Grantee Research Project Results
Innovative approach to assess the effect of metal mixtures from infant meconium associated with adverse infant outcomes by identifying methylation loci in mothers and infants
EPA Grant Number: R840454Title: Innovative approach to assess the effect of metal mixtures from infant meconium associated with adverse infant outcomes by identifying methylation loci in mothers and infants
Investigators: Pavilonis, Brian , McDermott, Suzanne , Kavouras, Ilias , Cai, Bo , Cai, Guoshuai , Shin, Jin , Maroko, Andrew
Institution: Research Foundation of CUNY , University of South Carolina at Columbia , Medgar Evers College
Current Institution: Research Foundation of CUNY , Medgar Evers College , University of South Carolina at Columbia
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 2022 through May 12, 2025
Project Amount: $746,154
RFA: Development of Innovative Approaches to Assess the Toxicity of Chemical Mixtures Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Chemical Safety for Sustainability , Children's Health , Endocrine Disruptors , Genetics/Susceptibility/Metabolics , Health Effects , Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil/Water , Human Health , Mixtures , Safer Chemicals , Urban Air Toxics , CSS
Description:
This research is designed to establish a platform to quantify intrauterine exposure to metal mixtures and determine their effect on epigenetic loci changes in newborns. This is of great importance since the standards for metal mixture exposure thresholds in pregnancy are not established and neither the EPA nor ATSDR provides guidance for assessing fetal toxicity.
Objective:
The objectives of this research are: 1) developing a standardized methodology for assessing intrauterine exposure using meconium as a biomarker and quantify metal mixtures among an urban population and 2) explore and quantify the effect of metal mixture exposure on methylated genes for three adverse birth outcomes: small for gestational age (SGA), intellectual disability (ID), and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Approach:
We will develop a standardized method to quantify 10 metals in meconium using ICP-MS and implement this approach to measure metal concentrations from newborns (n=300) delivered at three public hospitals located in New York City. Additionally, we will collect buccal cells from 300 mothers and 150 newborns and identify methylated genes specific for SGA, ASD, ID. We will then investigate the relationship between the metal mixtures and DNA methylation using Bayesian hierarchical models.
Expected Results:
This project will inform researchers about intrauterine exposure to metal mixtures, using meconium as a biomarker. The results could lead to public health actions to identify at-risk infants and to develop remediation strategies. The identification of gene loci where metal mixture effects result in hyper and hypomethylation could enhance our understanding of the pathways that result in human harm.
Supplemental Keywords:
Meconium, metal mixture, epigenetics, small for gestational age, intellectual disability, autism, urban pollution, fetal exposure, New York City, EPA Region 2.Progress and Final Reports:
The 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.