Cohort Study

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

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© A. Osornio Vargas 2015