Human health consequences of environmentally-modulated gene expression: potential roles of ELF-EMF induced epigenetic versus mutagenic mechanisms of disease.
In order to determine if there might be biological and health consequences after exposures to extremely-low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF), either experimentally or epidemiologically, mechanistic understanding of the potential means by which any environmental agent can affect cells in a multicellular organism has to be reviewed. The goal of this limited review is to demonstrate that, while the prevailing paradigm of the environmentally-induced acute and chronic diseases involves either cell killing (cytotoxicity) or gene/chromosome mutations (genotoxicity), alteration of the expression of genetic information at the transcriptional (turning genes "on" or "off"), translational (stabilizing or de-stabilizing the genetic message), or posttranslational (altering the gene product or protein) levels has the potential to contribute to various diseases. This latter mechanism, "epigenetic" toxicity, unlike the former two which are irreversible, is characterized by threshold-like action, multiple biochemical pathways and chronic, regular exposures to be effective. Ultimately, epigenetic toxicants affect one of four potential cell states, namely alteration of cell proliferation, cell differentiation, programmed cell death (apoptosis) or adaptive responses of differentiated cells.
Trosko
J E
JE
Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA. trosko@pilot.msu.edu
D004249:DNA Damage; D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004782:Environmental Health; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics