PMID- 36973528 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20231222 LR - 20240501 IS - 1559-064X (Electronic) IS - 1559-0631 (Linking) VI - 33 IP - 6 DP - 2023 Nov TI - Multiple exposures to heavy metals and changes in steroid hormones production in 4-year-old children. PG - 865-873 LID - 10.1038/s41370-023-00539-9 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to multiple heavy metals can interfere with early neurodevelopment, lead to changes in sex hormone concentrations in children, and affect female reproductive health. To date, the influence of prenatal exposure to heavy metals on the endocrine system of children in Chinese electronic waste (e-waste) recycling areas has not been elucidated. METHODS: Four weeks after delivery, 10 mL of human milk was collected for analysis of three heavy metals (lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)) via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Four serum steroid hormones, including progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione (A-dione), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), were analyzed in 4-year-old children (25 boys and 17 girls). A multiple linear regression (MLR) model was implemented to investigate the association between each individual metal and serum steroid hormone. The exposure-response relationships were explored by generalized additive models (GAMs). Additionally, a Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model was used to assess the effects of multiple heavy metal exposures on each steroid hormone. RESULTS: The MLR results show a significant positive association between a natural log unit increase in Hg and DHEA levels after adjusting for confounders (beta = 65.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.37, 126.62). According to the GAM, the univariate exposure-response relationship of Hg on DHEA was almost linear. However, this association was attenuated based on the multiple metal MLR and BKMR results after accounting for multiple heavy metal exposures. SIGNIFICANCE: Prenatal Hg exposure may affect sex hormones in children by affecting DHEA levels. IMPACT STATEMENT: Prenatal maternal exposure to Hg may have long-term effects on the next generation. Hence, regulatory measures to reduce Hg exposure and long-term monitoring of children's health in e-waste areas are needed. CI - (c) 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc. FAU - Shi, Li Li AU - Shi LL AD - School of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China. AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. FAU - Hang, Jin Guo AU - Hang JG AD - Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, China. FAU - Lou, Jianlin AU - Lou J AD - School of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China. FAU - Dong, Jing Jian AU - Dong JJ AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. FAU - Feng, Hao AU - Feng H AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. FAU - Wang, Zheng AU - Wang Z AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. FAU - Shen, Bin AU - Shen B AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. FAU - Nakayama, Shoji F AU - Nakayama SF AD - Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan. FAU - Kido, Teruhiko AU - Kido T AD - Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan. FAU - Ma, Chaochen AU - Ma C AD - Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan. FAU - Sun, Xian Liang AU - Sun XL AD - School of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China. 03194@zjhu.edu.cn. AD - School of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China. 03194@zjhu.edu.cn. AD - Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan. 03194@zjhu.edu.cn. FAU - Jung, Chau-Ren AU - Jung CR AD - Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan. crjung@mail.cmu.edu.tw. AD - Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. crjung@mail.cmu.edu.tw. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20230327 PL - United States TA - J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol JT - Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology JID - 101262796 RN - 0 (Metals, Heavy) RN - FXS1BY2PGL (Mercury) RN - 00BH33GNGH (Cadmium) RN - 0 (Gonadal Steroid Hormones) RN - 0 (Steroids) RN - 459AG36T1B (Dehydroepiandrosterone) SB - IM MH - Male MH - Pregnancy MH - Humans MH - Female MH - Child, Preschool MH - *Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects MH - Bayes Theorem MH - *Metals, Heavy MH - *Mercury/analysis MH - Cadmium MH - Gonadal Steroid Hormones MH - Steroids MH - Dehydroepiandrosterone OTO - NOTNLM OT - Bayesian kernel machine regression OT - DHEA OT - E-waste OT - Mercury OT - Multiple heavy metals OT - Prenatal exposure EDAT- 2023/03/28 06:00 MHDA- 2023/12/22 06:42 CRDT- 2023/03/27 23:27 PHST- 2022/08/31 00:00 [received] PHST- 2023/03/14 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2023/03/07 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2023/12/22 06:42 [medline] PHST- 2023/03/28 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2023/03/27 23:27 [entrez] AID - 10.1038/s41370-023-00539-9 [pii] AID - 10.1038/s41370-023-00539-9 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2023 Nov;33(6):865-873. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00539-9. Epub 2023 Mar 27.