, and abundances of 27 bacterial genera to differ in individuals with high FeNO vs. low FeNO levels. Hexa- and penta-acylated LPS producers made up 2.4% and 40.8% of the oral bacterial genera, respectively. The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity within hexa- and penta-acylated LPS-producing oral bacteria was associated with increasing FeNO levels independent of covariate adjustment. A few single penta-acylated LPS producers were more abundant in individuals with low FeNO vs. high FeNO, while hexa-acylated LPS producers were found not to be enriched. CONCLUSIONS In a population-based adult cohort, FeNO was observed to be associated with the overall oral bacterial community composition. The effect of hexa- and penta-acylated LPS-producing oral bacteria was overall significant when focusing on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity within each of the two communities and FeNO levels, but only penta-acylated LPS producers appeared to be reduced or absent in individuals with high FeNO. It is likely that the pro-inflammatory effect of hexa-acylated LPS producers is counteracted by the dominance of the more abundant penta-acylated LPS producers in this population-based adult cohort involving mainly healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryia Khomich
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Huang Lin
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrei Malinovschi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Brix
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lucia Cestelli
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Shyamal Peddada
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ane Johannessen
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Center for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Carsten Eriksen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT), Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francisco Gomez Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Center for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
- Oral Health Center of Expertise in Western Norway, Bergen, Norway.
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3
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Madsen MK, Schlünssen V, Svanes C, Johannessen A, Jõgi NO, Holm M, Janson C, Pereira-Vega A, Lowe AJ, Franklin KA, Malinovschi A, Sigsgaard T, Abramson MJ, Bertelsen R, Oudin A, Gislason T, Timm S. The effect of farming environment on asthma; time dependent or universal? Eur J Epidemiol 2022. [PMID: 35900634 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-022-00893-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of asthma is linked to westernization and urbanization. Farm environments have been associated with a lower risk of asthma development. However, this may not be universal, as the association differs across birth cohorts and farming methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of farm upbringing with asthma in different generations and at different times in history. The study population consisted of three generations: 13,868 subjects participating in the ECRHS in 2010, their 9,638 parents, and their 8,885 offspring participating in RHINESSA in 2013. Information on place of upbringing and self-reported ever asthma was provided via questionnaires. Logistic regression was performed including subgroup analysis stratified by generation and birthyear into ten-year-intervals. The prevalence of asthma increased from 8% among grandparents to 13% among parents and to 18% among offspring. An overall analysis showed an inverse association of farm upbringing on the risk of asthma (OR = 0.64; 95%CI 0.55-0.74). Subgroup analysis stratified into ten-year-intervals showed a tendency towards a more pronounced inverse association between growing up on a farm and asthma among subjects born in the 1940s (0.74; 0.48-1.12), 1950s (0.70; 0.54-0.90) and 1960s (0.70; 0.52-0.93). For subjects born in 1970 and thereafter this association appeared less consistent. While growing up on a farm was associated with a reduced risk of developing asthma in participants born between 1945-1999, this was mainly driven by generations born from 1945 to 1973.
