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. 2025 Feb 15:267:120694.
doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120694. Epub 2024 Dec 24.

The association of increased pre- and postnatal NO2 and PM2.5 exposure with the infant nasal microbiome composition and respiratory symptoms

Noëmi Künstle  1 , Olga Gorlanova  2 , Céline Rüttimann  1 , Nadja Mostacci  3 , Martin Röösli  4 , Kees de Hoogh  4 , Benjamin Flückiger  4 , Carla Rebeca Da Silva Sena  5 , Ruth Steinberg  1 , Insa Korten  6 , Sophie Yammine  6 , Sven Schulzke  2 , Philipp Latzin  6 , Markus Hilty  3 , Urs Frey  7 ; BILD study group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Free article

The association of increased pre- and postnatal NO2 and PM2.5 exposure with the infant nasal microbiome composition and respiratory symptoms

Noëmi Künstle et al. Environ Res. .
Free article

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the mediating role of nasal microbiome on the association between pre- and postnatal air pollution exposure and subsequent respiratory morbidity in infancy. We aimed to examine the impact of air pollution on microbiome and respiratory symptoms, and whether microbiome mediates the association between air pollution and symptoms.

Methods: Nasal swabs from 270 infants in the prospective Basel-Bern Infant Lung Development cohort were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. We investigated the association of pre- and postnatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) with microbiome at 4-6 weeks and with respiratory symptoms during the first year of life. Hierarchical clustering and generalized structural equation modeling were used.

Results: Mean prenatal air pollution levels were 21.54 μg/m3 (NO2) and 13.84 μg/m3 (PM2.5) (WHO guideline limits: NO2: 40 μg/m3 (2005), 10 μg/m3 (2021); PM2.5: 10 μg/m3 (2005), 5 μg/m3 (2021)). We identified two distinct microbiome clusters, characterized by high Corynebacterium/Dolosigranulum and high Staphylococcus abundance. Higher pre- and postnatal air pollution exposure was associated with Staphylococcus cluster (e.g., per 10 μg/m3 increase of prenatal NO2: odds ratio 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.08; 2.29, padj = 0.034). Pre- and postnatal PM2.5 was associated with increased risk of severe respiratory symptoms. This association was not mediated by nasal microbiome.

Conclusion: Pre- and postnatal air pollution was associated with microbiome and respiratory symptoms in infancy. The microbiome did not mediate the association of air pollution with respiratory symptoms, which may indicate that other mechanisms are more relevant at this age.

Keywords: Air pollution; Infant; NO(2); Nasal microbiome; PM(2.5); Respiratory symptoms.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Noemi Kuenstle reports financial support was provided by Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number 320030_204717). Olga Gorlanova reports financial support was provided by Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number 320030_204717). Celine Ruettimann reports financial support was provided by Freie Akademische Gesellschaft Basel. Urs Frey reports financial support was provided by Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number 320030_204717). Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Vertex that includes: board membership, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with OM Pharma that includes: board membership, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Vifor that includes: board membership and speaking and lecture fees. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Polyphor that includes: board membership. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Santhera (DMC) that includes: board membership. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Allecra that includes: board membership. Philipp Latzin reports a relationship with Sanofi Aventis that includes: board membership. Insa Korten received personal fees from Vertex for lectures outside the submitted work. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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