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Epigenetics-a potential mediator between air pollution and preterm birth

Vania W Lin1, Andrea A Baccarelli2, Heather H Burris3

  • 1Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064 USA; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215 USA.

Environmental Epigenetics
|February 23, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Air pollution may increase preterm birth risk through epigenetic changes. Identifying these environmental epigenetic links could help prevent premature births globally.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental health
  • Reproductive epidemiology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant mortality, affecting over 15 million newborns annually worldwide.
  • Existing research suggests a link between air pollution and preterm birth, but findings are inconsistent.
  • Air pollution is known to cause epigenetic modifications, which may influence pregnancy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the association between air pollution exposure and preterm birth.
  • To investigate the role of epigenetic modifications as a potential mechanism linking air pollution to preterm birth.
  • To identify environmentally modifiable epigenetic factors for preterm birth risk assessment and prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Review of epidemiological studies examining air pollution and preterm birth.
  • Analysis of research on air pollution's impact on epigenetic markers.
  • Synthesis of evidence connecting epigenetic changes to preterm birth outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Inconsistent associations reported between air pollution and preterm birth, possibly due to study design variations.
  • Consistent evidence demonstrates air pollution's effect on epigenetic modifications.
  • Emerging data suggest a connection between epigenetic alterations and preterm birth.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms may mediate the relationship between air pollution and preterm birth.
  • Understanding these environmental epigenetic pathways is crucial for identifying at-risk pregnancies.
  • This knowledge may facilitate the development of novel strategies for preterm birth prevention.

Keywords:
DNA methylationair pollutionepigeneticspregnancypreterm birth

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