Can cell proliferation of umbilical cord blood cells reflect environmental exposures?

Lena Novack,Batia Sarov,Daniella Landau,Elena Gurevich,Doron Dukler,Isabella Karakis,Maayan Yitshak-Sade,Reli Hershkovitz,Esther Manor,Tali Vodonos

doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1134-0

Abstract

Environmental hazards were shown to have an impact on cell proliferation (CP). We investigated CP of lymphocytes in umbilical cord blood in relation to prenatal environmental exposures in a sample of 346 Arab-Bedouin women giving birth in a local hospital. Information on subjects’ addresses at pregnancy, potential household exposures and demographical status was collected in an interview during hospitalization. This population is usually featured by high rates of neonatal morbidity and multiple environmental exposures, originating from the local industrial park (IP), household hazards and frequent male smoking. A geometric mean CP ratio 2.17 (2.06; 2.29), and was high in women residing in a direction of prevailing winds from the local IP (p value = 0.094) and who gave birth during fall-winter season (p value = 0.024). Women complaining on disturbing exposure to noise had lower CP (p value = 0.015), compared to other women. CP was not indicative of neonatal morbidity. However, our findings suggest that CP of umbilical cord might be modified by environmental exposures. A long-term follow-up of the children is required to assess their developmental outcomes.

Highlights

Environmental exposures were shown to have an impact on cell life functions, the research in this direction is scarce
Mothers of newborns with malformations had experienced more abortions in the past, compared to mothers of healthy newborns (13.6 vs. 4.6%, p value = 0.009). In this investigation we examined an effect of environmental exposures on a biomarker of an impaired or altered cell functions in humans, cell proliferation
This finding is reinforced by the report by Jáuregui-Huerta et al (2011) on exposure of rats to environmental noise associated with decreased cell proliferation in the hippocampal formation

Summary

Introduction

Environmental exposures were shown to have an impact on cell life functions, the research in this direction is scarce. Mice offspring exposed in utero to high levels of particulate matter (PM) showed significantly suppressed splenocyte proliferation (Hong et al 2013). PM was shown to have an adverse impact on the respiratory system leading to cytotoxic and inflammatory effects, as measured by the cell proliferation MTT test (Orona et al 2014). Another study (Schaub et al 2009) showed a decreased lymphocytes proliferation in cord blood taken in mothers exposed to farming during pregnancy. The studies demonstrated a possibility of a modulating effect of environmental factors on fetus cells. The possible linkage between impaired cell malfunctioning and environment might explain an abundant research connecting environmental pollution with an

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