title: Integrated approach of nutritional and molecular epidemiology, mineralogical and chemical pollutant characterisation: the protocol of a cross-sectional study in women.
abstract: Environmentally-related health and disease are the result of the exposome, the totality of a person's environmental exposures, from all sources and routes, across their lifespan. Epigenetic phenomena, including DNA methylation, can be potentially modified by environmental and lifestyle factors, and result in environmental reprogramming of the genome for exposed individuals and for future generations of offspring.
  
  
  
  The objective of the project is to evaluate the risk of DNA hypomethylation due to air pollution, Mediterranean diet adherence, folate intake, and demographic and socioeconomic factors, in healthy women living in the metropolitan area of Catania, Italy.
  
  
  
  Non-pregnant healthy women will be enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary intake information will be collected. LINE-1 methylation will be measured by pyrosequencing. The participants' home addresses will be geocoded and each woman will be assigned to the closest monitoring station for particulate matter (PM) exposure assessment. Mineralogical-chemical characterisation of PM and cellular model assays will be performed. An integrated approach will be designed to estimate the combined possible effect of air pollution, Mediterranean diet adherence, folate intake and other lifestyle characteristics on LINE-1 methylation levels.
  
  
  
  The project has been approved by the ethics committees of the involved institution and funded by the University of Catania (Finanziamento della Ricerca, FIR 2014). All participants will be fully informed of the purpose and procedures of the study, and signed written consents will be obtained. All the data collected will be treated confidentially and analysed in an aggregate and anonymous way. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and communicated to local public health agencies, in order to provide essential information for timely and effective public health action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.|LaPoSS, Laboratory of Policies and Social Services, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barchitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maugeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Germana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mazzoleni
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science, Section of Photochemistry and Photobiology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catalfo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science, Section of Photochemistry and Photobiology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.|Research Centre for the analysis, the monitoring and methodology for environmental risk assessment (CRAM3RA), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Guidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iemmolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.|LaPoSS, Laboratory of Policies and Social Services, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agodi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004782:Environmental Health; D018876:Environmental Illness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology / Q000379:methods*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011634:Public Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; NUTRITION & DIETETICS; PUBLIC HEALTH