Research
Epigenetic Effects of Early Developmental Exposure to Emerging Environmental Contaminants
Image source: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/ and Encyclopedia Britannica
A growing number of studies reveal the fact that the aquatic environment is threatened by an increasing rate of chemical contamination. As a result, aquatic fauna is impacted by the ubiquitous presence of these chemicals in water bodies. Our research suggests that developmentally established epigenetic changes can survive in the body throughout the lifetime of the exposed individual and are associated with adverse health effects later in life. We aim to develop an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) incorporating epigenetic effects and associated phenotypic traits using medaka fish as an animal model. In the near future, regulatory agencies will need scientific information to classify chemicals that are transgenerationally harmful to humans and the ecosystem.
Related Publications
- Smith, C.S., *Vera, M.K.M., Bhandari, R.K. (2019). Developmental and epigenetic effects of Roundup and glyphosate exposure on medaka (Oryzias latipes). Aquatic Toxicology, 210:215-226. [PMID: 30875550]
- Bhandari, R.K., Taylor, J.A., *Sommerfeld-Sager, J., Tillitt, D.E., Ricke, W.A., vom Saal, F.S. (2019). Estrogen receptor 1 expression and methylation of Esr1 promoter in mouse fetal prostate mesenchymal cells induced by gestational exposure to bisphenol A or ethinylestradiol. Environmental Epigenetics, 5(3): dvz012. doi: 10.1093/eep/dvz012 [PMID: PMC6705189].
- Khanal, S., Bhattarai, S.R., Sarkar, J., Bhandari, R.K., McDonald, J., Bhattarai, N.P. (2019). Nano-fiber integrated microcapsules: A nano-in-micro platform for 3D cell culture. Scientific Reports. [PMID: 31562351]
- Jandegian CM, Deem SL, Bhandari RK, Holliday CM, Nicks D, Rosenfeld CS, Selcer KW, Tillitt DE, Vom Saal FS, Vélez-Rivera V, Yang Y, Holliday DK. (2017). Corrigendum to “Developmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) alters sexual differentiation in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)” [Gen. Comp. Endocr. 216 (2015) 77-85]. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 247:223. [PMID: 28454885]
- Bhandari RK, Deem SL, Holliday DK, Jandegian CM, Kassotis CD, Nagel SC, Tillitt DE, Vom Saal FS, Rosenfeld CS (2015). Effects of the environmental estrogenic contaminants bisphenol A and 17α-ethinylestradiol on sexual development and adult behaviors in aquatic wildlife species. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 214:195-219. [PMID: 25277515]
