Examination of Trace Metals and Their Potential Transplacental Transfer in Pregnancy
2022
Authors:
Jagodić, JovanaPavlović, Slađan
Borković Mitić, Slavica
Perović, Milan
Miković, Željko
Đurđić, Slađana
Manojlović, Dragan
Stojsavljević, Aleksandar
Document Type:
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
With the ever-growing concern for human health and wellbeing, the prenatal period of
development requires special attention since fetuses can be exposed to various metals through the
mother. Therefore, this study explored the status of selected toxic (Pb, Cd, Ni, As, Pt, Ce, Rb, Sr, U)
and essential trace metals (Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se) in the umbilical cord (UC) sera, maternal sera, and
placental tissue samples of 92 healthy women with normal pregnancies. A further aim focuses on the
potential transplacental transfer of these trace metals. Based on the obtained levels of investigated
elements in clinical samples, it was observed that all of the trace metals cross the placental barrier
and reach the fetus. Furthermore, statistical analysis revealed significant differences in levels of
toxic Ni, As, Cd, U, Sr, Rb, and essential Mn, Cu, and Zn between all three types of analyzed clinical
samples. Correlation analysis highlighted As to be an element with levels that differed significantly
between all tested samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to enhance these findings.
PCA demonstrated that Cd, Mn, Zn, Rb, Ce, U, and Sr were the most influential trace metals in
distinguishing placenta from maternal and UC serum samples. As, Co, and Cu were responsible for
the clustering of maternal serum samples, and PCA demonstrated that the Pt level in UC sera was
responsible for the clustering of these samples. Overall, the findings of this study could contribute to
a better understanding of transplacental transfer of these trace metals, and shed a light on overall
levels of metal exposure in the population of healthy pregnant women and their fetuses.
Keywords:
umbilical cord serum; maternal serum; placenta; toxic trace metals; essential trace metalsSource:
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022, 23, 15, 8078-Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200007 (University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković') (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200007)
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200288 (Innovation Center of the Faculty of Chemistry) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200288)
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158078
ISSN: 1422-0067
PubMed: 35897677