Future of environmental research in the age of epigenomics and exposomics

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Environmental research and public health in the 21st century face serious challenges such as increased air pollution and global warming, widespread use of potentially harmful chemicals including pesticides, plasticizers, and other endocrine disruptors, and radical changes in nutrition and lifestyle typical of modern societies. In particular, exposure to environmental and occupational toxicants may contribute to the occurrence of adverse birth outcomes, neurodevelopmental deficits, and increased risk of cancer and other multifactorial diseases such as diabetes and asthma. Rapidly evolving methodologies of exposure assessment and the conceptual framework of the Exposome, first introduced in 2005, are new frontiers of environmental research. Metabolomics and adductomics provide remarkable opportunities for a better understanding of exposure and prediction of potential adverse health outcomes. Metabolomics, the study of metabolism at whole-body level, involves assessment of the total repertoire of small molecules present in a biological sample, shedding light on interactions between gene expression, protein expression, and the environment. Advances in genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics are generating multidimensional structures of biomarkers of effect and susceptibility, increasingly important for the understanding of molecular mechanisms and the emergence of personalized medicine. Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation and miRNA expression, attract increasing attention as potential links between the genetic and environmental determinants of health and disease. Unlike genetics, epigenetic mechanisms could be reversible and an understanding of their role may lead to better protection of susceptible populations and improved public health.</jats:p>

Balance between Health Risks and Benefits for Outdoor Workers Exposed to Solar Radiation: An Overview on the Role of Near Infrared Radiation Alone and in Combination with Other Solar Spectral Bands

“…It should be noted that the large amount of information collected by complying with the aforementioned research needs would contribute to define the individual exposome for outdoor workers [116][117][118].…”

“…Once combined with a proper management of "big data" they allow to test the overall response of a biological system to a certain pattern of exposure/s, matching results with exposure features. It should be noted that the large amount of information collected by complying with the aforementioned research needs would contribute to define the individual exposome for outdoor workers [116][117][118].…”

Environment, susceptibility windows, development, and child health

“…The field has made tremendous strides toward developing an exposomics approach to its research in recent years 37–39 . CHEAR represents the type of infrastructure achievements that create the foundation for the development of new methods and new consortia that can address the big picture questions of how environment impacts health and development.…”

Emerging concepts and challenges in implementing the exposome paradigm in allergic diseases and asthma: a Practall document

“…There are two current approaches in the exposomic research: the bottom‐up (targeted) approach building from known exposures and connections to the molecular initiating event generating the disease; and the top‐down (untargeted) approach starting in an unbiased fashion from the disease and the initial molecular event aiming to discover novel exposures and connections . The targeted approach relies on biomonitoring levels of known analytes (chemical, biological) in a sample, environmental monitoring, and questionnaires.…”