Gene expressions in newborns and the association with prenatal exposure to phthalate plasticizers - The Taiwan Maternal and Infant Cohort Study (TMICS)
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Maternal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) may alter fetal gene expression, impacting metabolic and immune pathways. This prenatal exposure could lead to long-term health issues in children.
Area Of Science
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Toxicology
Background
- Phthalates, such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are common endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
- Prenatal exposure to DEHP is associated with adverse developmental and immune effects, but underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the association between maternal DEHP exposure and neonatal gene expression using cord blood transcriptomics.
- To explore the impact of DEHP on metabolic and immune pathways in newborns.
Main Methods
- Prospective study involving 125 mother-newborn pairs from the Taiwan Maternal and Infant Cohort Study.
- Measurement of maternal urinary DEHP metabolites and RNA sequencing of neonatal cord blood.
- Pathway enrichment analysis and immune cell deconvolution to assess transcriptomic alterations.
Main Results
- Maternal DEHP exposure negatively correlated with key metabolic pathways (fatty acid, amino acid, energy metabolism, steroid biosynthesis) and immune pathways (antigen processing, T cell receptor signaling, NK cell cytotoxicity).
- Increased RCOR2 and decreased WNT7A gene expression were observed with higher DEHP metabolite levels.
- DEHP exposure was associated with reduced CD8+ T cells and activated NK cells, and increased undifferentiated macrophages, indicating immune dysregulation.
Conclusions
- Maternal DEHP exposure can disrupt offspring immune cell composition and metabolic programming at the transcriptomic level.
- These early-life alterations may increase susceptibility to long-term immunological and metabolic dysfunction.
- Findings highlight the need for stricter environmental regulations and further research on phthalate developmental impacts.
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