Exploring the evidence for epigenetic regulation of environmental influences on child health across generations

Exploring the evidence for epigenetic regulation of environmental influences on child health across generations

Environmental exposures, psychosocial stressors and nutrition are all potentially important influences that may impact health outcomes directly or via interactions with the genome or epigenome over generations. While there have been clear successes in large-scale human genetic studies in recent deca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Communications biology 2021-06, Vol.4 (1), p.769-15, Article 769
Main Authors: Breton, Carrie V, Landon, Remy, Kahn, Linda G, Enlow, Michelle Bosquet, Peterson, Alicia K, Bastain, Theresa, Braun, Joseph, Comstock, Sarah S, Duarte, Cristiane S, Hipwell, Alison, Ji, Hong, LaSalle, Janine M, Miller, Rachel L, Musci, Rashelle, Posner, Jonathan, Schmidt, Rebecca, Suglia, Shakira F, Tung, Irene, Weisenberger, Daniel, Zhu, Yeyi, Fry, Rebecca
Format: Article
Language:eng
Subjects:
Animals
Birth Weight
Child
Child Health
Children
DNA Methylation
Environmental Exposure
Epidemiology
Epigenesis, Genetic
Epigenetics
Ethics
Genomes
Heritability
Humans
Obesity - complications
Respiration
Review
Reviews
Social impact
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Summary:Environmental exposures, psychosocial stressors and nutrition are all potentially important influences that may impact health outcomes directly or via interactions with the genome or epigenome over generations. While there have been clear successes in large-scale human genetic studies in recent decades, there is still a substantial amount of missing heritability to be elucidated for complex childhood disorders. Mounting evidence, primarily in animals, suggests environmental exposures may generate or perpetuate altered health outcomes across one or more generations. One putative mechanism for these environmental health effects is via altered epigenetic regulation. This review highlights the current epidemiologic literature and supporting animal studies that describe intergenerational and transgenerational health effects of environmental exposures. Both maternal and paternal exposures and transmission patterns are considered, with attention paid to the attendant ethical, legal and social implications.
ISSN:2399-3642
2399-3642