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Vindenes HK, Lin H, Shigdel R, Ringel-Kulka T, Real FG, Svanes C, Peddada SD, Bertelsen RJ. Exposure to Antibacterial Chemicals Is Associated With Altered Composition of Oral Microbiome. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:790496. [PMID: 35572708 PMCID: PMC9096491 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.790496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial chemicals are used as preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in the products. Unintentional exposure in humans to such chemicals is well documented, but whether they also interfere with human oral microbiome composition is largely unexplored. In this study, we explored whether the oral bacterial composition is affected by exposure to antibacterial and environmental chemicals. Gingival fluid, urine, and interview data were collected from 477 adults (18–47 years) from the RHINESSA study in Bergen, Norway. Urine biomarkers of triclosan, triclocarban, parabens, benzophenone-3, bisphenols, and 2,4- and 2,5-dichlorophenols (DCPs) were quantified (by mass spectrometry). Microbiome analysis was based on 16S amplicon sequencing. Diversity and differential abundance analyses were performed to identify how microbial communities may change when comparing groups of different chemical exposure. We identified that high urine levels (>75th percentile) of propyl parabens were associated with a lower abundance of bacteria genera TM7 [G-3], Helicobacter, Megasphaera, Mitsuokella, Tannerella, Propionibacteriaceae [G-2], and Dermabacter, as compared with low propylparaben levels (<25th percentile). High exposure to ethylparaben was associated with a higher abundance of Paracoccus. High urine levels of bisphenol A were associated with a lower abundance of Streptococcus and exposure to another environmental chemical, 2,4-DCP, was associated with a lower abundance of Treponema, Fretibacterium, and Bacteroidales [G-2]. High exposure to antibacterial and environmental chemicals was associated with an altered composition of gingiva bacteria; mostly commensal bacteria in the oral cavity. Our results highlight a need for a better understanding of how antimicrobial chemical exposure influences the human microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde Kristin Vindenes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Huang Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rajesh Shigdel
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tamar Ringel-Kulka
- Department of Maternal and Child Care, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Francisco Gomez Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Shyamal D Peddada
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Randi J Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Oral Health Center of Expertise in Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
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5
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Lønnebotn M, Calciano L, Johannessen A, Jarvis DL, Abramson MJ, Benediktsdóttir B, Bråbäck L, Franklin KA, Godoy R, Holm M, Janson C, Jõgi NO, Kirkeleit J, Malinovschi A, Pereira-Vega A, Schlünssen V, Dharmage SC, Accordini S, Gómez Real F, Svanes C. Parental Prepuberty Overweight and Offspring Lung Function. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14071506. [PMID: 35406119 PMCID: PMC9002985 DOI: 10.3390/nu14071506] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In a recent study we found that fathers' but not mothers' onset of overweight in puberty was associated with asthma in adult offspring. The potential impact on offspring's adult lung function, a key marker of general and respiratory health, has not been studied. We investigated the potential causal effects of parents' overweight on adult offspring's lung function within the paternal and maternal lines. We included 929 offspring (aged 18-54, 54% daughters) of 308 fathers and 388 mothers (aged 40-66). Counterfactual-based multi-group mediation analyses by offspring's sex (potential moderator) were used, with offspring's prepubertal overweight and/or adult height as potential mediators. Unknown confounding was addressed by simulation analyses. Fathers' overweight before puberty had a negative indirect effect, mediated through sons' height, on sons' forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (beta (95% CI): -144 (-272, -23) mL) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (beta (95% CI): -210 (-380, -34) mL), and a negative direct effect on sons' FVC (beta (95% CI): -262 (-501, -9) mL); statistically significant effects on FEV1/FVC were not observed. Mothers' overweight before puberty had neither direct nor indirect effects on offspring's lung function. Fathers' overweight starting before puberty appears to cause lower FEV1 and FVC in their future sons. The effects were partly mediated through sons' adult height but not through sons' prepubertal overweight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Lønnebotn
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway; (A.J.); (J.K.); (C.S.)
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +47-9596-8484
| | - Lucia Calciano
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (L.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Ane Johannessen
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway; (A.J.); (J.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Deborah L. Jarvis
- Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Michael J. Abramson
- School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia;
| | | | - Lennart Bråbäck
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Karl A. Franklin
- The Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeaa, Sweden;
| | - Raúl Godoy
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Complex of Albacete, University of Castilla La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain;
| | - Mathias Holm
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Christer Janson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Nils O. Jõgi
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (N.O.J.); (F.G.R.)
| | - Jorunn Kirkeleit
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway; (A.J.); (J.K.); (C.S.)
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Andrei Malinovschi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Antonio Pereira-Vega
- Pneumology Service, Juan Ramón Jiménez University Hospital in Huelva, 21005 Huelva, Spain;
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health, Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark;
- National Research Center for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shyamali C. Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Simone Accordini
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (L.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Francisco Gómez Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway; (N.O.J.); (F.G.R.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5053 Bergen, Norway
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway; (A.J.); (J.K.); (C.S.)
