Introduction to epigenetic toxicology of chemical substances

Abstract

Epigenetics (EG) is a highly regulated biochemical mechanism underlying the expression of genes related to development and cellular differentiation that is disrupted by environmental stressors including chemicals and radiation. Studies of these phenomena are known as environmental epigenetics (EEG). Regulation of gene expression by the epigenetic mechanism is deeply involved in the developmental stages of animals and humans. EEG is, therefore, very important in the field of toxicology because it deals with the state of gene expression in all types of somatic and germ cells disrupted by environmental chemicals. We propose here an "Embryo-originated Epigenetic Toxicology Method (EEGT)". In this method embryonic somatic and germ cells are treated with test substances and various toxicological phenomena in whole bodies are examined. Observations on transgenerational effects are also important in this method. This new method could unite various toxicological phenomena based on EEG. © The Japanese Environmental Mutagen Society.