Exploring the associations between prenatal PCB exposures and gene expression: Observations from a study of newborn Slovak infants

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants known to have deleterious effects on child and adult development; however, less is known about the relationship between mother-newborn exposure levels. The objective of this study is to understand prenatal PCB exposure and its association with gene expression, using data from a cohort of exposed mothers and infants in eastern Slovakia. For 91 mothers and infants participating in this study, serum PCB concentrations were determined using gas chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Affymetrix microarray was performed utilizing Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 gene chip. Statistical analysis compared the genetic expression levels of high versus low exposure mother-infant pairs (< 368.57 ng/g lipid vs. > 368.57 ng/g lipid). Statistical analysis results showed that mother's blood and cord blood PCB concentrations were highly correlated. Results showed that higher levels of PCB concentrations were associated with differential expressions of multiple genes. Global gene analysis identified significant dysregulation of genes XIST, EXOC6B, EIF1AY, and RPS4Y1. Gender-based gene analysis identified significant dysregulation of genes RUFY1, S100A8, ELOVL7, FXYD3, DEFB124, and DAB2. Further such investigations should be implemented to confirm these observations and more fully define the legacy of environmental PCB contamination.