Researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK and the University of Bergen in Norway conducted a study exploring the epigenetic profiles of 875 individuals aged 7 to 50, along with the smoking habits of their fathers. Their investigation revealed notable epigenetic changes at 19 specific sites within 14 genes in the offspring of fathers who had smoked before the age of 15. These alterations in DNA packaging, known as methylation, play a role in regulating gene expression (activating or deactivating genes) and have links to conditions such as asthma, obesity, and wheezing.
Dr. Negusse Kitaba, a Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, pointed out that these epigenetic modifications were particularly pronounced in children whose fathers began smoking during their puberty years, as opposed to those whose fathers had started smoking at any point before conception. Dr. Kitaba emphasised that early puberty appears to represent a critical period for physiological changes in boys, as it is when stem cells are established to produce sperm throughout their lives.
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Dr. Gerd Toril Morkve Knudsen from the University of Bergen, who co-led the study, noted that 16 out of the 19 markers associated with paternal teenage smoking had not previously been linked to maternal or personal smoking. This suggests that these newly identified methylation biomarkers may be unique to children whose fathers were exposed to smoking during early puberty.
Professor Cecilie Svanes, also from the University of Bergen, highlighted the study's significance, stating that the health of future generations depends on the choices and actions of young individuals today, particularly for boys entering early puberty, as well as mothers and grandmothers before and during pregnancy.
The implications of these findings for public health are substantial. They underscore the importance of addressing harmful exposures in young teenagers today, as failure to do so could adversely affect the respiratory health of future generations, exacerbating health disparities for decades to come.