Superfund Research Program

January 2025

Hot Publication

An SRP-funded collaboration among the University of Pittsburgh, Duke University, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai revealed how exposure to metals before birth may influence developing kidneys’ health. The Virtual Consortium for Translation/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research, which brings scientists together across disciplines to accelerate research, funds the partnership.

Previous studies found associations between prenatal metals exposure and decreased kidney function in children. However, the studies only measured single-metal exposures, although individuals are often exposed to mixtures.

The team used data from 371 mothers in the Massachusetts-based Project Viva longitudinal birth cohort, which has tracked the health of mother-child pairs since 1999. The scientists quantified the mothers’ first- and second-trimester blood concentrations of different metals. Then, they assessed two biomarkers of kidney function in the adolescent children, plasma creatinine and cystatin C.

Using statistical analyses, they found that increased first-trimester concentrations of cadmium, chromium, nickel, and vanadium were associated with decreased adolescent kidney function. However, exposure to those and other metal mixtures in the second trimester did not decrease kidney function.

The researchers also confirmed that, consistent with other studies, metals influenced the biomarkers of kidney function differently. Cadmium was more strongly associated with lower creatinine biomarkers, whereas chromium, nickel, and vanadium were associated with lower cystatin C biomarkers.

The team believes these findings have important implications for investigating the mechanisms by which prenatal metals exposure affects long-term kidney health in children.

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