Maternal Acrylamide Intake during Pregnancy and Sex Hormone Levels in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood and Birth Size of Offspring.

Exposure to acrylamide during pregnancy may disturb pregnancy hormones and the growth of the fetus. The present study aimed to examine the association of maternal acrylamide intake with maternal and cord sex hormone levels during pregnancy and at birth and birth size of offspring. The study subjects were 204 pregnant Japanese women and their newborn girls. Intake of acrylamide was assessed based on 5-day diet records at approximately the 29th week of pregnancy. The concentrations of estradiol, estriol, and testosterone were measured in maternal serum at the 29th weeks of pregnancy and at delivery and umbilical cord blood at delivery. Birth weight, length, and head circumference were measured at the delivery. After controlling for covariates, higher intake of acrylamide was significantly positively associated with higher level of umbilical cord estradiol at the delivery (p for trend = .01), but not with any hormone levels measured in maternal blood. A positive association between acrylamide intake and head circumference was of borderline significance (p for trend = .06). Overall, there were no consistent associations between maternal acrylamide intake and sex hormone levels during pregnancy. However, as this is the first study to examine these associations, additional studies are needed.

Relationship of equol production between children aged 5-7 years and their mothers.

PURPOSE: The factors responsible for the production of isoflavone metabolites have not yet been identified. We aimed to examine the relationships of equol production between mother and child in a birth cohort in Japan. METHODS: Subjects were a part of the participants in a longitudinal study on pregnant women and their offspring. When children were 5-7 years old, mothers and children were asked to reply to a questionnaire on lifestyles and a 3-day child's dietary record. Mothers and children were given a bar-shaped soy snack (Soyjoy®) daily on two consecutive days (soy challenge). The snack contained 14 mg of overall soy isoflavones as the sum of aglycones and the glucosides for mothers and 7.5 mg for children. On the morning of day 0 and 3, they were asked to mail their first-void urines. Urinary isoflavone metabolites of 159 mother-child pairs were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatography method. RESULTS: Equol producers were 35.5 % among mothers and 13.8 % among children. Equol producer status of a child was neither associated with dietary intake nor with urinary levels of daidzein and genistein. After multiple adjustments for potential confounders, the estimated relative risk of equol producer was 2.75 (95 % confidence interval 1.00, 7.52) among children whose mother was an equol producer, compared with children whose mother was a non-producer. CONCLUSION: Child's equol production was associated with the mother's equol producer status. The effects of maternal factors on child's equol production should be studied further.

Alcohol Intake During Pregnancy and Offspring's Atopic Eczema Risk.

BACKGROUND: Although alcohol consumption has been suggested to have an effect on the immune system, it is unknown whether alcohol consumption has a role in developing allergic diseases. We aimed to examine the associations of total alcohol intake during pregnancy with the risks of childhood asthma and atopic eczema in a birth cohort in Japan. METHODS: Pregnant women were recruited at a maternal clinic from May 2000 to October 2001. The children who were born to these mothers were followed until November 2007. Total alcohol intake, including alcohol as a cooking ingredient, was assessed using 5-day dietary records. Mother reports of physician-diagnosed asthma and atopic eczema were annually obtained from the questionnaires. Asthma assessed by the American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Diseases questionnaire and atopic eczema assessed by International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questions were also obtained in 2007. A total of 350 children participated in the follow-up survey. RESULTS: Maternal total alcohol intake during pregnancy was associated with increased risks of atopic eczema before age 3. The positive association with atopic eczema was also observed when it was defined as before age 5. In the high versus the low tertile of maternal total alcohol intake, the estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of child's eczema were 1.90 (95% CI: 0.96 to 3.76) before age 3 and 1.74 (95% CI: 0.93 to 3.24) before age 5, respectively. The estimated HRs of child's asthma before age 3 was 1.61 (95% CI: 0.70 to 3.69) in the high versus the low of maternal total alcohol intake and 2.11 (95% CI: 0.93 to 4.81) among children having drinking mothers versus nondrinking mothers in pregnancy, although maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy was not significantly associated with the risk of asthma before age 5. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy might have an effect on developing atopic eczema in offspring.

Total IgE at 6 months predicts remittance or persistence of atopic dermatitis at 14 months.

Some patients with infantile atopic dermatitis (AD) achieve remission around 1 year old, but in others it persists. The difference between them is unclear. We performed a birth cohort study to find the markers predicting the outcome of infantile AD. We followed up a cohort (n = 314) from birth to 14 months of age, and cord blood was taken from the participants. Some of them (n = 144) had a physical examination and a blood test at 6 and 14 months of age. The subjects who had AD at 6 months (n = 34) were divided into two groups, named the transient group (those who had no AD at 14 months of age; n = 16) and the persistent group (those who still had AD at 14 months of age; n = 18). Then, laboratory data were compared between these two groups. Percentage of CD8 in cord blood lymphocytes and total IgE at 6 months of age in the persistent group was significantly higher than those of the transient group. The area under the curves of a receiver operating characteristic analysis were 0.792 (p = 0.007) and 0.722 (p = 0.027). In the persistent group, total IgE, percentages of T-helper (Th) 2 and phytohemagglutinin-induced IL-4 production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells at 14 months of age were also significantly higher than those of the transient group. Thus Th2 polarization in the persistent group was confirmed. In clinical use, total IgE at 6 months of age is the most useful predictive marker to know the outcome of infantile AD. The clinical trial registration ID is UMIN000002926.

Light exposure at night, sleep duration and sex hormone levels in pregnant Japanese women.

The association between light exposure at night and sex hormone levels in utero has scarcely reported. We assessed the associations between sleep duration or being awake in the late evening hours, which can be as indicator of light exposure at night, and the maternal and umbilical blood hormone levels during pregnancy and at delivery among Japanese women. The data for 236 women and their newborns who visited a maternal clinic in Gifu, Japan, between May 2000 and October 2001 were analyzed. Maternal blood samples were obtained at approximately the 10th weeks, 29th weeks of gestation, and at delivery. Umbilical cord artery blood was immediately drawn after birth. Information for sleep during pregnancy was obtained by a self-administered questionnaire. The levels of estradiol and testosterone were measured using radioimmunoassay. Maternal serum testosterone level in the 10th week was higher among those who were awake at or after 1:00 a.m. than among those who were asleep at that time (P = 0.032). Maternal estradiol level in the 29th week was inversely associated with sleep duration on weekends (P = 0.043). Umbilical testosterone level at delivery inversely correlated with sleep duration on weekdays (P = 0.030). These associations were somewhat stronger among mothers with female offspring than those with male offspring. These results suggested that exposure to light at night might increase sex hormone levels during pregnancy.

Age-related changes of transforming growth factor beta1 in Japanese children.

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF beta 1) is an important factor in immunomodulation. The expression of TGF beta 1 has been shown to be influenced by the C-509T polymorphism in the TGF beta 1 gene. We investigated age-related changes of plasma TGF beta 1 levels in a birth-cohort study. In addition, the genotypes of the C-509T polymorphism were investigated in allergic and non-allergic subjects. METHODS: Sixty-four neonates who met the following criteria were enrolled in this cohort study: 1) full-term vaginally delivery; 2) underwent DNA polymorphism analysis; and 3) questionnaire forms were filled out by parents at 0, 6 and 14 months of age. The umbilical cord blood at 0 months and peripheral blood at 6, and 14 months were collected. Plasma TGF beta1 levels were measured at 0, 6 and 14 months of age. Genomic DNA was extracted from their umbilical cord blood. The genotype of the subjects was examined for the presence of C-509T. RESULTS: The plasma TGF beta 1 level at 6 months was the highest of the 3 measurements (at 0, 6, and 14 months of age). The TGF beta 1 levels at 14 months in allergic subjects were significantly higher than those in non-allergic subjects (p = 0.03). All subjects with bronchial asthma (n = 3) had the TT genotype of the C-509T polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma TGF beta 1 levels change with age. In addition, TGF beta 1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.

Association of maternal fat and alcohol intake with maternal and umbilical hormone levels and birth weight.

High levels of estrogen during pregnancy have been hypothesized to increase the risk of breast cancer in offspring. Some studies have reported a positive association of estrogen level during pregnancy with fetal size, which has been linked to the subsequent risk of breast cancer in offspring. We examined whether maternal diet, including fat and alcohol intake, was associated with hormone levels during pregnancy, as well as with birth weight. The concentrations of estradiol, estriol, and testosterone were measured in the maternal serum and umbilical cord blood of 189 women during pregnancy and at delivery. Intakes of fat, alcohol, and other nutrients were assessed by 5-day diet records at approximately the 29th week of pregnancy before blood sampling. Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids was moderately but significantly positively correlated with the umbilical cord estriol level (r = 0.17, P = 0.03) after controlling for covariates. The positive association between intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and birth weight was of borderline significance (r = 0.14, P = 0.06). Intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids was significantly inversely correlated with the umbilical cord estradiol and testosterone levels (r = -0.18, P = 0.02 and r = -0.24, P = 0.002, respectively). Alcohol intake was significantly positively correlated with the maternal estradiol level in the 29th week of pregnancy (r = 0.19, P = 0.01), but was unrelated to birth weight. Estrogen level during pregnancy may be regulated by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and mediate their effects on fetal growth.

Associations among maternal soy intake, isoflavone levels in urine and blood samples, and maternal and umbilical hormone concentrations (Japan).

