Effect of Environmental Exposures and Diet on Genotoxicity in Newborns and Pregnant Mothers in Crete (RHEA Mother-Child Cohort)

Abstract

Effect of Environmental Exposures and Diet on Genotoxicity in Newborns and Pregnant Mothers in Crete (RHEA Mother-Child Cohort)Abstract Number:2109 Cristina O'Callaghan-Gordo*, Eleni Fthenou, Marie Pedersen, Leda Chatzi, Ana Espinosa, Marina Vafeiadi, Euripides Stephanou, Hannu Kiviranta, Marie Vahter, Rob Beelen, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Jos Kleinjans, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, and Manolis Kogevinas Cristina O'Callaghan-Gordo* Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Eleni Fthenou Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete (UoC), Greece, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Marie Pedersen Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Leda Chatzi Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete (UoC), Greece, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Ana Espinosa Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Marina Vafeiadi Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete (UoC), Greece, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Euripides Stephanou School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete (UoC), Greece, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Hannu Kiviranta Department of Environmental Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Marie Vahter Department of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Rob Beelen Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Netherlands, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Mark Nieuwenhuijsen Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Jos Kleinjans Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Netherlands, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Micheline Kirsch-Volders Laboratory of Cell Genetics, Faculty of Science and Bio-engineering, Vrije Universitei Brussel, Belgium, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , and Manolis Kogevinas Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author AbstractBackground: Incidence of childhood cancer has increased in recent decades. The causes of childhood cancer are poorly understood. High micronuclei (MN) frequency has been associated in adults with future cancer risk. Aim: We examined MN frequency, a biomarker of early genetic effects, in cord and mother’s blood in relation to environmental exposures and diet during pregnancy in the RHEA mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece (part of the European NewGeneris study).Methods: The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay was used to assess MN frequencies in bi- and mono-nucleated T-lymphocytes in 223 newborns and 214 mothers in 2007-08. Persistent organic pollutants, metals (Cd, Pb) and cotinine were measured in mothers and adducts of genotoxic compounds were available from newborns. The ESCAPE methods were used for modeling outdoor air pollution at home addresses in 2010. Associations between exposures and MN frequency were examined using negative binomial regression.Results: Exposure to air pollutants during whole pregnancy was not associated with increased MN frequency in newborns. In mothers increased risk of MN frequency in bi-nucleated cells was found for PM2.5 (adjusted IRR per 5µg/m3 =1.6, 95%CI=1.1-2.5). Increased MN frequency in newborns and mothers was associated with season of birth with highest risk in summer (newborns: adjusted IRR =2.1 95%CI=1.6-2.8; mothers: adjusted IRR=1.5, 95%CI=1.1-2.0). Increased MN frequency in bi-nucleated cells was observed among large birth weight (>4000g) newborns (adjusted IRR =1.3, 95%CI=1.0-1.8). There were no consistent patterns in MN frequency and other environmental contaminants or active/passive smoking. Some associations were found between meat, vegetables, fruit and iron supplements intake during pregnancy and MN frequency in bi- and mono-nucleated cells in newborns and mothers.Conclusions: We found few and not fully consistent patterns of genotoxicity risks in newborns associated with environmental and dietary exposures.