FWO travel credit for a long stay abroad at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) Barcelona Spain. (R-7602)

Epidemiological studies have associated ambient air pollution with adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. The mechanisms by which these air pollutants exert these adverse health outcomes are still unknown. However, ambient air pollution has been described to induce inflammation and oxidative stress, by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both mitochondria and telomeres play an important role in the process of inflammation and oxidative stress. Recently, we have shown that prenatal air pollution exposure was inversely associated with both placental mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and birth weight. Furthermore, our results suggested that mtDNA content can be one of the potential mediators of the association between prenatal air pollution exposure and birth weight. This study indicated the relevance of further exploring this biological ageing pathway linking air pollution exposure and complications at birth and at later life. We hypothesized that mtDNA content and telomere length, considered as markers of biological ageing, are an important intermediate or modulating factor between health outcomes and environmental exposures. Therefore, I have studied the association of mtDNA content and telomere length with prenatal air pollution during my stay abroad. Results indicate that leukocyte telomere length and mtDNA content in 8 year old children are associated with prenatal air pollution exposure. Additionally, public health relevance is evident as the effect-size of 1SD increase in prenatal NO2 exposure on telomere length corresponds to an ageing effect of 2.1 years. Furthermore, with the data I collected during my stay at ISGlobal, I will also assess the link of prenatal environmental exposure with postnatal growth and explore if mtDNA content and/or telomere length can be a potential underlying factor. At least, I will look into the role of pre-and postnatal environmental exposures in the change in the diameters of the retinal arteries and retinal veins.

Keywords:mitochondrial DNA, prenatal air pollution exposure, telomere length

Disciplines:General biology, Plant biology