IL‐17A[G197G]—Association between NO_x and gestational age in a South African birth cohort

Abstract

Interleukin (IL-)17A, plays a role in pathogenic defence, but is implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases, and has recently been associated with variable pregnancy outcomes. We investigated the role of maternal IL-17-[G197A]-specific effects of third-trimester IL-17 mRNA expression, NO exposure levels and other variables on gestational age, in the Mother and Child in the Environment (MACE) birth cohort in South Africa. A total of 327 participants were genotyped for IL-17-[G197A] by polymerase chain reaction restriction-fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Quantitative real-time PCR was used to quantitate IL-17-mRNA expression in whole blood. Multivariate linear regression analysis, stratified by IL-17-[G197A] genotype, was used to test for effects of NO , IL17A/GAPDH, haemoglobin, body mass index, HIV-1 positivity, maternal education and income level on gestational age. Lower expression was associated with the IL-17-GG versus GA in the cohort and HIV-1-negative group (p = .0007, p = .0058), while no difference was observed in the HIV-1 positives. Elevated IL-17A expression was observed in the high NO exposure groups, within IL-17[G197G] (p = .0004). IL-17[G197G] was associated with PTB (p < .0001), and the PTB group had lower IL-17A expression compared to the full-term group (p = .0002). IL-17 expression was associated with an increase in gestational age (p = .038), and NO was associated with a decrease in gestational age in the IL-17[G197G] model (p = .046).

Gene-environment interactions related to maternal exposure to environmental and lifestyle-related chemicals during pregnancy and the resulting adverse fetal growth: a review

“…Three studies examined the biomarker levels related to maternal smoking including cotinine levels [ 47 , 49 , 51 ]. Thirty-eight other studies observed the outcomes of chemical exposure during pregnancy (also see Supplementary Tables 1 to 5 ), including exposure to particulate matter (PM) of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM 2.5 ) [ 65 ], PM of 10 microns or less in diameter (PM 10 ) [ 66 ], household air pollution (HAP) [ 67 ], air quality index (AQI) [ 77 ], benzo(a)pyrene [ 43 ], nitrogen oxides (NO x ) [ 57 – 59 ], acrylamides [ 45 ], caffeine [ 28 , 63 ], metals [ 42 , 48 , 53 , 54 , 75 , 81 ], soluble mica [ 35 ], pesticides [ 22 , 32 , 44 ], perfluorinated compounds [ 52 ], dioxins [ 41 , 50 ], disinfection by-products [ 21 , 26 , 29 , 69 , 71 , 72 , 76 ], parabens [ 64 ], phenols [ 55 ], alcohol [ 19 , 24 ], floriculture work [ 30 ], phthalates [ 37 ], and folates [ 81 ]. This present study especially focuses on exposure to smoking during pregnancy.…”