AI Article Synopsis

  • Prenatal exposure to phthalates may disrupt placental function and fetal development, but the specific mechanisms are not well understood.
  • This study analyzed the placental transcriptome and how it might relate to the effects of phthalates on children's brain development, using data from 172 participants.
  • The findings suggest that phthalate exposure during pregnancy is linked to neurodevelopmental delays in children, with nine specific placental-brain axis genes identified as mediators in this relationship.

Article Abstract

Prenatal exposure to phthalates may affect placental function and fetal development, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The aim of our study was to explore the alterations in the placental transcriptome associated with prenatal phthalate exposure and to further analyze whether the placental-brain axis (PBA) genes play a mediating role in the association between prenatal phthalate exposure and children's neurodevelopment. We included 172 participants from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort and collected data on seven phthalate metabolites in urine during pregnancy, placental tissue RNA-seq, and neurodevelopment of offspring. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that aberrant regulation of the placental transcriptome was associated with prenatal phthalate exposure. Exposure to phthalates during pregnancy was found to be associated with neurodevelopmental delay in children aged 6, 18, and 48 months using the multiple linear regression model. Meanwhile, employing mediation analysis, nine PBA genes were identified that mediate the association between exposure to phthalates during pregnancy and the neurodevelopment of children. Our study will provide a basis for potential mechanisms by which prenatal exposure to phthalates affects placental function and children's neurodevelopment.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c04082DOI Listing

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