Maternal exposure to air pollutants, PCSK9 levels, and fetal growth --
an Italian cohort
Abstract
Objective. Exposure to airborne pollutants during pregnancy appears to
be associated with uterine growth restriction and adverse neonatal
outcome. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type (PCSK9) is a key
modulator of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism, and increases
following short term particulate matter (PM10) exposure. Because
maternal cholesterol is required for fetal growth, PCSK9 levels could be
used to evaluate the potential impact of airborne pollutants on fetal
growth. Design. A cohort of 134 healthy women during early pregnancy
(11–12 weeks of gestational age) was studied. Results. A significant
association was found between circulating PCSK9 levels and three tested
air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, nitric oxide (NO2)). Of importance,
gestational age at birth was reduced by approximately 1 week for each
100 ng/mL rise in circulating PCSK9 levels. This effect became more
significant at the highest quartile of PM2.5 (with a 1.8 week advance in
delivery date for every 100 ng/mL rise in circulating PCSK9). This
finding was supported by a significant elevation of the odds ratio for
urgent cesarean delivery for each 100 ng/mL rise in PCSK9 (2.99, 95%
CI, 1.22–6.57), with similar trends being obtained for PM10 and NO2.
Conclusions. The association between exposure to air pollutants during
pregnancy and elevation in PCSK9 advances our understanding of the
unforeseen influences of environmental exposure in terms of pregnancy
associated disorders.