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
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6
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Jõgi NO, Kitaba N, Storaas T, Schlünssen V, Triebner K, Holloway JW, Horsnell WGC, Svanes C, Bertelsen RJ. Ascaris exposure and its association with lung function, asthma, and DNA methylation in Northern Europe. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 149:1960-1969. [PMID: 34996616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascaris infections, with a worldwide prevalence above 10%, can cause respiratory pathology. However, long-term effects on lung function in humans are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE We investigated the associations of Ascaris exposure with lung function, asthma, and DNA methylation. METHODS Serum Ascaris IgG antibodies were measured in 671 adults aged 18 to 47 years (46% women) from Aarhus, Bergen, and Tartu RHINESSA study centers. Seropositivity was defined as IgG above the 90th percentile. Linear and logistic regressions were used to analyze Ascaris seropositivity as associated with lung function and asthma, adjusted for age, height, and smoking and clustered by center. DNA methylation in blood was profiled by a commercial methylation assay. RESULTS Ascaris seropositivity was associated with lower FEV1 (-247 mL; 95% CI, -460, -34) and higher odds for asthma (adjusted odds ratio, 5.84; 95% CI, 1.67, 20.37) among men but not women, also after further adjusting for house dust mite sensitivity, consistent across study centers. At a genome-wide level, Ascaris exposure was associated with 23 differentially methylated sites in men and 3 in women. We identified hypermethylation of the MYBPC1 gene, which can regulate airway muscle contraction. We also identified genes linked to asthma pathogenesis such as CRHR1 and GRK1, as well as a differentially methylated region in the PRSS22 gene linked to nematode infection. CONCLUSION Ascaris exposure was associated with substantially lower lung function and increased asthma risk among men. Seropositive participants had sex-specific differences in DNA methylation compared to the unexposed, thus suggesting that exposure may lead to sex-specific epigenetic changes associated with lung pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils O Jõgi
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Negusse Kitaba
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Torgeir Storaas
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health, Environmental Occupation, and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kai Triebner
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Core Facility for Metabolomics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - William G C Horsnell
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine/Division of Immunology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Immunology and Neurogenetics, CNRS-University of Orléans and Le Studium Institute for Advanced Studies, Orléans, France.
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Randi J Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Oral Health Centre of Expertise in Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
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7
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Tjalvin G, Svanes Ø, Igland J, Bertelsen RJ, Benediktsdóttir B, Dharmage S, Forsberg B, Holm M, Janson C, Jõgi NO, Johannessen A, Malinovschi A, Pape K, Real FG, Sigsgaard T, Torén K, Vindenes HK, Zock JP, Schlünssen V, Svanes C. Maternal preconception occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants and offspring asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 149:422-431.e5. [PMID: 34674855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging research suggests health effects in offspring after parental chemical exposures before conception. Many future mothers are exposed to potent chemicals at work, but potential offspring health effects are hardly investigated. OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate childhood asthma in relation to mother's occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants before conception. METHODS The multicenter Respiratory Health In Northern Europe/Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study investigated asthma and wheeze starting at age less than 10 years in 3318 mother-offspring pairs. From an asthma-specific Job-Exposure Matrix and mothers' occupational history, we defined maternal occupational exposure to indoor cleaning agents (cleaning products/detergents and disinfectants) starting before conception, in the 2-year period around conception and pregnancy, or after birth. Never-employed mothers were excluded. Exposed groups include cleaners, health care workers, cooks, and so forth. Associations were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regression and ordinary logistic regression with clustered robust SEs and adjustment for maternal education. RESULTS Maternal occupational exposure to indoor cleaning starting preconception and continuing (n = 610) was associated with offspring's childhood asthma: odds ratio 1.56 (95% CI, 1.05-2.31), childhood asthma with nasal allergies: 1.77 (1.13-2.77), and childhood wheeze and/or asthma: 1.71 (95% CI, 1.19-2.44). Exposure starting around conception and pregnancy (n = 77) was associated with increased childhood wheeze and/or asthma: 2.25 (95% CI, 1.03-4.91). Exposure starting after birth was not associated with asthma outcomes (1.13 [95% CI, 0.71-1.80], 1.15 [95% CI, 0.67-1.97], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.69-1.67]). CONCLUSIONS Mother's occupational exposure to indoor cleaning agents starting before conception, or around conception and pregnancy, was associated with more childhood asthma and wheeze in offspring. Considering potential implications for vast numbers of women in childbearing age using cleaning agents, and their children, further research is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gro Tjalvin
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Øistein Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jannicke Igland
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Oral Health Center of Expertise in Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
| | - Bryndís Benediktsdóttir
- Medical Faculty, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland; Department of Sleep, Landspitali University Hospital Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Shyamali Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mathias Holm
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christer Janson
- Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nils Oskar Jõgi
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Tartu University Lung Clinic, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ane Johannessen
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andrei Malinovschi
- Department of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kathrine Pape
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Francisco Gomez Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kjell Torén
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hilde Kristin Vindenes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jan-Paul Zock
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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8
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Svanes C, Bertelsen RJ, Accordini S, Holloway JW, Júlíusson P, Boateng E, Krauss-Etchmann S, Schlünssen V, Gómez-Real F, Skulstad SM. Exposures during the prepuberty period and future offspring's health: evidence from human cohort studies†. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:667-680. [PMID: 34416759 PMCID: PMC8444705 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that exposures in prepuberty, particularly in fathers-to-be, may impact the phenotype of future offspring. Analyses of the RHINESSA cohort find that offspring of father’s exposed to tobacco smoking or overweight that started in prepuberty demonstrate poorer respiratory health in terms of more asthma and lower lung function. A role of prepuberty onset smoking for offspring fat mass is suggested in the RHINESSA and ALSPAC cohorts, and historic studies suggest that ancestral nutrition during prepuberty plays a role for grand-offspring’s health and morbidity. Support for causal relationships between ancestral exposures and (grand-)offspring’s health in humans has been enhanced by advancements in statistical analyses that optimize the gain while accounting for the many complexities and deficiencies in human multigeneration data. The biological mechanisms underlying such observations have been explored in experimental models. A role of sperm small RNA in the transmission of paternal exposures to offspring phenotypes has been established, and chemical exposures and overweight have been shown to influence epigenetic programming in germ cells. For example, exposure of adolescent male mice to smoking led to differences in offspring weight and alterations in small RNAs in the spermatozoa of the exposed fathers. It is plausible that male prepuberty may be a time window of particular susceptibility, given the extensive epigenetic reprogramming taking place in the spermatocyte precursors at this age. In conclusion, epidemiological studies in humans, mechanistic research, and biological plausibility, all support the notion that exposures in the prepuberty of males may influence the phenotype of future offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Randi J Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Oral Health Centre of Expertise Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
| | - Simone Accordini
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - John W Holloway
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton, UK.,Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Pétur Júlíusson
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Health Register Research and Development, National Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eistine Boateng
- Early Life Origins of Chronic Lung Disease, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany
| | - Susanne Krauss-Etchmann
- Early Life Origins of Chronic Lung Disease, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health-Work, Environment and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Denmark.,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francisco Gómez-Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Svein Magne Skulstad
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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9
