title: New approaches to assessing the effects of mutagenic agents on the integrity of the human genome.
abstract: Heritable genetic alterations, although individually rare, have a substantial collective health impact. Approximately 20% of these are new mutations of unknown cause. Assessment of the effect of exposures to DNA damaging agents, i.e. mutagenic chemicals and radiations, on the integrity of the human genome and on the occurrence of genetic disease remains a daunting challenge. Recent insights may explain why previous examination of human exposures to ionizing radiation, as in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, failed to reveal heritable genetic effects. New opportunities to assess the heritable genetic damaging effects of environmental mutagens are afforded by: (1) integration of knowledge on the molecular nature of genetic disorders and the molecular effects of mutagens; (2) the development of more practical assays for germline mutagenesis; (3) the likely use of population-based genetic screening in personalized medicine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, The Netherlands. Rosalie.Elespuru@fda.hhs.gov
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Elespuru
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sankaranarayanan
mesh_terms: D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D005544:Forecasting; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000145:classification; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000187:drug effects; D042822:Genomic Instability; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D018095:Germ-Line Mutation; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens