Toxic metals in amniotic fluid and altered gene expression in cell-free fetal RNA.
Lisa SmeesterElizabeth M MartinPete CableWanda BodnarKim BoggessNeeta L VoraRebecca C FryPublished in: Prenatal diagnosis (2018)
Both exposures to toxic metals, as well as deficiencies in essential metals, during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of negative reproductive outcomes. The exact etiologies of such outcomes and the effects of fetal exposure to these metals are largely unknown. Therefore, the ability to assess levels of these elements is critical to determining the underlying causes of such conditions and the effects that both essential and nonessential metals have on fetal development. Thus, using cell-free fetal RNA from amniotic fluid, we set out to measure the association between amniotic fluid levels of toxic and essential metals and fetal gene expression. We find that arsenic was associated with increased expression of 3 genes known to play roles in both birth-related and reproductive effects. The results highlight the potential for detrimental health effects of prenatal metals exposure and the potential to identify biomarkers of environmental exposure during this critical developmental period.
Keyphrases
- human health
- cell free
- risk assessment
- gene expression
- health risk
- health risk assessment
- climate change
- heavy metals
- drinking water
- dna methylation
- public health
- healthcare
- adipose tissue
- mesenchymal stem cells
- umbilical cord
- genome wide
- metabolic syndrome
- air pollution
- insulin resistance
- health information
- gestational age
- health promotion