Sobral Ana Filipa, Cunha Andrea, Costa Inês, Silva-Carvalho Mariana, Silva Renata, Barbosa Daniel José
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University Institute of Health Sciences-CESPU, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal.
UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Toxicologic Pathology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Health Sciences (1H-TOXRUN, IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal.
J Xenobiot. 2025 Jul 13;15(4):118. doi: 10.3390/jox15040118.
Environmental xenobiotics, including heavy metals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pesticides, air pollutants, nano- and microplastics, mycotoxins, and phycotoxins, are widespread compounds that pose significant risks to human health. These substances, originating from industrial and agricultural activities, vehicle emissions, and household products, disrupt cellular homeostasis and contribute to a range of diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. Emerging evidence indicates that epigenetic alterations, such as abnormal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation, aberrant histone modifications, and altered expression of non-coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNAs), may play a central role in mediating the toxic effects of environmental xenobiotics. Furthermore, exposure to these compounds during critical periods, such as embryogenesis and early postnatal stages, can induce long-lasting epigenetic alterations that increase susceptibility to diseases later in life. Moreover, modifications to the gamete epigenome can potentially lead to effects that persist across generations (transgenerational effects). Although these modifications represent significant health risks, many epigenetic alterations may be reversible through the removal of the xenobiotic trigger, offering potential for therapeutic intervention. This review explores the relationship between environmental xenobiotics and alterations in epigenetic signatures, focusing on how these changes impact human health, including their potential for transgenerational inheritance and their potential reversibility.
环境异生素，包括重金属、内分泌干扰化学物质（EDC）、农药、空气污染物、纳米和微塑料、霉菌毒素以及藻毒素，是广泛存在的化合物，对人类健康构成重大风险。这些物质源自工农业活动、车辆排放及家用产品，会破坏细胞内稳态，并引发一系列疾病，包括癌症和神经退行性疾病等。新出现的证据表明，表观遗传改变，如异常的脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）甲基化、异常的组蛋白修饰以及非编码核糖核酸（ncRNA）表达的改变，可能在介导环境异生素的毒性作用中发挥核心作用。此外，在关键时期，如胚胎发育和出生后早期阶段接触这些化合物，可诱导长期的表观遗传改变，增加日后患疾病的易感性。而且，配子表观基因组的修饰可能会导致跨代持续存在的影响（跨代效应）。尽管这些修饰带来了重大的健康风险，但许多表观遗传改变可能通过去除异生素触发因素而逆转，为治疗干预提供了可能性。本综述探讨了环境异生素与表观遗传特征改变之间的关系，重点关注这些变化如何影响人类健康，包括其跨代遗传的可能性及其潜在的可逆性。
