Individual exposure to urban air pollution and its correlation with placental angiogenic markers in the first trimester of pregnancy, in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Author(s)

Hettfleisch, Karen ^[1] ; Carvalho, Mariana Azevedo ^[2] ; Hoshida, Mara Sandra ^[3] ; Manfre Pastro, Luciana Duzolina ^[1] ; Medici Saldiva, Silvia Regina Dias ^[4] ; Vieira, Sandra Elisabete ^[5] ; Vieira Francisco, Rossana Pulcineli ^[1] ; Nascimento Saldiva, Paulo Hilario ^[6] ; Bernardes, Lisandra Stein ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Dept Obstet & Ginecol, Disciplina Obstet, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Hosp Clin HCFMUSP, Fac Med FMUSP, Div Clin Obstet, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Hosp Clin HCFMUSP, Fac Med FMUSP, LIM 57 Lab Fisiol Obstet, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Inst Saude Secretaria Estado Saude SES SP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Dept Pediat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Dept Patol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research; v. 28, n. 22 FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Pollution of the atmosphere is known that may lead to adverse obstetric outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia. Such disorders are correlated with imbalances in angiogenic factors, which may also be involved in the pathological mechanism as the pollutants impact placental and maternal physiology. In the first trimester of gestation, this study assessed the outcomes of personal maternal short period exposure to air pollution on soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1) and placental growth factor (PLGF) of pregnant women blood concentrations. This was a cross-sectional study, held in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and conducted with low-risk pregnant women, who carried personal passive nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O-3) monitors for about a few days preceding the ultrasound evaluation, and on this day, the venous blood sample was collected to measure the angiogenic factors sFlt1 and PLGF and their ratio (sFlt1/PLGF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). By means of multiple regression models, the effect of the studied pollutants on the log-transformed concentrations of the angiogenic factors was evaluated. One hundred thirty-one patients were included. The log of the sFlt1/PLGF ratio increased with rising NO2 levels (p = 0.021 and beta = 0.206), and the log of the PLGF concentration showed a negative correlation with NO2 (p = 0.008 and beta = - 0.234). NO2, an indicator of the levels of primary air pollutants, presented significant positive correlation with an increased sFlt1/PLGF ratio and diminished PLGF levels, which may reflect an antiangiogenic state generated by air pollution exposure. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/17315-9 - Influence of nutritional factors and urban air pollutants on children's respiratory health: cohort study in pregnant women in São Paulo
• Grantee: Silvia Regina Dias Medici Saldiva
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 08/57717-6 - National Institute for Integrated Analysis of Environmental Risk
• Grantee: Thais Mauad
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants