ENVR 98 |
| Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) possess weak estrogenic activity and are thought to be potential risk factors for perinatal development and neonatal neurocognitive health. Recent evidence, although controversial, suggests that a significant number of pregnant women living within the WTC disaster area experienced adverse pregnancy outcomes, possibly caused by genetic predisposition and exposure to PCB-like toxicants from the WTC dust. To support the hypothesis of genetic stress and PCB-induced pregnancy complications, we studied in vivo PCB effects in pregnant IL-10 null mice. Aroclor 1254 (500 μg/mouse) did not affect the pregnancy outcome in wild type mice, whereas IL-10-/- mice experienced pre-term birth on gd 17.5, two-fold increased amniotic fluid, decreased placental and fetal weight and reduced litter size with low birth weight with neurocognitive defects. Our results strongly suggest that IL-10 deficiency and PCB-mediated toxicity lead to pre-term birth probably mediated through modulation of Aquaporin water channels and pro-angiogenic VEGF signals. |
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Environmental Contaminants: Low-Level and Complex Mixtures
1:30 PM-4:50 PM, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Boston Park Plaza -- Stanbro Rm, Oral
Division of Environmental Chemistry |