An introduction for the special issue on environmental health and genome integrity

Environ Mol Mutagen. 2020 Aug;61(7):660-663. doi: 10.1002/em.22400. Epub 2020 Aug 6.

Abstract

Environmental exposures and genome maintenance mechanisms that respond to environmentally-induced genotoxicity have a profound impact on human health. Eight review articles in this Special Issue (SI) titled "Environmental Health and Genome Integrity" describe emerging new mechanisms by which distinct forms of environmentally-induced DNA damage are remediated, and explain how DNA repair pathway choices impact genome integrity and disease propensity. Here, we provide an introduction to reviews from this SI. Our expanding knowledge of how genotoxic exposures impact the genome will allow us to better predict, prevent and treat environmentally-induced human diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords: DNA damage response; DNA repair; genome intergrity.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA Damage / genetics
  • DNA Repair / genetics
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Environmental Health / methods
  • Genome / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / genetics