# Maternal Exposure to Low Level Mercury, Metabolome, and Child Cardiometabolic Risk in Multi-Ethnic Prospective Birth Cohorts

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $245,625

## Abstract

Abstract
This US-China collaborative study will leverage extensive data and archived biospecimens from two well-
established prospective birth cohorts: one in Boston, US; and the other in Shanghai, China, to examine the
temporal and dose-response relationships between maternal exposure to Hg at critical developmental windows
(preconception and specific trimesters) and child cardio-metabolic outcomes from birth to age 21 years. This
proposal has a strong scientific premise. Hg is a persistent and widespread environmental pollutant
worldwide and a known neurotoxicant at high doses, and its role in cardio-metabolic health is beginning to be
recognized. Studies in adults have suggested that low dose Hg exposure was associated with cardiovascular
diseases, diabetes, and obesity. A critical unanswered question is whether maternal prenatal low dose Hg
exposure can have a long-lasting impact on the developing fetus. This proposal presents a prime opportunity
for a US-China collaboration on environmental health since US and China are among the top emitters of Hg in
the world. This proposal focuses on the effect of in-utero Hg exposure on child’s long-term cardio-metabolic
health, which is novel, important, and critically needed, given Hg’s ability to cross the placenta and the well-
documented fetal bioaccumulation of Hg. Our preliminary data showed a very high correlation of maternal-cord
blood Hg and a dose-response relationship between maternal Hg levels and child BMI and blood pressure.
These findings raise the hypothesis that maternal low dose prenatal exposure to Hg affects fetal future cardio-
metabolic health and warrant further investigation. This proposal uses vigorous scientific methods. Both
the US and China lack clear and effective strategies to reduce the adverse health effects of low dose Hg
exposure. We plan to evaluate to what extent maternal micronutrient status (e.g., folate) counteracts the
adverse effects of Hg exposure on child cardio-metabolic outcomes based on our preliminary data.
Furthermore, motivated by our preliminary data that maternal Hg exposure can alter both maternal and fetal
circulating metabolomic profile, we will explore maternal and fetal metabolome to gain novel insight to
mechanistic pathways. This proposal provides an exceptional platform for US-China scientists to leverage
resources and expertise on both sides. The two cohorts can serve as a discovery and replication cohort for
each other as well as meta-analysis, using a similar study design and outcome and covariate definitions; and
same laboratory and quality assurance and control (QA/QC) procedures and statistical methods. By doing so,
it greatly enhances our ability to test the study hypotheses and make the study findings far more generalizable
and impactful. This proposal has significant clinical and public health implications. It represents a
significant step forward in elucidating the roles of prenatal exposure to low dose Hg and micronutrients in child
l...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9877322
- **Project number:** 1R01ES031272-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** XIAOBIN WANG
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $245,625
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-21 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9877322

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9877322, Maternal Exposure to Low Level Mercury, Metabolome, and Child Cardiometabolic Risk in Multi-Ethnic Prospective Birth Cohorts (1R01ES031272-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9877322. Licensed CC0.

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