Low Dose Effect of Chronic Lead Exposure on Neuromotor Response Impairment in Children is Moderated by Genetic Polymorphisms

Disturbance of posture in children with very low lead exposure, and modification by VDR FokI genotype

“…Only one earlier other study has analyzed the effect of genetic polymorphism on the association between posture and B-Pb; there were then some indications of modification by VDR TaqI, dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2-A) and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), in 82 children, but at ten times higher lead exposure than in our children; ALAD was not assessed [26]. There are also indications of a modification of other aspects of CNS toxicity by VDR TaqI [22].…”

“…We were not able to include all these in our analyses, which may have limited our total explained variance. Also, we have data only on present B-Pbs, while the postural control might be affected by earlier (and probably somewhat higher) exposure [26,27].…”

Race and Criminology in the Age of Genomic Science

“…Lead competes with calcium for absorption in the body, and lead tricks the body into absorbing it if children do not receive adequate dietary calcium. This is important because blood‐lead levels are associated with a calcium absorption gene called the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) (Chakraborty et al, ). Certain polymorphisms of the VDR (an enzyme known as Fok1) make the absorption of calcium more efficient for their carriers, and this polymorphism shows the familiar black > white > Asian pattern (Chakraborty et al, ).…”

“…This is important because blood‐lead levels are associated with a calcium absorption gene called the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) (Chakraborty et al, ). Certain polymorphisms of the VDR (an enzyme known as Fok1) make the absorption of calcium more efficient for their carriers, and this polymorphism shows the familiar black > white > Asian pattern (Chakraborty et al, ). Given lead's ability to mimic calcium, this polymorphism creates a gene × environment interaction in which African Americans absorb more lead than similarly exposed members of other racial groups.…”