Epigenetic modifications associated with pathophysiological effects of lead exposure

Abstract

Lead (Pb) exposure during different stages of development has demonstrated dose, duration, sex, and tissue-specific pathophysiological outcomes due to altered epigenetic regulation via (a) DNA methylation, (b) histone modifications, (c) miRNAs, and (d) chromatin accessibility. Pb-induced alteration of epigenetic regulation causes neurotoxic and extra-neurotoxic pathophysiological outcomes. Neurotoxic effects of Pb include dysfunction of memory and learning, behavioral disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, tauopathy, and neurodegeneration. Extra-neurotoxic effects of Pb include altered body weight, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disorders, hematopoietic disorder, and reproductive impairment. Pb exposure either early in life or at any stage of development results in undesirable pathophysiological outcomes that tends to sustain and maintain for a lifetime.

Keywords:

• Chromatin
• DNA methylation
• Epigenetics
• Histone
• Lead (Pb)
• miRNA; Toxicity

Acknowledgments

This research received no grant from any public, private or commercial funding agency.

Author’s contributions

All authors contributed equally to this review.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.