Premium
Toxic metals in amniotic fluid and altered gene expression in cell‐free fetal RNA
Author(s) -
Smeester Lisa,
Martin Elizabeth M.,
Cable Pete,
Bodnar Wanda,
Boggess Kim,
Vora Neeta L.,
Fry Rebecca C.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.5183
Subject(s) - amniotic fluid , fetus , gene expression , pregnancy , biology , andrology , physiology , gene , bioinformatics , medicine , genetics
Both exposures to toxic metals, as well as deficiencies in essential metals, during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of negative reproductive outcomes. The exact etiologies of such outcomes and the effects of fetal exposure to these metals are largely unknown. Therefore, the ability to assess levels of these elements is critical to determining the underlying causes of such conditions and the effects that both essential and nonessential metals have on fetal development. Thus, using cell‐free fetal RNA from amniotic fluid, we set out to measure the association between amniotic fluid levels of toxic and essential metals and fetal gene expression. We find that arsenic was associated with increased expression of 3 genes known to play roles in both birth‐related and reproductive effects. The results highlight the potential for detrimental health effects of prenatal metals exposure and the potential to identify biomarkers of environmental exposure during this critical developmental period.