TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of biomarkers of exposure to metals and metalloids with maternal hormones in pregnant women from Puerto Rico
AU - Rivera-Núñez, Zorimar
AU - Ashrap, Pahriya
AU - Barrett, Emily S.
AU - Watkins, Deborah J.
AU - Cathey, Amber L.
AU - Vélez-Vega, Carmen M.
AU - Rosario, Zaira
AU - Cordero, José F.
AU - Alshawabkeh, Akram
AU - Meeker, John D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the Superfund Research Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS; R01ES032203), National Institutes of Health (NIH; grant number P42ES017198). Additional support was provided from NIEHS grant number P30ES017885 and the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program grant number UH3OD023251. ECHO is a nationwide research program supported by the NIH, Office of the Director to enhance child health. First author was supported by NIEHS 3R01ES029275-02S1.
Funding Information:
We are extremely grateful to all PROTECT study participants and their families. The authors also thank the nurses and research staff who participated in cohort recruitment and follow up, as well as the Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in Puerto Rico that facilitated participant recruitment, including Morovis Community Health Center, Prymed in Ciales, Camuy Health Services, Inc. and the Delta OBGyn Group in Manati, as well as the Manati Medical Center and the Metro Pavia Hospital in Arecibo.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Background: Metal(loid)s have been associated to adverse birth outcomes in experimental and epidemiological studies, but the underlying mechanism(s) are not well understood. Endocrine disruption may be a mechanism by which the metal(loid)s impact birth outcomes. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited through the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT). Urine, blood, demographic and pregnancy-related data were collected at recruitment and subsequent visits. Sixteen metal(loid)s were analyzed in urine and blood samples, while nine maternal hormones (corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), estriol (E3), progesterone, testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (fT4)) were measured in serum samples from 815 singleton pregnancies. Linear mixed models with random intercepts were used to examine associations between metal(loid)s in blood and urine with hormone concentrations. Results: Arsenic blood concentrations were significantly associated with increased levels in CRH (%Δ: 23.0, 95%CI: 8.4–39.6) and decreased levels in testosterone (%Δ: −16.3, 95%CI: −26.2-−5.1). Cobalt, manganese, and lead blood concentrations were associated with small increases in SHBG (%Δ range: 3.3–4.2), E3 (%Δ range: 3.9–8.7) and progesterone (%Δ range: 4.1–6.3) levels, respectively. Nickel blood concentration was inversely associated with testosterone levels (%Δ −13.3, 95%CI: −18.7-−7.6). Significant interactions were detected for the association between nickel and study visit in relation to CRH (p < 0.02) and testosterone levels (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that metal(loid)s may act as endocrine disruptors by altering prenatal hormone levels. This disruption may depend on specific windows of exposure during pregnancy. Additionally, some essential metal(loid)s such as managense and cobalt may be contributors to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. The study of metal(loid)s as endocrine disruptors is in the early stages of epidemiological research and future studies are needed to further investigate these associations.
AB - Background: Metal(loid)s have been associated to adverse birth outcomes in experimental and epidemiological studies, but the underlying mechanism(s) are not well understood. Endocrine disruption may be a mechanism by which the metal(loid)s impact birth outcomes. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited through the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT). Urine, blood, demographic and pregnancy-related data were collected at recruitment and subsequent visits. Sixteen metal(loid)s were analyzed in urine and blood samples, while nine maternal hormones (corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), estriol (E3), progesterone, testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (fT4)) were measured in serum samples from 815 singleton pregnancies. Linear mixed models with random intercepts were used to examine associations between metal(loid)s in blood and urine with hormone concentrations. Results: Arsenic blood concentrations were significantly associated with increased levels in CRH (%Δ: 23.0, 95%CI: 8.4–39.6) and decreased levels in testosterone (%Δ: −16.3, 95%CI: −26.2-−5.1). Cobalt, manganese, and lead blood concentrations were associated with small increases in SHBG (%Δ range: 3.3–4.2), E3 (%Δ range: 3.9–8.7) and progesterone (%Δ range: 4.1–6.3) levels, respectively. Nickel blood concentration was inversely associated with testosterone levels (%Δ −13.3, 95%CI: −18.7-−7.6). Significant interactions were detected for the association between nickel and study visit in relation to CRH (p < 0.02) and testosterone levels (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that metal(loid)s may act as endocrine disruptors by altering prenatal hormone levels. This disruption may depend on specific windows of exposure during pregnancy. Additionally, some essential metal(loid)s such as managense and cobalt may be contributors to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. The study of metal(loid)s as endocrine disruptors is in the early stages of epidemiological research and future studies are needed to further investigate these associations.
KW - Essential metals
KW - Maternal hormones
KW - Metalloids
KW - Metals
KW - Pregnancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097800827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85097800827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106310
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106310
M3 - Article
C2 - 33321388
AN - SCOPUS:85097800827
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 147
JO - Environmental International
JF - Environmental International
M1 - 106310
ER -