Grantee Research Project Results
2007 Progress Report: Biomarkers of PAH Exposure and Asthma in an Inner City Birth Cohort
EPA Grant Number: R832096Title: Biomarkers of PAH Exposure and Asthma in an Inner City Birth Cohort
Investigators: Miller, Rachel L. , Whyatt, Robin M. , Perera, Frederica P. , Lendor, Cynthia
Current Investigators: Miller, Rachel L. , Whyatt, Robin M. , Perera, Frederica P.
Institution: Columbia University in the City of New York
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: December 1, 2004 through December 31, 2007
Project Period Covered by this Report: December 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007
Project Amount: $749,872
RFA: Application of Biomarkers to Environmental Health and Risk Assessment (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Biomarkers to Environmental Health and Risk Assessment
Objective:
Living in areas with high volumes of traffic has been associated with asthma in children. Research suggests that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)s may be the biologically active components that increase the risk of airway inflammation that characterizes most asthma. But direct associations between exposure to PAHs, biomarkers for PAH exposure, biomarkers for biological effects of such exposures, and the onset of immunological or clinical signs of asthma have not yet been demonstrated.
We hypothesized that biomarkers for PAH exposure at age 5 years will help predict increased risk for wheeze or asthma. Specifically, we propose to 1: Determine whether increased PAH levels in the air measured at age 5 years are associated with increased urinary PAH metabolites in an inner city birth cohort, 2: Determine whether increased urinary PAH metabolites are associated with early indicators of wheeze, asthma or allergy, 3: Determine whether the presence of increased urinary PAH metabolites increases the association between environmental levels of allergens in home dust and indicators of wheeze, asthma or allergy. The aims of the project have not changed from the original application. There are no changes in key personnel.
Progress Summary:
- Recruitment of subjects: We have reached our goal and recruited 223 subjects.
- Urinary PAH metabolites: The Centers for Disease Control laboratories have analyzed 128 urine samples to date. We shipped the last set of urine samples to complete the study and the CDC is scheduled to complete the testing of the samples in March. Data analysis will follow shortly after. Each subject’s sample was tested for a set of 24 PAH metabolites (see list below). Metabolite levels were specific gravity adjusted. We found 11 out of 24 PAH metabolites were measurable in children’s urine (above the limits of detection (LOD). A wide distribution of multiple PAH urinary metabolites were detected in all subjects.
- Hypothesis Testing:
The following metabolites were below the limits of detection: 1-hydroxybenzo (c) phenanthrene, 2- hydroxybenzo (c) phenanthrene , 3- hydroxybenzo (c) phenanthrene , 1- hydroxybenz (a)anthracene, 3- hydroxybenz (a)anthracene, 9- hydroxybenz (a) anthracene, 1- hydroxychrysene, 2- hydroxychrysene, 3- hydroxychrysene, 4- hydroxychrysene, 6- hydroxychrysene, 3-hydroxybenzo (a)pyrene, 7-hydroxybenzo (a)pyrene, and 3-hydroxyfluoranthene.
Aim 1. Determine whether increased PAH levels in the air are associated with increased urinary PAH metabolites in an inner city birth cohort.
We found a significant correlation between airborne pyrene vs freshweight 1-hydroxypyrene (pyrene metabolite) (r=.299, p=.005, n=124). In preliminary analyses, the sum of the eight high molecular weight airborne PAH’s did not correlate with the sum of the nine urinary metabolites. Analyses will be repeated with a larger data set this spring.
Aim 2a: Comparison between urinary PAH metabolites and respiratory symptoms, asthma: Preliminary statistical analyses revealed a trend towards higher levels of 3-hydroxyfluorene and greater likelihood of wheezing (metabolite mean log concentrations 5.45 vs 5.73 no wheeze vs wheeze respectively, p=0.028.), shown in Fig 2A.
Aim 2b: Comparison between urinary PAH metabolites and biomarkers for atopy: We found significant associations between multiple allergen specific IgE (cockroach, mouse, dustmite, cat and dog) levels and metabolites for fluorene and phenanthrene (Fig 2B shows fluorene only), providing preliminary evidence that PAH exposure may augment allergic immune responses.
Aim 3. Determine whether the presence of increased urinary PAH metabolites increases the association between environmental levels of allergens in home dust and indicators of wheeze, asthma or allergy: Data analysis in progress.
All quality assurance requirements of 40 C.F.R. 30.54 are being met. The CDC Quality Assurance Program consists of preparing spiked pools, characterizing the levels of the metabolites in these pools by repetitive measurements, and using these characterized values to establish mean and 95% and 99% control limits for each analyte in each pool.
Future Activities:
We are continuing our analysis and anticipate that measurements of PAH metabolites will be completed by March. Measurement of airborne PAHs at age 5 years and allergen exposure at age 3 years is pending.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 10 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon’s (PAH’s), urinary metabolites, asthma,, RFA, Health, Air, Scientific Discipline, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, particulate matter, genetic susceptability, Environmental Chemistry, Allergens/Asthma, Environmental Monitoring, sensitive populations, health risks, inner city, chemical characteristics, airway inflammation, asthma indices, asthma triggers, asthma, Manhattan, aerosol composition, airborne particulate matter, human exposure, ambient air monitoring, environmental risks, second hand smoke, atmospheric particles, atmospheric aerosol particles, particulates, exposure, atmospheric particulate matter, airborne pollutants, allergic response, ambient air quality, air pollution, human health risk, human susceptibility, PAH, air toxics, inhalation, airway diseaseRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.