Transgenerational impacts of early life adversity: from health determinants, implications to epigenetic consequences

Cyrielle Holuka, Nathalie Grova, Eleftheria G. Charalambous, Jeanne Le Cléac`H, Jonathan D. Turner*, Archibold Mposhi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Exposure to different environmental factors, social and socioeconomic factors promotes development of the early-life adversity (ELA) phenotype. The persistence of this phenotype across generations is an interesting phenomenon that remains unexplored. Of late many studies have focused on disease-associated outcomes of ELA following exposure during childhood but the persistence of epigenetic imprints transmitted by ELA exposed parents to their offspring remains poorly described. It is possible that both parents are able to transmit ELA-associated genetic imprints to their offspring via transgenerational inheritance mechanisms. Here, we highlight the role of the mother and father in the biological process of conception, from epigenetic reprogramming cycles to later environmental exposures. We explain some of the known determinants of ELA (pollution, socioeconomic challenges, infections, etc.) and their disease-associated outcomes. Finally, we highlight the role of epigenetics, mitochondria and ncRNAs as mechanisms mediating transgenerational inheritance. Whether these transgenerational inheritance mechanisms occur in the human context remains unclear but there is a large body of suggestive evidence in non-human models that points out to its existence.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105785
JournalNeuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Volume164
Early online date28 Jun 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2024

Keywords

  • DNA methylation
  • Early-life adversity
  • Epigenetics
  • Mitochondria
  • non-coding RNAs
  • Transgenerational inheritance

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