Epigenetics, human imprintome, and chronic diseases

Two epigenetically labile subsets of genes that link embryonic environmental exposures with adult disease susceptibility are those that are imprinted and those with metastable epialleles. The expression of genes with metastable epialleles, like the agouti gene in Agouti viable yellow (Avy) mice, is highly variable between individuals but uniform in tissues within an individual. We used the Avy mouse to demonstrate that exposure to nutritional supplements, chemical toxicants, and low-dose ionizing radiation during embryogenesis alters adult disease susceptibility by modifying the epigenome. Genomic imprinting is a unique species-dependent epigenetic form of gene regulation that evolved approximately 150 million years ago in a common ancestor to Therian mammals. It resulted in monoallelic parent-of-origin-dependent gene silencing. Thus, imprinted genes are functionally haploid disease susceptibility loci, since only a single genetic or epigenetic event is required to alter their function. Expression of imprinted genes in the human genome is regulated by hemi-methylated imprint control regions (ICRs) in the human imprintome. Furthermore, human imprintome ICRs associated with chronic diseases (e.g., cancer, diabetes, and obesity) and behavioral disorders (e.g., autism, bipolar disorder, psychopathy, and schizophrenia) can now be identified with the use of cells from peripheral samples and the human imprintome array. The importance of metastable epialleles and imprinted genes in the etiology of environmentally induced human chronic diseases is discussed in this review.