Associations of maternal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, methyl mercury, and infant development in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study

Strain, James J.; Davidson, Philip W.; Bonham, Maxine P.; Duffy, Emeir M.; Stokes-Riner, Abbie; Thurston, Sally W.; Wallace, Julie; Robson, Paula J.; Shamlaye, Conrad; Georger, Lesley; Sloane-Reeves, Jean; Cernichiari, Elsa; Canfield, Richard L.; Cox, Christopher; Huang, Li‐Shan; Janciuras, Joanne; Myers, Gary J.; Clarkson, Thomas W.

doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2008.06.002

Cited by 205 publications

(171 citation statements)

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“…Fish and other seafood are a good source of n-3 fatty acids and other nutrients important for the development of the brain. [29][30][31][32] We found a moderate correlation between methylmercury and pregnancy n3-fatty acid intakes from seafood, probably due to large differences in methylmercury content between species and much variability within species, in part associated with age, size and origin. 1 However, a weak interaction between the two parameters on performance IQ was found.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure and Genetic Predisposition to Cognitive Deficit at Age 8 Years

et al. 2013

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Background: Cognitive consequences at school age associated with prenatal methylmercury exposure may need to take into account nutritional and socio-demographic cofactors as well as relevant genetic polymorphisms. Methods: A sub-sample (n = 1311) of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (Bristol, UK) was selected and mercury concentrations were measured in freeze-dried umbilical cord tissue as a measure of methylmercury exposure. A total of 1135 children had available data on 247 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within relevant genes, as well as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores at age 8 years. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the associations between methylmercury exposure and IQ and to determine possible gene-environment interactions. Results: Mercury concentrations indicated low background exposures (mean = 26 ng/g, standard deviation = 13). Log-10-transformed mercury was positively associated with IQ, which attenuated after adjustment for nutritional and socio-demographic cofactors. In stratified analyses, a reverse association was found in higher social class families (p-value for interaction = 0.0013, performance IQ), among whom there was a wider range of methylmercury exposure. Among 40 SNPs showing nominally significant main effects, methylmercury interactions were detected for rs662 (Paraoxonase 1) and rs1042838 (Progesterone Receptor) (p < 0.05) and for rs3811647 (Transferrin) and rs2049046 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) (p < 0.10). Conclusions: In this population with a low level of methylmercury exposure, there were only equivocal associations between methylmercury exposure and adverse neuropsychological outcomes. Heterogeneities in several relevant genes suggest possible genetic predisposition to methylmercury neurotoxicity in a substantial proportion of the population. Future studies need to address this possibility.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure and Genetic Predisposition to Cognitive Deficit at Age 8 Years

et al. 2013

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“…Analysing the same cohort data set as above, Strain et al (2008) reported the results of an analysis of the influence of different sets of n-3 and n-6 LCPUFAs measured in mothers' blood at 28 weeks gestation and 1 day after delivery on test results for psychomotor and mental development (PDI and MDI of BSID-II) at the age of 9 and 30 month. They used five covariate adjusted linear regression models: Model 1 was adjusted for DHA + AA, Model 2 for DHA + eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) (as a measure of marine n-3 LCPUFAs) and AA, Model 3 was adjusted for n-3 LCPUFAs (DHA + EPA + alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)) and n-6 LCPUFAs (AA + linoleic acid (LA)), whereas model 4 adjusted for AA to DHA ratio and Model 5 for n-6 LCPUFA to n-3 LCPUFA ratio.…”

Section: The Nutrition Cohortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food

