Phthalate Exposure And Epigenetics

In this review, we document several studies that suggest that phthalate exposure in humans, at real-world levels, might have some toxicological risk, with a focus on epigenetic changes associated with phthalate exposures.

We hypothesized that prenatal phthalate exposure will be associated with epigenetic age acceleration measures at birth and in early childhood, with patterns dependent on sex and timing of DNAm measurement.

This observation suggests that prenatal phthalate exposure leads to differences in methylation of repetitive elements and thus epigenetics may be the mechanism by which phthalates exert their transgenerational effect.

Notably, research has elucidated a direct relationship between phthalate exposure and alterations in DNA methylation, a critical epigenetic change that does not involve any alteration of the underlying DNA sequence but instead modifies the way genes are expressed [80].

Exposure to phthalates and accelerated epigenetic aging are independently associated with an increased risk of renal dysfunction. The coexistence of both factors may further increase the risk of early kidney impairment.

FIG 2. Phthalate exposure and induction of an asthma-like phenotype. A, Dams were exposed to BBP during pregnancy (prenatal) or until weaning when pups were 3 weeks old (perinatal exposure).

Epidemiological studies have reported associations between phthalate exposure and multiple markers of atherosclerosis, the pathological hallmark of IHD, with or without mediation by traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Furthermore, visual representations like the one above help us fully grasp the concept of Phthalate Exposure And Epigenetics.

In utero and neonatal exposure of bisphenol and/or phthalates may cause alteration in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and expression of non-coding RNAs. These epigenetic marks can induce gene alterations that may persist throughout a lifetime.

Summary: Researchers report epigenetic modifications in the DNA of sperm in men who had higher phthalate levels.They identified 6,479 regions of interest in assessing a possible correlation between phthalate metabolite exposure and DNA methylation.