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Harvard Study Reveals How PM2.5 Exposure Alters Immune Responses in Pregnant Women
A groundbreaking new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has uncovered crucial insights into how fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) affects pregnancy, maternal health, and fetal development. Published in Science Advances, the study reveals that exposure to PM2.5 may disrupt immune responses, leading to a range of adverse birth outcomes.
The research, led by Dr. Kari Nadeau, John Rock Professor of Climate and Population Studies, is the first to explore the link between PM2.5 exposure and maternal and fetal health on a single-cell level. The findings emphasize the significant risks posed by air pollution, particularly to pregnant women.
“This study represents a substantial step forward in understanding the biological pathways through which PM2.5 exposure affects pregnancy,” said Dr. Nadeau. “Its advanced methodology is a significant innovation for studying how environmental pollutants influence immune responses.”
Previous studies have already suggested a connection between PM2.5 and complications like preeclampsia, low birth weight, and developmental delays in children. However, this new study delves deeper, examining how these exposures impact cellular processes. Researchers utilized air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess the average PM2.5 exposure of study participants, which included both non-pregnant women and pregnant women at 20 weeks gestation.
Through an innovative technique, the researchers mapped cellular changes, specifically looking at histones—the proteins that regulate the release of cytokines. Cytokines are key in controlling inflammation, a process that can significantly affect pregnancy outcomes. The study revealed that PM2.5 exposure disrupted the normal functioning of these proteins, leading to heightened inflammation both in pregnant women and their fetuses. This inflammation is linked to a range of potential pregnancy complications.
“Our findings underscore the critical need to reduce air pollution exposure for pregnant women in order to safeguard maternal and fetal health,” said co-author Youn Soo Jung, a research associate in the Department of Environmental Health. “This could include policy changes aimed at improving air quality, as well as clinical guidelines to help pregnant women minimize exposure.”
The study, which was co-authored by Abhinav Kaushik and Mary Johnson, highlights the importance of further action to protect vulnerable populations from the damaging effects of air pollution.
For more information, the study can be accessed in Science Advances: Impact of Air Pollution on Cytokines and Histone Modification Profiles at Single-Cell Levels During Pregnancy.
