[R01] Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Plasticizers (OPEs), Gene-Environment Interaction, and Child Neurodevelopment
Ente: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Scadenza: 2030-06-30
Importo max: 636.731 EUR
Paese: US
Descrizione
ABSTRACT
The prevalence of autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing, yet their etiology is
poorly understood. A complex combination of environmental and genetic factors appears to contribute to both
conditions but most studies to date have examined these factors in isolation. The incomplete study of geneenvironment
(GxE) interactions in autism and ADHD remains a significant barrier to progress in understanding
their etiology. Many endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) appear to be neurotoxic and their role in the
development of autism and ADHD merits closer scrutiny. Organophosphate ester flame retardants and
plasticizers (OPEs) are EDCs of emerging concern, with human exposures increasing rapidly when they
replaced polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) flame retardants starting in the early 2000s. Mounting human
evidence suggests that OPE exposure during pregnancy is detrimental to child neurodevelopment. Studies
specifically linking prenatal OPE exposure to autism and ADHD related outcomes are concerning; these
associations warrant closer examination. Notably, earlier studies of OPEs and neurodevelopment did not
consider genetic susceptibility, a crucial knowledge gap that potentially obscures subgroups more sensitive to
OPEs. Genetics may modify sensitivity to chemicals by shaping the efficiency of a person’s metabolism of
xenobiotics or making certain physiologic pathways more susceptible to exogenous disruption. The proposed
study seeks to build on this previous literature and further explore factors that modulate sensitivity to prenatal
OPE exposure in the context of child neurodevelopment. Specifically, we propose a novel investigation of the
genetic underpinnings of the association of prenatal OPE exposure and child autism and ADHD using the rich
and complementary data resources of two cohorts: 1) the participant population of the NIH Environmental
Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort, which has a large sample size and OPEs measured at
one time point during pregnancy and 2) the Kaiser Permanente PETALS cohort, a smaller cohort with OPEs
measured at two pregnancy time points. Our overarching hypothesis is that genetic variation across the
genome, potentially in genes critical to neurodevelopment and xenobiotic metabolism, may make some
individuals more susceptible to OPE neurotoxicity during the prenatal period. In Aim 1 we will perform a novel
genome-wide by environment interaction study (GWEIS) of maternal and child genetics and levels of urinary
OPE exposure during pregnancy in relation to child neurodevelopment; Aim 2 will harness polygenic scores
(PGS) for autism and ADHD to examine modification of the OPE and child outcomes relationship. In Aim 3, we
will replicate and expand on findings from ECHO in the PETALS cohort. The proposed work will lay the
groundwork for continued study of GxE with respect to OPEs which could be used to identify modifiable
environmental risk factors to lessen the
Istituzione: KAISER FOUNDATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE
PI: Jennifer Lisa Ames
Progetto: 5R01ES037332-02
Settori: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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