2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

An effective method for estimating environmental exposure factors during the fetal stage using cord blood biomarkers

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	21K10393
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 58020:Hygiene and public health-related: including laboratory approach
Research Institution	Shinshu University
Principal Investigator	Toubou Hirokazu 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 助教 (10741027)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	野見山哲生信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 教授 (70286441) 塚原照臣信州大学, 医学部, 教授(特定雇用) (50377652) 元木倫子信州大学, 医学部, 講師(特定雇用) (70750701) 三澤由佳信州大学, 医学部, 特任助教 (10738644) 稲葉雄二地方独立行政法人長野県立病院機構長野県立こども病院(生命科学研究センター), 生命科学研究センター, 生命科学研究センター副センター長 (30334890)
Project Period (FY)	2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Keywords	バイオマーカー / 臍帯血 / 神経発達症 / 環境曝露 / 生活習慣
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The prevalence of neurological developmental disorders in infants appears to be on the rise, and while many theories catch the public's attention, there is insufficient evidence on the environmental factors contributing to this crisis. The aim of this study was to analyze a cord blood biomarker dataset linked to datasets from a birth cohort survey to determine environmental factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders during pregnancy and the perinatal period. The group below the cut-off values of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, third edition at age 3 years tended to have higher levels of pNfH, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and IL-6 in cord blood at birth and lower levels of DNA oxidative damage marker than the control group. An association between oxidative stress and inflammation has also been reported, although, there was no correlation between IL-6 and DNA oxidative damage marker. We performed multiple regression analyses and identified several predictors affecting these markers.
Free Research Field	衛生学および公衆衛生学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	胎児期および周産期の環境要因に関する明確なエビデンスは少ない。本研究では、臍帯血バイオマーカーデータベースの構築により、神経発達症の発症および増悪の要因となりうる予測因子の候補を見出した。更なる検証の余地はあるが、臍帯血バイオマーカーによる神経発達症の発症予測の可能性が示唆され、本研究成果は神経発達症のメカニズムを考えるうえで有用な知見であると考えられる。