Environmental exposures influence multigenerational epigenetic transmission.

View Abstract

Epigenetic modifications control gene expression and are essential for turning genes on and off to regulate and maintain differentiated cell types. Epigenetics are also modified by a multitude of environmental exposures, including diet and pollutants, allowing an individual's environment to influence gene expression and resultant phenotypes and clinical outcomes. These epigenetic modifications due to gene-environment interactions can also be transmitted across generations, raising the possibility that environmental influences that occurred in one generation may be transmitted beyond the second generation, exerting a long-lasting effect. In this review, we cover the known mechanisms of epigenetic modification acquisition, reprogramming and persistence, animal models and human studies used to understand multigenerational epigenetic transmission, and examples of environmentally induced epigenetic change and its transmission across generations. We highlight the importance of environmental health not only on the current population but also on future generations that will experience health outcomes transmitted through epigenetic inheritance.

Investigators
Abbreviation
Clin Epigenetics
Publication Date
2024-10-17
Volume
16
Issue
1
Page Numbers
145
Pubmed ID
39420431
Medium
Electronic
Full Title
Environmental exposures influence multigenerational epigenetic transmission.
Authors
Klibaner-Schiff E, Simonin EM, Akdis CA, Cheong A, Johnson MM, Karagas MR, Kirsh S, Kline O, Mazumdar M, Oken E, Sampath V, Vogler N, Wang X, Nadeau KC