Relationship among maternal blood lead, ALAD gene polymorphism and neonatal neurobehavioral development

Lead is a widely used heavy metal that can affect children's nervous system development. ALAD gene polymorphism is associated with lead neurotoxicity. This study aimed to clarify the relationship among maternal blood lead, ALAD gene polymorphism, and neonatal neurobehavioral development through detecting maternal blood lead and ALAD gene polymorphism. 198 maternal and neonatal were selected as the research object. Graphite furnace atomic absorption method was applied to detect the maternal blood lead concentration. PCR-RFLP was used to detect ALAD genotype distribution. Neonatal NANB score was treated as effect indicator. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. The ALAD genotype was 181 cases (91.4%) for ALAD11 and 17 cases (8.6%) for ALAD12. ALAD allele frequency distribution accords with genetics Hardy-Weinberg balance (P > 0.05). Blood lead level in maternal with ALAD12 genotype was significantly higher than with ALAD11 genotype (P < 0.01). NANB score in high blood lead neonatal group was obviously lower than the low blood lead group (P < 0.05). Newborn's NANB score from the maternal with ALAD11 genotype was lower than from the maternal with ALAD12 genotype (P < 0.01). After ruling out the confounding factors influence by multiple linear regressions, ALAD gene polymorphisms had no significant correlation with neonatal NANB score (P > 0.05). ALAD gene polymorphism is associated with the blood lead level. Low level lead exposure in utero may cause newborn early neurobehavioral maldevelopment. Maternal ALAD gene polymorphism can affect early neonatal neurobehavioral development by influencing the blood lead level.