Environmental Epigenomics in Health and Disease

Exposure to environmental toxicants is associated with changes in DNA methylation and gene expression profiles that together can contribute to increased disease susceptibility. The chapters in this volume, Environmental Epigenomics in Health and Disease - Epigenetics and Disease Origins, address a wide range of environmental exposures, such as airborne particulates, cocaine, radiation, tobacco smoke, and xenoestrogens. Particular emphasis is placed on the consequences of environmental exposures during development on epigenetic reprogramming that influences adult disease pathogenesis. Health outcomes associated with these exposures include autoimmune disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and cancer. Importantly, dietary supplements and drugs can modify the epigenetic effects induced by these agents, thereby reducing their toxicological impact. The overall purpose of this volume and its companion, Environmental Epigenomics in Health and Disease - Epigenetics and Complex Diseases, is to give readers an overview of how environmental exposures during early development can influence disease formation by disrupting epigenetic processes and developmental programming.

Résumé
There are now compelling human epidemiological and animal experimental data that indicate the risk of developing adult-onset complex diseases and neurological disorders are influenced by persistent epigenetic adaptations in response to prenatal and early postnatal exposures to environmental factors. Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene function that occur without a change in the sequence of the DNA. The main components of the epigenetic code are DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. The epigenetic programs are established as stem cell differentiate during embryogenesis, and they are normally faithfully reproduced during mitosis. Moreover, they can also be maintained during meiosis, resulting in epigenetic transgenerational disease inheritance, and also potentially introducing phenotypic variation that is selected for in the evolution of new species. The objective of this book is to provide evidence that environmental exposures during early development can alter the risk of developing medical conditions, such as asthma, autism, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and schizophrenia later in life by modifying the epigenome.

Contenu

Preface Frederick L. Tyson.- Fetal Origins of Adult Disease Susceptibility.- 1) Randy L. Jirtle Epigenetics: How Genes and Environment Interact.- 2) Peter D. Gluckman, Felicia M. Low, and Mark A. Hanson Developmental Epigenomics and Metabolic Disease.- 3) Susan K. Murphy, and Cathrine Hoyo Sculpting Our Future: Environmental Nudging of the Imprintome.- Epigenetics and Environmental Exposures.- 1) Christopher Faulk, and Dana C. Dolinoy Complex Phenotypes: Epigenetic Manifestation of Environmental Exposure.- 2) Olga Kovalchuk Epigenetic Effects of Ionizing Radiation.- 3) Kenneth S. Ramos, Ivo Teneng, Diego E. Montoya-Durango, Pasano Bojang, Mark T. Haeberle, Irma N. Ramos, Vilius Stribinskis, and Ted Kalbfleisch The Intersection of Genetics and Epigenetics: Reactivation of Mammalian LINE-1 Retrotransposons by Environmental Injury.- Epigenetics, Gene Regulation, and Stem Cells.- 1) John M. Denu Environmental Impact on Epigenetic Histone Language.- 2) Aleksandra B. Adomas, and Paul A. Wade Chromatin Structure and Gene Expression Function Follows Form.- 3) R. David Hawkins, and Bing Ren Epigenetics of Pluripotency.- Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance.- 1) Luan Wang, Xiangyi Lu, and Douglas M. Ruden Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance in Drosophila.- 2) Michael K. Skinner Environmental Epigenetics and Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance.- 3) Marcus E. Pembrey, Lars O. Bygren, and Jean Golding *The Nature of Human Transgenerational Responses.-*Subject Index