scholarly journals Epigenetic Changes Associated With Exposure to Glyphosate-Based Herbicides in Mammals

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Florencia Rossetti ◽  
Guillermina Canesini ◽  
Virginia Lorenz ◽  
María Mercedes Milesi ◽  
Jorgelina Varayoud ◽  
...  

Glyphosate is a phosphonomethyl amino acid derivative present in a number of non-selective and systemic herbicides. During the last years the use of glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) has been increasing exponentially around the world, including Argentina. This fact added to the detection of glyphosate, and its main metabolite, amino methylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in environmental matrices such as soil, sediments, and food, has generated great concern about its risks for humans, animals, and environment. During the last years, there were controversy and intense debate regarding the toxicological effects of these compounds associated with the endocrine system, cancer, reproduction, and development. The mechanisms of action of GBH and their metabolites are still under investigation, although recent findings have shown that they could comprise epigenetic modifications. These are reversible mechanisms linked to tissue-specific silencing of gene expression, genomic imprinting, and tumor growth. Particularly, glyphosate, GBH, and AMPA have been reported to produce changes in global DNA methylation, methylation of specific genes, histone modification, and differential expression of non-coding RNAs in human cells and rodents. Importantly, the epigenome could be heritable and could lead to disease long after the exposure has ended. This mini-review summarizes the epigenetic changes produced by glyphosate, GBHs, and AMPA in humans and rodents and proposes it as a potential mechanism of action through which these chemical compounds could alter body functions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 12098
Author(s):  
Jaylen Hudson ◽  
Laszlo Farkas

Once perceived as a disorder treated by vasodilation, pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) has emerged as a pulmonary vascular disease with severe endothelial cell dysfunction. In the absence of a cure, many studies seek to understand the detailed mechanisms of EC regulation to potentially create more therapeutic options for PAH. Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by complex phenotypic changes including unchecked proliferation, apoptosis-resistance, enhanced inflammatory signaling and metabolic reprogramming. Recent studies have highlighted the role of epigenetic modifications leading to pro-inflammatory response pathways, endothelial dysfunction, and the progression of PAH. This review summarizes the existing literature on epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, which can lead to aberrant endothelial function. Our goal is to develop a conceptual framework for immune dysregulation and epigenetic changes in endothelial cells in the context of PAH. These studies as well as others may lead to advances in therapeutics to treat this devastating disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 3881-3888
Author(s):  
Mihai Silviu Tudosie ◽  
Cristina Anca Secara ◽  
Catalin Gabriel Smarandache ◽  
Simona Bicheru ◽  
Mihaela Muresan ◽  
...  

Neurotoxic warfare chemical agents (CWA/NA) induce major toxicological effects to the affected personnel. Their increased toxicity justifies the necessity of developing analytical methods for diagnosis and specific medical counter measures. CWA/NA are extremely toxic agents which are subject to international regulations (The Geneva Protocol regarding the prohibition of chemical weapons). Taking into account the ban on human experimenting due to high toxicity, simulators of neurotoxic chemical agents are being used in laboratories. These are analogue chemical compounds which possess the same relevant physical, chemical and pharmacodynamical properties of the corresponding agents, but with lower intrinsical toxicity. The synthesis and toxicological characterization of these simulators of neurotoxic chemical agents allow the laboratory research of these extremely toxic compounds and the unfolding of risk-free antidote studies. This paper proposes the synthesis and toxicological testing of chemical compounds which simulate sarin (4-nitrophenyl isopropyl methylphosphonate - NIMP) and VX (4-nitrophenyl ethyl methylphosphonate - NEMP).


Author(s):  
Suresh Kumar

Genome-wide epigenetic changes in plants are being reported during the development and environmental stresses, which are often correlated with gene expression at the transcriptional level. Sum total of the biochemical changes in nuclear DNA, post-translational modifications in histone proteins and variations in the biogenesis of non-coding RNAs in a cell is known as epigenome. These changes are often responsible for variation in expression of the gene without any change in the underlying nucleotide sequence. The changes might also cause variation in chromatin structure resulting into the changes in function/activity of the genome. The epigenomic changes are dynamic with respect to the endogenous and/or environmental stimuli which affect phenotypic plasticity of the organism. Both, the epigenetic changes and variation in gene expression might return to the pre-stress state soon after withdrawal of the stress. However, a part of the epigenetic changes may be retained which is reported to play role in acclimatization, adaptation as well as in the evolutionary processes. Understanding epigenome-engineering for improved stress tolerance in plants has become essential for better utilization of the genetic factors. This review delineates the importance of epigenomics towards possible improvement of plant’s responses to environmental stresses for climate resilient agriculture.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogusław Nedoszytko ◽  
Edyta Reszka ◽  
Danuta Gutowska-Owsiak ◽  
Magdalena Trzeciak ◽  
Magdalena Lange ◽  
...  

Atopic dermatitis is a heterogeneous disease, in which the pathogenesis is associated with mutations in genes encoding epidermal structural proteins, barrier enzymes, and their inhibitors; the role of genes regulating innate and adaptive immune responses and environmental factors inducing the disease is also noted. Recent studies point to the key role of epigenetic changes in the development of the disease. Epigenetic modifications are mainly mediated by DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and the action of specific non-coding RNAs. It has been documented that the profile of epigenetic changes in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) differs from that observed in healthy people. This applies to the genes affecting the regulation of immune response and inflammatory processes, e.g., both affecting Th1 bias and promoting Th2 responses and the genes of innate immunity, as well as those encoding the structural proteins of the epidermis. Understanding of the epigenetic alterations is therefore pivotal to both create new molecular classifications of atopic dermatitis and to enable the development of personalized treatment strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 9514
Author(s):  
Genevieve Saw ◽  
Feng Ru Tang

The hippocampus is crucial in learning, memory and emotion processing, and is involved in the development of different neurological and neuropsychological disorders. Several epigenetic factors, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, have been shown to regulate the development and function of the hippocampus, and the alteration of epigenetic regulation may play important roles in the development of neurocognitive and neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the epigenetic modifications of various cell types and processes within the hippocampus and their resulting effects on cognition, memory and overall hippocampal function. In addition, the effects of exposure to radiation that may induce a myriad of epigenetic changes in the hippocampus are reviewed. By assessing and evaluating the current literature, we hope to prompt a more thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie radiation-induced epigenetic changes, an area which can be further explored.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinonye Doris Onuzulu ◽  
Oluwakemi Anuoluwapo Rotimi ◽  
Solomon Oladapo Rotimi

Abstract Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are xenobiotics which adversely modify the hormone system. The endocrine system is most vulnerable to assaults by endocrine disruptors during the prenatal and early development window, and effects may persist into adulthood and across generations. The prenatal stage is a period of vulnerability to environmental chemicals because the epigenome is usually reprogrammed during this period. Bisphenol A (BPA), lead (Pb), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were chosen for critical review because they have become serious public health concerns globally, especially in Africa where they are widely used without any regulation. In this review, we introduce EDCs and describe the various modes of action of EDCs and the importance of the prenatal and developmental windows to EDC exposure. We give a brief overview of epigenetics and describe the various epigenetic mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, and how each of them affects gene expression. We then summarize findings from previous studies on the effects of prenatal exposure to the endocrine disruptors BPA, Pb and DDT on each of the previously described epigenetic mechanisms. We also discuss how the epigenetic alterations caused by these EDCs may be related to disease processes.


Database ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengbo Wen ◽  
Junfeng Xia ◽  
Xianbin Cao ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
Yinping Tao ◽  
...  

AbstractRadiotherapy is used to treat approximately 50% of all cancer patients, with varying prognoses. Intrinsic radiosensitivity is an important factor underlying the radiotherapeutic efficacy of this precise treatment. During the past decades, great efforts have been made to improve radiotherapy treatment through multiple strategies. However, invaluable data remains buried in the extensive radiotherapy literature, making it difficult to obtain an overall view of the detailed mechanisms leading to radiosensitivity, thus limiting advances in radiotherapy. To address this issue, we collected data from the relevant literature contained in the PubMed database and developed a literature-based database that we term the cancer radiosensitivity regulation factors database (dbCRSR). dbCRSR is a manually curated catalogue of radiosensitivity, containing multiple radiosensitivity regulation factors (395 coding genes, 119 non-coding RNAs and 306 chemical compounds) with appropriate annotation. To illustrate the value of the data we collected, data mining was performed including functional annotation and network analysis. In summary, dbCRSR is the first literature-based database to focus on radiosensitivity and provides a resource to better understand the detailed mechanisms of radiosensitivity. We anticipate dbCRSR will be a useful resource to enrich our knowledge and to promote further study of radiosensitivity.Database URL: http://bioinfo.ahu.edu.cn:8080/dbCRSR/


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3264
Author(s):  
Hossein Tabatabaeian ◽  
Samantha Peiling Yang ◽  
Yvonne Tay

Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent malignancy of the endocrine system and the ninth most common cancer globally. Despite the advances in the management of thyroid cancer, there are critical issues with the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer that result in the poor overall survival of undifferentiated and metastatic thyroid cancer patients. Recent studies have revealed the role of different non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) that are dysregulated during thyroid cancer development or the acquisition of resistance to therapeutics, and may play key roles in treatment failure and poor prognosis of the thyroid cancer patients. Here, we systematically review the emerging roles and molecular mechanisms of ncRNAs that regulate thyroid tumorigenesis and drug response. We then propose the potential clinical implications of ncRNAs as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for thyroid cancer.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Akortia ◽  
Jonathan O. Okonkwo ◽  
Mlindelwa Lupankwa ◽  
Shiloh D. Osae ◽  
Adegbenro P. Daso ◽  
...  

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group of organobromine compounds that are used as flame retardants in many commonly used products. Their presence has been confirmed in various environmental matrices. Their usage in numerous consumer products has lent credence to their ability to retard flammable gas formation, hence their ubiquitous nature in the environment. PBDEs have been described as endocrine disrupting chemicals because of their interference with the endocrine system function in fish and other terrestrial animals. In spite of the progress in research over the years on PBDEs, full understanding of the environmental behaviour and fate of this contaminant is still elusive. In this review, sources by which PBDEs enter the environment have been evaluated in conjunction with their levels, as well as their toxicity, and the transformation and transport of PBDEs in various environmental compartments. This provides a better understanding of the behaviour of these emerging environmental contaminants within the environment. While acknowledging the numerous studies that have been conducted on the environmental contamination by PBDEs, emerging issues and data gaps have been identified.


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