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The associations between prenatal rare earth elements exposure and preterm birth: integrate insights from birth cohort and in vitro study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Rare earth elements (REEs) are emerging environmental contaminants, yet their effects on preterm birth (PTB) remain poorly understood. This study integrates epidemiological and mechanistic evidence to evaluate REEs-associated PTB risk and potential biological pathways. We analyzed 4,897 mother–child pairs from a large cohort in China and 13 REEs in maternal urine were measured. PTB risk was assessed via logistic regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) models. HTR-8/SVneo trophoblasts were used to evaluate cell invasion (Transwell assays), matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)/ tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) expression (western blot), and transcriptomic profiles (RNA-seq) after REEs treatment. Median concentrations (0.006–0.065 μg/g creatinine) and detection frequencies (90–100 %) of 12 REEs were higher in PTB cases (P < 0.05). Each log 2 -unit increase in individual and mixture of REEs exposure elevated PTB risk by 18–51 % after adjusting for covariates. Cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr) and gadolinium (Gd) were the primary contributors. Environmentally-relevant REEs concentrations (0.5–100 μg/L) treatment enhanced trophoblast invasion by 2.7–19.2 folds, accompanied by MMP-9 upregulation and TIMP-1 suppression in dose-dependently. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1,425 shared differentially expressed genes, prominently affecting ribosome biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. These findings establish REEs as hazardous environmental contaminants impacting maternal-fetal health, providing crucial evidence for reevaluating exposure guidelines.

Source: Environment International

DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109757