Ethical implications of epigenetics research

Abstract

New advances in epigenetics research are being reported at an accelerating rate. Intriguing research findings, primarily from animal studies, show that epigenetic changes tend to occur at a much higher frequency than mutations in DNA sequence, that the susceptibility to epigenetic changes is greater at earlier stages of development, and that epigenetic changes are often reversible 1,2 . Importantly, a growing body of data from animal and human studies suggests that alterations in gene expression that are due to epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, can be inherited and affect future generations 3,4 .Epigenetics research holds great promise for elucidating pathways that affect the progression from environmental exposure to phenotypic expression. It will have significant implications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of disorders. Although a vast amount of literature has built up in the last two decades on the ethical implications of genomic research and applications, there is no comparable literature on the ethical implications of epigenetics research. Here we discuss four of these ethical issues.First we consider environmental justice. Epigenetic effects have been associated with exposure to various toxic chemicals, airborne pollutants, pesticides and other harmful substances 1,2 . Many of these exposures are linked with poverty, discriminatory land use, and substandard living and working conditions 5 . At the same time, many individuals with these harmful exposures are considered medically vulnerable because of pre-existing health conditions that are frequently complicated by poor clinical management. Both the exposure to environmental hazards and the social, nutritional, medical and psychological stresses of low-income communities can separately and, perhaps even more importantly, cumulatively cause epigenetic changes that place exposed populations at increased risk. Epigenetics therefore provides a new window for understanding and possibly addressing the comorbidities associated with disparate environmental exposures.The second issue regards the intergenerational effects and equity of epigenetics research. A key implication of epigenetics research is that many environmental and hazardous exposures will affect not only the exposed individuals, but possibly their progeny and subsequent generations. This insight will create new challenges for environmental and health regulation, as well as for intergenerational equity. Intergenerational equity refers to the obligations of each generation to serve as a custodian or steward of the planet and its inhabitants for future generations. Thus, it could be asserted that each generation has an obligation to its descendants not to damage the genomes and epigenomes of future generations, such as

ERK Pathway Activation Bidirectionally Affects Visual Recognition Memory and Synaptic Plasticity in the Perirhinal Cortex

“…According to the memory reconsolidation hypothesis each time a memory is reactivated/retrieved it becomes labile and must undergo a process of consolidation to be maintained to further long term (see Lee, 2009; Nader and Hardt, 2009). We examined then the possibility that consolidated visual recognition memory traces, after being reactivated by re-exposure to the learning situation, undergo a process of reconsolidation requiring Ras-GRF1.…”

The ambiguous nature of epigenetic responsibility

“…Epigenetics is already the object of bioethical attention, which has shed light on ‘individual and societal responsibilities to prevent hazardous exposures, monitor health status and provide treatment’1, p. 224 . As observed by Landecker, ‘[t]he normative implications of a science that draws direct causal links, at the molecular level, from such culturally tender and politically contested issues as parenting and air quality regulation to human health are a subject of much speculation in this field’21 , p. 2 .…”

“…Expectations of medicine and public health have risen as a result of a greater understanding of the relationships between living conditions, lifestyle, gene expression and health. The ethical, legal and social concerns related to epigenetics research have been discussed in the literature, building on principles of ‘environmental justice’, ‘intergenerational equity’, ‘equitable access to healthcare’ as well as ‘privacy and confidentiality’ 1. Normative discussions have emerged, pointing out how recent findings in epigenetics concern moral responsibility in relation to health.…”

Taking a First Step

“…Rothstein alerts us to further ethical issues and mentions environmental justice, equity, privacy and confi dentiality [9] . Will failing to act on epigenetic data be viewed in the future as failing to prevent likely harm?…”