OBJECTIVES: In utero exposure to high levels of endogenous estrogens has been hypothesized to increase breast cancer risk in later life. A high intake of soy has been suggested to protect against breast cancer. We examined the hypothesis that maternal soy intake may be inversely associated with pregnancy hormone levels. METHODS: The concentrations of hormones (estradiol, estriol, and testosterone) and isoflavones (genistein, deidzein, and equol) were measured in the maternal urine and serum, and umbilical cord blood of 194 women during pregnancy and at delivery. Soy intake during pregnancy was assessed by 5-day diet records at approximately the 29th week of pregnancy. RESULTS: High correlations were observed for isoflavone levels between maternal samples and umbilical cord blood, indicating that isoflavone can be transferred from the maternal to the fetal compartment. None of the hormones measured in umbilical cord blood was significantly associated with any of the isoflavones measured. There were a few significant associations between maternal hormone levels and isoflavone measures during pregnancy, but their patterns of associations varied by gestational week and differed depending on whether isoflavone exposure was measured by diet records, urine or serum. CONCLUSION: Our data contain no strong evidence showing that soy intake affects hormone levels during pregnancy.

Estrogen and alpha-fetoprotein levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples in relation to birth weight.

Birth weight has been associated with a subsequent risk of breast cancer. The present study examined associations between birth weight and pregnancy estrogens and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The concentrations of estradiol, estriol, and AFP were measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples from 194 women during pregnancy and at birth. Birth weight was significantly positively correlated with maternal serum estradiol and estriol levels in the 29th week (estradiol: r = 0.16, P = 0.03; estriol: r = 0.29, P = 0.001) and at delivery (estradiol: r = 0.20, P = 0.01; estriol: r = 0.41, P < 0.0001) after controlling for covariates. The umbilical cord estriol level was moderately but significantly correlated with birth weight (r = 0.15, P = 0.049). There was no significant association between umbilical cord serum estradiol and birth weight. There was no significant association between birth weight and maternal serum AFP in any gestational week. Umbilical cord AFP was significantly inversely correlated with birth weight (r = -0.16, P = 0.04). Umbilical cord AFP was unrelated to cord levels of estradiol and estriol. The data suggested a greater exposure to estriol and a lower exposure to AFP among high birth weight babies.

Age-related changes in intracellular cytokine profiles and Th2 dominance in allergic children.

The unbalanced T helper response has been pointed out in allergic diseases. Especially in childhood, it is important to consider the development of acquired immunity. We investigated the relationship between age and Th1, Th2, Tc1 or Tc2 cells. In addition, Th1, Th2, Tc1 or Tc2 cells in allergic diseases were compared with control subjects. Thirty-four healthy controls (0-40 years old), 200 samples of cord blood, nine patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) (1-3 years old) and five patients with bronchial asthma (BA) (2-6 years old) were studied. Surface staining with CD4, CD8 and intracellular staining with anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and anti-interleukin (IL)-4 were carried out, and analyzed by using flow cytometry. In the healthy controls, the percentages of Th1, Tc1 or Th2 showed positive correlation with age. The absolute numbers of Th1 or Tc1 also correlated with age. Cord blood with a family history of allergic disease showed no significant difference compared to that without a family history. The percentage of Th2 in AD and BA patients was significantly higher than in the age-matched healthy controls. The increase in Th1, Th2 and Tc1 with age might reflect on the development of acquired immunity. Age matching is important when evaluating the cytokine profiles of T cells. In allergic diseases, although cord blood showed a Th1-dominant pattern, it changed to Th2 dominance in childhood, and this may reflect on some genetic background.

Leptin as an acute stress-related hormone in the fetoplacental circulation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between fetoplacental leptin secretion and blood gases. METHODS: We measured the levels of umbilical arterial and venous leptin, umbilical cord gas, umbilical venous blood glucose, and estradiol-17beta (E2) in 89 pregnant women. Correlation between the leptin levels and other variables (gestational age, birth weight, maternal body weight, height, body mass index, maternal body weight gain, placental weight, umbilical cord gas data, and levels of umbilical venous blood glucose and E2) were examined statistically. RESULTS: Umbilical arterial and venous leptin levels were 7.64 +/- 12.76 and 7.76 +/- 13.17 (ng/mL), respectively, correlating positively with carbon dioxide pressure levels (r = 0.446, P <.001; r = 0.406, P <.001, respectively) and correlating inversely with pH (r = -0.337, P =.001; r = -0.247, P =.019, respectively). Umbilical venous glucose, E2, and other factors did not correlate with leptin levels. CONCLUSION: Leptin secretion into the fetoplacental circulation may be associated with fetal hypercapnia, suggesting two important roles for leptin: one for basal control of fetal fat tissue and one as an acute stress-related hormone.