Environmental epigenetics and allergic diseases: recent advances

Clin Exp Allergy. 2010 Nov;40(11):1602-10. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2010.03599.x. Epub 2010 Aug 16.

Abstract

Significant strides in the understanding of the role of epigenetic regulation in asthma and allergy using both epidemiological approaches as well as experimental ones have been made. This review focuses on new research within the last 2 years. These include advances in determining how environmental agents implicated in airway disease can induce epigenetic changes, how epigenetic regulation can influence T helper cell differentiation and T regulatory cell production, and new discoveries of epigenetic regulation associated with clinical outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / genetics
  • Environment*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic* / drug effects
  • Evidence-Based Medicine / trends
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / epidemiology
  • Hypersensitivity / genetics*
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Phenotype
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*