Air pollution, inflammation and preterm birth: a mechanistic study in Mexico City
(PI: Marie O’Neill, University of Michigan School of Public Health)
Study design: Integrating epidemiology and toxicology
Aims 1 & 2: Epidemiological pregnancy cohort
- 800 pregnant women to be examined monthly from 1st trimester to birth over a two year period.
- Temporal/spatial pollution exposure assessment.
- Clinical data including levels of 6 cytokines.
Aim 3: Toxicologic in vitro exposure study (Dr. Osornio-Vargas’ team)
- Cell line exposed to samples of ambient PM10, PM2.5 from 5 regions of the city during same two years.
- Secretion of 6 cytokines compared to human levels.
Hypothesis Aim 1:
- Exposure to higher levels of air pollution in pregnant women will be associated with preterm delivery, adjusting for covariates, and critical windows will differ by pollutant: PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, NO2, SO2.
Hypothesis Aim 2:
- Monthly air pollution exposure will be associated with the six cytokines relevant to pre-term delivery, controlling for infection.
Hypothesis Aim 3 (Dr. Osornio-Vargas’ team):
- PM composition (metals, organic/elemental carbon, and
endotoxin) will differ across the 5 sites.
- In
vitro secretion of the six cytokines will increase with increasing particle
dose and will differ by site; particle size and particle composition
