Phthalate metabolites and bisphenol-A in association with circulating angiogenic biomarkers across pregnancy

- We examined repeated biomarkers of exposure and angiogenesis during pregnancy.
- Some phthalates and BPA were associated with adverse changes in sFlt-1 and PlGF.
- Exposure to these compounds may disrupt placental development and/or function.

IntroductionPhthalates and bisphenol-a (BPA) are endocrine disrupting compounds with widespread exposure that have been linked to adverse birth outcomes and developmental effects. We hypothesized that these associations may be mediated in part through altered placental development and function consequent to exposure. To investigate this question, we examined associations between plasma biomarkers of angiogenesis and urinary biomarkers of exposure to phthalates and bisphenol-a (BPA) measured at repeated time points across pregnancy.MethodsWe utilized a nested case-control population of 130 mothers who delivered preterm and 352 who delivered term from a prospective birth cohort. Placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) were measured in plasma samples collected from up to four visits during pregnancy (median 10, 18, 26, and 35 weeks). Phthalate metabolites and BPA were measured in urine samples collected at the same visits as indices of exposure.ResultsIn linear mixed effects models adjusted for urine dilution and gestational age at sample collection, oxidized di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) metabolites were associated with decreases in PlGF as well as increases in the sFlt-1 to PlGF ratio. These results were slightly attenuated in fully adjusted models. Other phthalate metabolites did not show consistent relationships with either sFlt-1 or PlGF. BPA, however, was associated with increased sFlt-1 as well as the sFlt-1 to PlGF ratio in both crude and adjusted models.DiscussionWe observed associations between urinary DEHP metabolites and BPA and biomarkers of angiogenesis during pregnancy that may be indicative of disrupted placental development and/or function during gestation.