TY - JOUR
T1 - Epigenetics applied to epidemiology
T2 - Investigating environmental factors and lifestyle influence on human health
AU - Motta, Valeria
AU - Bonzini, Matteo
AU - Grevendonk, Lotte
AU - Iodice, Simona
AU - Bollati, Valentina
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Epigenetics modifications, that include variations in DNA methylation, histone acetylation and micro RNA (miRNA) expression, co-operate together, influencing genome expression and function, in response to exogenous stimuli or exposures. Thus, epigenetic tools applied to epidemiology are useful in investigating, at the population level, the relationships between exposures to environmental, lifestyle, genetic, socioeconomic risk factors, and the epigenome, and/or specific health outcomes. But the choice of an appropriate study design and of valid epidemiological methods has a key role in determining the achievement of the study. This review summarises available evidence about the role of the most investigated epigenetic mechanisms in mediating lifestyle or environmental exposure effects on human health, considering the entire life-course, from in-utero to adulthood. Moreover, we illustrate the most important variables that should be properly considered when designing an epigenetic epidemiology study: the choice of an appropriate study design, a proper estimation of the required sample size, a correct biological sample selection, a validation strategy for epigenetics data, and an integrated exposure assessment methodology.
AB - Epigenetics modifications, that include variations in DNA methylation, histone acetylation and micro RNA (miRNA) expression, co-operate together, influencing genome expression and function, in response to exogenous stimuli or exposures. Thus, epigenetic tools applied to epidemiology are useful in investigating, at the population level, the relationships between exposures to environmental, lifestyle, genetic, socioeconomic risk factors, and the epigenome, and/or specific health outcomes. But the choice of an appropriate study design and of valid epidemiological methods has a key role in determining the achievement of the study. This review summarises available evidence about the role of the most investigated epigenetic mechanisms in mediating lifestyle or environmental exposure effects on human health, considering the entire life-course, from in-utero to adulthood. Moreover, we illustrate the most important variables that should be properly considered when designing an epigenetic epidemiology study: the choice of an appropriate study design, a proper estimation of the required sample size, a correct biological sample selection, a validation strategy for epigenetics data, and an integrated exposure assessment methodology.
KW - Environmental factors
KW - Epidemiological study
KW - Epigenetic modifications
KW - In-utero epigenetics
KW - Lifestyle
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85018838468&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85018838468&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.23749/mdl.v108i1.6072
DO - 10.23749/mdl.v108i1.6072
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85018838468
VL - 108
SP - 10
EP - 23
JO - Medicina del Lavoro
JF - Medicina del Lavoro
SN - 0025-7818
IS - 1
ER -