Genetics

Abstract

Currently there is a large body of evidence demonstrating the adverse health effects of air pollution in human. As discussed in the earlier chapters, the health effects associated with air pollution are not restricted to airways but involve multiple organs and systems, including cardiovascular, reproductive and nervous system to name a few. Despite the well-established health effects of air pollution, the exact mechanisms involved still remain unclear. Beyond toxicological studies, one approach to a better understanding of the underlying biological mechanism and involved biological pathway is studying genomics (genetic and epigenetic variations) in relation to air pollution related health effects. Furthermore, these studies can also identify population more susceptible to air pollution related adverse health effects due to genetic predisposition. Much progress has been made in the study of gene-environmental interaction (GxE) over the last decade with the advent of chip based identification of genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic markers. There has been a shift from single SNP-based GxE studies to agnostic genomewide approaches. Although majority of the currently available studies are focused on cardio-respiratory health outcomes, more and more research works are investigating the joint role of genomics and air pollution on different health outcomes. In this chapter we will discuss the importance of studying the GxE in the context of air pollution, the strengths and limitations of the available approaches to study GxE, current state of knowledge in relation to different health outcomes, and future direction.