Abstract
The article aims to underline the impact of nicotine and pesticides on neuronal α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expression in brainstem regions receiving cholinergic projections, given their fundamental role during the neuronal development. The in-depth histopathological/immunohistochemical examination of the autonomic nervous system performed at the “Lino Rossi” Research Center of the Milan University on a wide group of sudden unexpected fetal and infant deaths, highlighted the frequent hypodevelopment of brainstem structures checking the vital functions associated to altered expression of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and smoke absorption in pregnancy. A dysregulation of the catecholamine system was also observed in the cerebellar cortex of the same cases. However, in a not negligible percentage of sudden deaths with altered expression of α7-nicotinic receptors, the mothers never smoked but lived in rural areas. Specific analytical procedures showed the presence of agricultural pesticides in cerebral cortex samples of these victims. Therefore, it is possible to believe that the exposition to pesticides during pregnancy can produce the same harmful effects as nicotine on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Moreover, alterations of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors receptor expression were also detected in the lungs of many sudden perinatal death victims, allowing to consider even these findings as possible consequence of maternal exposure to toxic factors.
Highlights
In this paper I would like to present and discuss the main findings obtained in many years of research carried out at the “Lino Rossi Research Center for the study and prevention of the unexpected perinatal death and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)” of the Milan University (Italy) on a wide group of sudden fetal and infant deaths, related to alterations of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expression as consequence of prenatal exposure to toxics.I start from a premise: the “Lino Rossi” Research Center is the national referral center for the application of the Italian Law no. 31/2006 “Regulations for diagnostic post mortem investigation in victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death Syndrome (SIUDS)” [1]
The in-depth histopathological/immunohistochemical examination of the autonomic nervous system performed at the “Lino Rossi” Research Center of the Milan University on a wide group of sudden unexpected fetal and infant deaths, highlighted the frequent hypodevelopment of brainstem structures checking the vital functions associated to altered expression of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and smoke absorption in pregnancy
Through the application of the above-reported guidelines, the harmful effects of prenatal nicotine absorption on the autonomic nervous system were highlighted in a wide case study of sudden fetal and infant deaths
Summary
In this paper I would like to present and discuss the main findings obtained in many years of research carried out at the “Lino Rossi Research Center for the study and prevention of the unexpected perinatal death and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)” of the Milan University (Italy) on a wide group of sudden fetal and infant deaths, related to alterations of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expression as consequence of prenatal exposure to toxics.I start from a premise: the “Lino Rossi” Research Center is the national referral center for the application of the Italian Law no. 31/2006 “Regulations for diagnostic post mortem investigation in victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death Syndrome (SIUDS)” [1]. 31/2006 “Regulations for diagnostic post mortem investigation in victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death Syndrome (SIUDS)” [1]. This law states that all infants dying suddenly of suspected SIDS within the first year of age, as well as all fetuses who died after the 25th week of gestation without any apparent cause in Italian regions, must undergo an in-depth post mortem examination, in accordance with specific guidelines, as reported below
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