LIFECODES pregnancy cohort

LIFECODES是由Thomas McElrath博士在马萨诸塞州波士顿布里格姆妇女医院进行的一项正在进行的前瞻性出生队列研究。该研究始于2006年，旨在调查与不良妊娠结局相关的环境污染物，分离其关联的机制，并确定可用于预防的预测因子。在这个队列中，有几个研究项目存在，以解决更具体的研究问题。双酚A和邻苯二甲酸盐暴露与胎儿生长和早产的关系（R01ES018872; PI John Meeker）是为了研究环境风险因素对胎儿生长和早产的不利影响而开发的。该研究测量了2006-2008年LIFECODES队列招募的早产儿和对照组的尿邻苯二甲酸盐代谢物以及炎症、氧化应激和内分泌紊乱的生物标志物。研究的主要目的是评估母亲接触邻苯二甲酸酯和BPA之间的关系，通过重复超声测量，在怀孕期间对每个受试者进行多达四次的检查，以评估早产和胎儿生长的关系。此外，该研究试图探索这些关联背后的生物学机制，并确定暴露的易感性窗口。

LIFECODES is an ongoing prospective birth cohort conducted at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, MA by Dr. Thomas McElrath. Begun in 2006, this study aims to investigate environmental contaminants associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, isolate mechanisms underlying their associations, and identify predictors that can be used for prevention. Within this cohort there are several research projects which exist to address more specific research questions. Bisphenol A and Phthalate Exposure in Relation to Fetal Growth and Preterm Birth (R01ES018872; PI John Meeker) was developed to study environmental risk factors for adverse effects on fetal growth and preterm birth. The study measured urinary phthalate metabolites as well as biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption of cases of preterm birth as well as controls from the LIFECODES cohort recruitment from 2006-2008. The primary research objectives were to assess the relationship between maternal exposure to phthalates and BPA exposure measured at up to four visits per subject during pregnancy in relation to preterm birth as well as fetal growth, as assessed by repeated ultrasound measures. Additionally, the study sought to explore biological mechanisms underlying these associations and identify windows of susceptibility to exposure. At NIEHS we have utilized this existing data and added to it in several ways. First, as a pilot study in the Childrens Health Exposure Assessment Resource (CHEAR) program, we analyzed urinary trace metals as well as metabolomics in urine specimens from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy from the participants of the preterm birth case-control study described above. The objectives of this project were to examine each individual trace metals as well as metal mixtures in relation to: 1) overall preterm birth (delivery <37 weeks gestation) as well as preterm birth subtypes (spontaneous and placentally mediated); 2) fetal growth as assessed by ultrasound measures in pregnancy; and 3) urinary oxidative stress biomarkers that were also measured at that time point. Additionally, we sought to examine metabolomics profiles as potential mediators of these associations. The second project under the LIFECODES study is an investigation of the association between consumer product chemical exposure in pregnancy and their cumulative impact on disorders of fetal growth. Last years progress The major progress this year has been under the first project described above. We investigated associations between urinary trace metals individually as well as in mixtures in association with preterm birth as well as preeclampsia. In addition, we have investigated several related questions using this data. Under the second project described above, we have collected pilot data and are preparing a larger case-cohort study to investigate our research questions.