2012

EFS2

463

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EFSA was asked by the European Commission to consider new developments regarding inorganic mercury and methylmercury toxicity and evaluate whether the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) provisional tolerable weekly intakes for methylmercury of 1.6 µg/kg body weight (b.w.) and of 4 µg/kg b.w. for inorganic mercury were still appropriate. In line with JECFA, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for inorganic mercury of 4 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury. For methylmercury, new developments in epidemiological studies from the Seychelles Child Developmental Study Nutrition Cohort have indicated that n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish may counteract negative effects from methylmercury exposure. Together with the information that beneficial nutrients in fish may have confounded previous adverse outcomes in child cohort studies from the Faroe Islands, the Panel established a TWI for methylmercury of 1.3 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury. The mean dietary exposure across age groups does not exceed the TWI for methylmercury, with the exception of toddlers and other children in some surveys. The 95 th percentile dietary exposure is close to or above the TWI for all age groups. High fish consumers, which might include pregnant women, may exceed the TWI by up to approximately six-fold. Unborn children constitute the most vulnerable group. Biomonitoring data from blood and hair indicate that methylmercury exposure is generally below the TWI in Europe, but higher levels are also observed. Exposure to methylmercury above the TWI is of concern. If measures to reduce methylmercury exposure are considered, the potential beneficial effects of fish consumption should also be taken into account. Dietary inorganic mercury exposure in Europe does not exceed the TWI, but inhalation exposure of elemental mercury from dental amalgam is likely to increase the internal inorganic mercury exposure; thus the TWI might be exceeded. This opinion focuses only on the risks related to dietary inorganic mercury and methylmercury exposure and does not assess the nutritional benefits linked to certain foods (e.g. fish and other seafood).A call for annual collection of chemical contaminant occurrence data in food and feed, including mercury, was issued by EFSA in December 2010. In response, EFSA received 59 820 results on mercury in food from 20 European countries, mainly covering the period from 2004 to 2011. A total number of 59 650 results were described with sufficient detail to be used in the statistical analysis of the respective food groups; 98.2 % of the samples were for total mercury, 1.8 % for methylmercury and three samples for inorganic mercury.All the 20 food groups available at the first level of FoodEx were covered in the current data collection. The food groups 'Fish and other seafood' and 'Meat and meat products' dominated the food product coverage with 36.8 % and 17.6 % respectively. These were followed by 'Grain and grain-based products' at 7.8 % and 'Vegetables an...

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“…42 All analytic standards were of =>99% purity and purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. Total serum PUFA status was chosen as a biomarker of PUFA concentrations representing the triacylglycerol fraction, to which the majority of circulating PUFA are bound during pregnancy.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations of maternal immune response with MeHg exposure at 28 weeks’ gestation in the Seychelles Child Development Study

McSorley

Yeates

Mulhern

et al. 2018

American J Rep Immunol

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Problem: Maternal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure may be associated with immune response during pregnancy. Method of Study: In the high fish-eating Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2, we examined the association of maternal MeHg, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and immune markers (Th1:Th2; TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-ϒ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, MCP-1, TARC, SFlt-1, VEGFD, CRP and IL-6) at 28 weeks gestation. Linear regression examined associations between MeHg exposure and immune markers with and without adjustment for PUFA. Results: In all models, as MeHg concentrations increased the Th1:Th2 ratio, total Th1 and individual Th1 (IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α) concentrations decreased. MeHg was not associated with total Th2 cytokines but was associated with a decrease in IL-4 and IL-10. MeHg was positively associated with TARC and VEGFD and negatively associated with CRP. There was a significant interaction between MeHg and the n-6:n-3 ratio, with MeHg associated with a larger decrease in Th1:Th2 at higher n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios. The n-3 PUFA were associated with lower CRP, IL-4 and higher IFN-γ. The n-6 PUFA were associated with higher IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10, CRP and IL-6. Conclusion: Maternal MeHg was associated with markers of immune function at 28 weeks gestation. A significant interaction between MeHg and the n-6:n-3 ratio on the Th1:Th2 ratio suggests that the n-3 PUFA may mitigate any immunosuppressive associations of MeHg. The n-3 and n-6 PUFA were associated with suppressive and stimulatory immune responses, respectively. Overall, the associations were of small magnitude and further research is required to determine the clinical significance.

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Associations of maternal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, methyl mercury, and infant development in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study

Cited by 205 publications

References 34 publications

Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure and Genetic Predisposition to Cognitive Deficit at Age 8 Years

Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure and Genetic Predisposition to Cognitive Deficit at Age 8 Years

Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food

Associations of maternal immune response with MeHg exposure at 28 weeks’ gestation in the Seychelles Child Development Study

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