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Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke leads to increased mitochondrial DNA content in umbilical cord serum associated to reduced gestational age |
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| Authors: | Francesca Pirini Lynn R Goldman Ethan Soudry Rolf U Halden Frank Witter |
| Institution: | 1. Head and Neck Cancer Research Division, Otolaryngology Department, School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA;2. Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA;3. The Biodesign Institute and Global Security Initiative, Center for Environmental Security, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA;4. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA |
| Abstract: | We investigated if prenatal exposures to tobacco smoke lead to changes in mitochondrial DNA content (mtDNA) in cord serum and adversely affect newborns’ health. Umbilical cord serum cotinine levels were used to determine in utero exposure to smoking. Cord serum mtDNA was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the genes coding for cytochrome c oxidase1 (MT-CO1) and cytochrome c oxidase2 (MT-CO2). Log transformed levels of mtDNA coding for MT-CO1 and MT-CO2 were significantly higher among infants of active smokers with higher serum level of cotinine (p < 0.05) and inversely associated with gestational age (p = 0.08; p = 0.02). Structural equation modeling results confirmed a positive association between cotinine and MT-CO1 and2 (p < 0.01) and inverse associations with gestational age (p = 0.02) and IGF-1 (p < 0.01). We identified a dose-dependent increase in the level of MT-CO1 and MT-CO2 associated to increased cord serum cotinine and decreased gestational age. |
| Keywords: | Prenatal exposure maternal smoking mitochondrial DNA content MT-CO1 MT-CO2 molecular biomarkers in cord serum gestational age |