2024: Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, genetic factors, and autistic traits

[pfpcnews]

Yun Huang, Weiran Chen, Yuexin Gan, Xin Liu, Ying Tian, Jun Zhang, Fei Li - "Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, genetic factors, and autistic traits: Evidence from the Shanghai Birth Cohort" Journal of Hazardous Materials, Available online 26 September 2024, 13585
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 9424024361

Abstract

The epidemiological evidence regarding prenatal PFAS exposure and its interaction with genetic factors on the autistic traits risk is unclear. This study included 1,610 mother-child pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC). Ten PFAS were quantified in blood serum collected in the first trimester. Child autistic traits were evaluated at age 4 using a Chinese version of the social responsiveness scale-short form (SRS-SF). We calculated the polygenic risk score (PRS) to evaluate the cumulative genetic effects of autism. Additive interaction models were established to explore whether genetic susceptibility modified the effects of prenatal PFAS exposure. After adjusting for confounders, we found prenatal PFOA exposure was associated with an increased risk of autistic traits in children (OR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.14-7.58), and the increased risk associated with PFOA was mitigated among women who reported pre-pregnancy folic acid supplementation. Additionally, an increased risk of autistic traits was observed in children with higher levels of prenatal PFHxS exposure and a high PRS (p for interaction = 0.021). Our findings suggest prenatal PFAS exposure may increase the risk of autistic traits in children, especially in those with a high genetic risk. Further research is warranted to confirm this association and explore the underlying mechanisms.