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Vindenes HK, Svanes C, Lygre SHL, Real FG, Ringel-Kulka T, Bertelsen RJ. Exposure to environmental phenols and parabens, and relation to body mass index, eczema and respiratory outcomes in the Norwegian RHINESSA study. Environ Health 2021; 20:81. [PMID: 34256787 PMCID: PMC8278607 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00767-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many phenols and parabens are applied in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food, to prevent growth of bacteria and fungi. Whether these chemicals affect inflammatory diseases like allergies and overweight is largely unexplored. We aimed to assess the associations of use of personal care products with urine biomarkers levels of phenols and paraben exposure, and whether urine levels (reflecting body burden of this chemical exposures) are associated with eczema, rhinitis, asthma, specific IgE and body mass index. METHODS Demographics, clinical variables, and self-report of personal care products use along with urine samples were collected concurrently from 496 adults (48% females, median age: 28 years) and 90 adolescents (10-17 years of age) from the RHINESSA study in Bergen, Norway. Urine biomarkers of triclosan (TCS), triclocarban (TCC), parabens and benzophenone-3, bisphenols and dichlorophenols (DCP) were quantified by mass spectrometry. RESULTS Detection of the urine biomarkers varied according to chemical type and demographics. TCC was detected in 5% of adults and in 45% of adolescents, while propyl (PPB) and methyl (MPB) parabens were detected in 95% of adults and in 94% (PPB) and 99% (MPB) of adolescents. Women had higher median urine concentrations of phenolic chemicals and reported a higher frequency of use of personal care products than men. Urine concentration of MPB increased in a dose-dependent manner with increased frequency of use of several cosmetic products. Overall, urinary biomarker levels of parabens were lower in those with current eczema. The biomarker concentrations of bisphenol S was higher in participants with positive specific IgE and females with current asthma, but did not differ by eczema or rhinitis status. MPB, ethylparaben (EPB), 2,4-DCP and TCS were inversely related to BMI in adults; interaction by gender were not significant. CONCLUSIONS Reported frequency of use of personal care products correlated very well with urine biomarker levels of paraben and phenols. Several chemicals were inversley related to BMI, and lower levels of parabens was observed for participants with current eczema. There is a need for further studies of health effects of chemicals from personal care products, in particular in longitudinally designed studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde Kristin Vindenes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Tamar Ringel-Kulka
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Oral Health Center of Expertise, Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
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10
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Timm S, Svanes C, Frydenberg M, Sigsgaard T, Holm M, Janson C, Bråbäck L, Campbell B, Kjaer Madsen M, Jõgi NO, Jõgi R, Schiöler L, Bertelsen RJ, Johannessen A, Sanchez-Ramos JL, Martinez-Moretalla J, Dratva J, Dharmage S, Schlünssen V. Does parental farm upbringing influence the risk of asthma in offspring? A three-generation study. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 49:1874-1882. [PMID: 32747948 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A farm upbringing has been associated with lower risk of asthma and methylation of asthma-related genes. As such, a farm upbringing has the potential to transfer asthma risk across generations, but this has never been investigated. We aimed to study the generational effects from a parental farm upbringing on offspring asthma. METHODS Our study involved three generations: 5759 participants from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) study (born 1945-1971, denoted G1), their 9991 parents (G0) and their 8260 offspring (G2) participating in RHINESSA (Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, Spain and Australia). Questionnaire data were collected on G0 and G1 from G1 in 2010 and on G2 from themselves in 2013. The parental/grandparental place of upbringing was categorized: (i) both parents from farm; (ii) mother from farm, father from village/city; (iii) father from farm, mother from village/city; (iv) both parents from village or one parent from village and one from city; (v) both parents from city (reference group). Grandparental upbringing was equivalently categorized. Offspring asthma was self-reported and data were analysed using Cox-regression models with G2 age as the time scale. RESULTS A parental farm upbringing was not associated with offspring asthma when compared with city upbringing [hazard ratio (HR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74-1.69]. Findings remained similar when stratified by offspring upbringing and asthma phenotypes. Quantitative bias analyses showed similar estimates for alternative data sources. A grandparental farm upbringing was not associated with offspring asthma in either the maternal (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.67-1.65) or paternal line (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.62-1.68). CONCLUSIONS This multigenerational analysis suggests no evidence of an association between parental/grandparental farm upbringing and offspring asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Signe Timm
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Morten Frydenberg
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mathias Holm
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christer Janson
- Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lennart Bråbäck
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Brittany Campbell
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marie Kjaer Madsen
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nils Oskar Jõgi
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rain Jõgi
- Tartu University Hospital, Lung Clinic, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Linus Schiöler
- Section of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Ane Johannessen
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Julia Dratva
