Alexis D Vick1, Heather H Burris2. 1. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH. 2. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: African Americans disproportionately suffer from leading causes of morbidity and mortality including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and preterm birth. Disparities can arise from multiple social and environmental exposures, but how the human body responds to these exposures to result in pathophysiologic states is incompletely understood. RECENT FINDINGS: Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation, can be altered in response to exposures such as air pollution, psychosocial stress, and smoking. Each of these exposures has been linked to the above health states (CVD, cancer, and preterm birth) with striking racial disparities in exposure levels. DNA methylation patterns have also been shown to be associated with each of these health outcomes. SUMMARY: Whether DNA methylation mediates exposure-disease relationships and can help explain racial disparities in health is not known. However, because many environmental and adverse social exposures disproportionately affect minorities, understanding the role that epigenetics plays in the human response to these exposures that often result in disease, is critical to reducing disparities in morbidity and mortality.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: African Americans disproportionately suffer from leading causes of morbidity and mortality including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and preterm birth. Disparities can arise from multiple social and environmental exposures, but how the human body responds to these exposures to result in pathophysiologic states is incompletely understood. RECENT FINDINGS: Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation, can be altered in response to exposures such as air pollution, psychosocial stress, and smoking. Each of these exposures has been linked to the above health states (CVD, cancer, and preterm birth) with striking racial disparities in exposure levels. DNA methylation patterns have also been shown to be associated with each of these health outcomes. SUMMARY: Whether DNA methylation mediates exposure-disease relationships and can help explain racial disparities in health is not known. However, because many environmental and adverse social exposures disproportionately affect minorities, understanding the role that epigenetics plays in the human response to these exposures that often result in disease, is critical to reducing disparities in morbidity and mortality.
Entities:
Keywords:
DNA methylation; breast cancer; cardiovascular disease; epigenetics; epigenomics; preterm birth; racial health disparities
Authors: Heather H Burris; Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman; Andrea Baccarelli; Letizia Tarantini; Caroline E Boeke; Ken Kleinman; Augusto A Litonjua; Janet W Rich-Edwards; Matthew W Gillman Journal: J Dev Orig Health Dis Date: 2012-06 Impact factor: 2.401
Authors: Linda A Alexander; Dennis R Trinidad; Kari-Lyn K Sakuma; Pallav Pokhrel; Thaddeus A Herzog; Mark S Clanton; Eric T Moolchan; Pebbles Fagan Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2016-04 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Min-Ae Song; Theodore M Brasky; Catalin Marian; Daniel Y Weng; Cenny Taslim; Ramona G Dumitrescu; Adana A Llanos; Jo L Freudenheim; Peter G Shields Journal: Epigenetics Date: 2015 Impact factor: 4.528
Authors: Heather H Burris; Andrea A Baccarelli; Hyang-Min Byun; Alejandra Cantoral; Allan C Just; Ivan Pantic; Maritsa Solano-Gonzalez; Katherine Svensson; Marcela Tamayo y Ortiz; Yan Zhao; Robert O Wright; Martha M Téllez-Rojo Journal: Epigenetics Date: 2015-08-07 Impact factor: 4.528
Authors: William A Grobman; Corette Parker; Pathik D Wadhwa; Marian Willinger; Hyagriv Simhan; Bob Silver; Ron J Wapner; Samuel Parry; Brian Mercer; David Haas; Alan M Peaceman; Shannon Hunter; Deborah Wing; Steve Caritis; Sean Esplin; Matt Hoffman; Jack Ludmir; Jay Iams; Emily Long; George Saade; Uma M Reddy Journal: Am J Perinatol Date: 2016-08-08 Impact factor: 1.862
Authors: Chantel L Martin; Lea Ghastine; Evans K Lodge; Radhika Dhingra; Cavin K Ward-Caviness Journal: Annu Rev Public Health Date: 2022-04-05 Impact factor: 21.870
Authors: Amber Johnson; Stephen Broughton; Lisa Aponte-Soto; Karriem Watson; Carla Da Goia Pinto; Philip Empey; Steven Reis; Robert Winn; Mylynda Massart Journal: Ethn Dis Date: 2020-04-02 Impact factor: 1.847
Authors: Lucas A Salas; Lauren C Peres; Zaneta M Thayer; Rick Wa Smith; Yichen Guo; Wonil Chung; Jiahui Si; Liming Liang Journal: Epigenomics Date: 2021-03-10 Impact factor: 4.778
Authors: Gagandeep K Walia; Siddhartha Mandal; Suganthi Jaganathan; Lindsay M Jaacks; Nancy L Sieber; Preet K Dhillon; Bhargav Krishna; Melina S Magsumbol; Kishore K Madhipatla; Dimple Kondal; Richard A Cash; K Srinath Reddy; Joel Schwartz; D Prabhakaran Journal: Environ Health Insights Date: 2020-04-20
Authors: Nicole E Rich; Christian Carr; Adam C Yopp; Jorge A Marrero; Amit G Singal Journal: Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2020-12-30 Impact factor: 11.382