Application of biologic markers to studies of environmental risks in children and the developing fetus.

Abstract

Young children and the developing fetus may be more susceptible to effects of environmental toxicants than adults due to differential exposure patterns and developmental immaturities. Biologic markers offer the potential of quantitative dosimeters of biologic dose and/or indices of biologic effect associated with fetal/childhood exposures. They can facilitate evaluation of interindividual variability in response and the magnitude of agerelated susceptibilities. Thus far, biologic markers have not been widely used in developmental epidemiology of environmental exposures. Research by our group and others has seen elevations in biologic markers in samples from children and fetal tissue associated with a spectrum of environmental exposures, including tobacco smoke (active and passive), ambient pollution, and dietary contaminants. Studies also suggest that biologic markers can provide powerful dosimeters for investigating reproductive effects. Validation of biologic markers offering the greatest promise for developmental epidemiology is needed. -Environ Health Perspect 103(Suppl 6): 105-110 (1995)

Obesity and Asthma

“…Experimental as well as human exposure studies indicate that the growing fetus is more sensitive than adults to diverse environmental toxicants, including lead, mercury, environmental tobacco smoke, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and residential pesticides such as diazinon and chlorpyrifospesticides. [26][27][28][29] Exposure to many of these pollutants during fetal growth has been shown to produce metabolic reprogramming in the fetus that leads to subsequent risk of obesity. 30,31 The growing fetus does not have the protective mechanisms of an adult, such as DNA repair mechanisms, a fully competent immune system, detoxifying enzymes, and liver metabolism.…”

Challenges Identifying Genetic Determinants of Pediatric Cancers – the Childhood Leukemia Experience

“…Infants and children are uniquely vulnerable to a variety of environmental toxicants due to differential relative exposure and/or physiologic immaturity as well as higher cell division and growth [94]. In utero and postnatal exposures may therefore represent important determinants of childhood ALL [95][96][97]. They are exposed to toxic agents in many ways: (i) before conception, through exposure of their parents' germinal cells, (ii) during pregnancy, by substances transmitted to the fetus by the mother, and (iii) after birth, in their daily environment.…”

Prenatal exposure of guinea pigs to the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos disrupts the structural and functional integrity of the brain

“…The developing fetus is particularly vulnerable to OP toxicants by infiltration of the maternal blood supply (Whyatt and Perera 1995; Lassiter et al 1998; Bradman et al 2003), and absorbs an approximately four-fold greater amount than the exposed mother due to accumulation in fetal tissues (Hunter et al 1999; Akhtar et al 2006). For populations that live or work in agricultural areas, this exposure is notoriously difficult to avoid and harmful to the health and proper development of growing children (Hanke and Jurewicz 2004).…”