- ZHAW School of Health Professions, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Shyamali Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Timm S, Frydenberg M, Abramson MJ, Bertelsen RJ, Bråbäck L, Benediktsdottir B, Gislason T, Holm M, Janson C, Jogi R, Johannessen A, Kim JL, Malinovschi A, Mishra G, Moratalla J, Sigsgaard T, Svanes C, Schlünssen V. Asthma and selective migration from farming environments in a three-generation cohort study. Eur J Epidemiol 2019; 34:601-9. [PMID: 30729356 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-019-00491-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Individuals raised on a farm appear to have less asthma than individual raised elsewhere. However, selective migration might contribute to this as may also the suggested protection from farm environment. This study investigated if parents with asthma are less likely to raise their children on a farm. This study involved three generations: 6045 participants in ECRHS/RHINE cohorts (born 1945-1973, denoted G1), their 10,121 parents (denoted G0) and their 8260 offspring participating in RHINESSA (born 1963-1998, denoted G2). G2-offspring provided information on parents not participating in ECRHS/RHINE. Asthma status and place of upbringing for all three generations were reported in questionnaires by G1 in 2010-2012 and by G2 in 2013-2016. Binary regressions with farm upbringing as outcome were performed to explore associations between parental asthma and offspring farm upbringing in G0-G1 and G1-G2. Having at least one parent with asthma was not associated with offspring farm upbringing, either in G1-G2 (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.81-1.52) or in G0-G1 (RR 0.99, 0.85-1.15). G1 parents with asthma born in a city tended to move and raise their G2 offspring on a farm (RR 2.00, 1.12-3.55), while G1 parents with asthma born on a farm were less likely to raise their G2 offspring on a farm (RR 0.34, 0.11-1.06). This pattern was not observed in analyses of G0-G1. This study suggests that the protective effect from farm upbringing on subsequent asthma development could not be explained by selective migration. Intriguingly, asthmatic parents appeared to change environment when having children.
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12
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Jõgi NO, Svanes C, Siiak SP, Logan E, Holloway JW, Igland J, Johannessen A, Levin M, Real FG, Schlunssen V, Horsnell WGC, Bertelsen RJ. Zoonotic helminth exposure and risk of allergic diseases: A study of two generations in Norway. Clin Exp Allergy 2017; 48:66-77. [PMID: 29117468 DOI: 10.1111/cea.13055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and human studies indicate that definitive host helminth infections may confer protection from allergies. However, zoonotic helminths, such as Toxocara species (spp.), have been associated with increased allergies. OBJECTIVE We describe the prevalence of Toxocara spp. and Ascaris spp. seropositivity and associations with allergic diseases and sensitization, in 2 generations in Bergen, Norway. METHODS Serum levels of total IgG4, anti-Toxocara spp. IgG4 and Ascaris spp. IgG4 were established by ELISA in 2 cohorts: parents born 1945-1972 (n = 171) and their offspring born 1969-2003 (n = 264). Allergic outcomes and covariates were recorded through interviews and clinical examinations including serum IgEs and skin prick tests. RESULTS Anti-Ascaris spp. IgG4 was detected in 29.2% of parents and 10.3% of offspring, and anti-Toxocara spp. IgG4 in 17.5% and 8.0% of parents and offspring, respectively. Among offspring, anti-Toxocara spp. IgG4 was associated with pet keeping before age 15 (OR = 6.15; 95% CI = 1.37-27.5) and increasing BMI (1.16[1.06-1.25] per kg/m2 ). Toxocara spp. seropositivity was associated with wheeze (2.97[1.45- 7.76]), hayfever (4.03[1.63-9.95]), eczema (2.89[1.08-7.76]) and cat sensitization (5.65[1.92-16.6]) among offspring, but was not associated with allergic outcomes among parents. Adjustment for childhood or current pet keeping did not alter associations with allergies. Parental Toxocara spp. seropositivity was associated with increased offspring allergies following a sex-specific pattern. CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE Zoonotic helminth exposure in Norway was less frequent in offspring than parents; however, Toxocara spp. seropositivity was associated with increased risk of allergic manifestations in the offspring generation, but not among parents. Changes in response to helminth exposure may provide insights into the increase in allergy incidence in affluent countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- N O Jõgi
- University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - C Svanes
- Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - E Logan
- University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - J W Holloway
- Human Development & Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - J Igland
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - A Johannessen
- Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - M Levin
- University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - F G Real
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - V Schlunssen
- Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - W G C Horsnell
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine/Division of Immunology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Immunology and Neurogenetics, UMR 7355, CNRS-University of Orleans and Le Studium Institute for Advanced Studies, Orléans, France
| | - R J Bertelsen
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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