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Association between phthalate metabolite mixture in neonatal cord serum and birth outcomes
Xiaozhen Zhang1, Caihong Xu1, Yahui Li2
1School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to phthalates (plasticizers) and their metabolites is common in Chinese neonates. This exposure is linked to reduced birth weight and length, with effects differing by infant gender.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- Phthalate esters (PAEs) are common environmental contaminants.
- Prenatal exposure to PAEs and their metabolites (mPAEs) can disrupt hormone pathways and cause oxidative stress.
- Adverse birth outcomes are a potential consequence of PAE exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify 11 mPAEs in umbilical cord serum from Jinan neonates.
- To investigate the effects of individual mPAEs and mPAE mixtures on birth outcomes.
- To explore gender-specific effects of mPAE exposure on fetal development.
Main Methods:
- HPLC-ESI-MS was used to measure 11 mPAEs in 318 umbilical cord serum samples.
- Statistical models including multiple linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression, and quantile g-computation were applied.
- Stratified analyses were conducted to assess gender-specific impacts.
Main Results:
- Phthalate metabolite mixtures were associated with reduced birth length, birth weight, head circumference, and ponderal index.
- Specific metabolites like MEHP and MCMHP showed negative associations with certain birth measurements.
- Negative effects of the mPAE mixture were less pronounced in female infants, and MECPP showed a positive impact on growth in females.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal phthalate exposure may contribute to intrauterine growth restriction.
- The impact of phthalate exposure on birth outcomes is gender-dependent.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and long-term implications of these findings.
Abstract:
Prenatal exposure to phthalates (PAEs) is ubiquitous among Chinese neonates. PAEs entering the body will be transformed to various hydrolyzed and oxidated PAE metabolites (mPAEs). PAEs and mPAEs exposure may lead to adverse birth outcomes through disruption of multiple hormone signaling pathways, induction of oxidative stress, and alterations in intracellular signaling processes. In this study, the concentrations of 11 mPAEs in 318 umbilical cord serum samples from neonates in Jinan were quantified with HPLC-ESI-MS. Multiple linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression, and quantile g-computation models were utilized to investigate the effects of both individual mPAE and mPAE mixture on birth outcomes. Stratified analysis was performed to explore whether these effects were gender-specific. mPAE mixture was negatively associated with birth length (BL) z-score, birth weight (BW) z-score, head circumference (HC) z-score, and ponderal index (PI). Mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) manifested negative associations with BL(z-score), BW(z-score), HC(z-score), and PI, whereas mono(2-carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate (MCMHP) was negatively associated with BW(z-score) and PI within the mPAE mixture. Stratified analysis revealed that the negative associations between mPAE mixture and four birth outcomes were attenuated in female infants, while the positive impact of mono(2-ethyl-5carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) on BL(z-score) and BW(z-score) could be detected only in females. In summary, our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to phthalates may be associated with intrauterine growth restriction, and these effects vary according to the gender of the infant.
