Associations of environmental pollution with pro-oxidant, antioxidant and inflammatory markers in pregnant mothers and newborns

The aim of the study was to analyze the variables that modify the levels of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in non-smoking mothers and their newborns from environmentally distinct localities of the Czech Republic: Ceske Budejovice (CB, an agricultural region) and Karvina (an industrial region). Personal, socio-economic and medical data, concentrations of particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the ambient air, the activities of antioxidant mechanisms (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and antioxidant capacity), the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in blood plasma/cord blood plasma and urinary levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites (OH-PAHs) were investigated as parameters potentially affecting the markers of DNA oxidation (8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-oxodG) and lipid peroxidation (15-F₂t-isoprostane, 15-F₂t-IsoP). Significantly higher levels of POPs were detected in the plasma of mothers/newborns from CB (p < 0.001), while increased external levels of B[a]P and PM2.5, confirmed by analyzing urinary OH-PAHs, were found in Karvina subjects (p < 0.001). In mothers, multivariate analysis showed no significant difference in oxidative stress markers (15-F₂t-IsoP, 8-oxodG) between the two localities. The analysis further revealed that neither in CB nor, unexpectedly, in Karvina, did PAH exposure affect maternal lipid peroxidation. Significant associations between OH-PAHs and 15-F₂t-IsoP or 8-oxodG were observed only in newborns. In addition, multivariate analyses revealed a borderline significant association between locality and 8-oxodG in the urine of all newborns (p = 0.05). In conclusion, not only the maternal exposure of PAHs but also some POPs can negatively affect oxidative stress status in the early-life of newborns.