Gene Function Changes (epigenetics)

Robust Science on Transgenerational Health Effects Tied to Pesticide Exposure, Highlights Regulatory Gaps (Beyond Pesticides, 5 June 2026)  ...But reproduction is not the only domain affected. As the authors write, “The modified germline epigenome influences the epigenetic profiles of embryonic stem cells and will subsequently affect the epigenomes of all somatic cells in the next generations (emphasis added). This means that all tissues, not just reproductive organs, are influenced by that original exposure. In addition to ovarian, prostate, and testis pathologies, the researchers find sharp increases in kidney pathologies in both sexes between the first transgeneration and the 23rd. Sprague-Dawley rats are susceptible to kidney disease as they age, but these pathologies emerge at one year.   Dr. Skinner has also demonstrated epigenetic transgenerational effects of exposure to DDT, glyphosate, atrazine, dioxin, DEET, permethrin, methoxychlor, hydrocarbons and plastics-derived compounds.

Farmers and Farmworkers Face DNA and Cellular Damage with Chronic Pesticide Exposure, Study Finds     (Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, “investigates genotoxic effects on farmers in Paraíba, Brazil, analyzing buccal mucosa cells cells from inside the cheek for DNA and cellular damage,” ... the researchers report that the “findings revealed significantly higher frequencies of cellular alterations and DNA damage among exposed farmers relative to the control group, with no significant impact from factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or family cancer history.”     The pesticides that the agricultural workers identified as being utilized include the insecticides deltamethrin, methamidophos, methomyl, teflubenzuron, abamectin, imidacloprid, beta-cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, and chlorfenapyr, as well as the herbicides 2,4-D, ametryn, hexazinone, diuron, and glyphosate. Of these active ingredients, the most commonly reported by the farmworkers is 2,4-D.    SNAP Comment:  I had never heard of the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay. Seems like a minimally invasive way of estimating genotoxicity. Most of the products used by workersin tis study are currently registered in Canada. As of June 2025, the following products are currently registered for sale in Canada: 19 (down from 24) deltamethrin, 0 (down from 5) methamidophos, 4  (down from 13) methomyl, 0 teflubenzuron, 19 (down from 26) abamectin, 94 (down from 138) imidacloprid, 3 beta-cyfluthrin, 8 (down from 20) cypermethrin, and 3 chlorfenapyr, as well as the herbicides 139 (down from 585) 2,4-D, 0 ametryn, 5 (down from 14) hexazinone, 8 (down from 23) diuron, and 190 (down from 376) glyphosate. 

Meta-Analysis Catalogues Pesticides’ Adverse Impact on How Genes Function   (Beyond Pesticides, April 30, 2024) Researchers found epigenetic changes, including changes relating to “DNA methylation, histone modification, and differential microRNA expression which ‘can alter the expression of many disease-related genes’,” in a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature published in Environmental Epigenetics. “Our review did provide evidence that pesticide exposure could lead to epigenetic modifications, possibly altering global and gene-specific methylation levels, epigenome-wide methylation, and micro-RNA differential expression,” researchers share in the conclusion of the study. This study is an amalgamation of various studies on epigenetic changes based on a literature review process: “Article review involved 3,529 articles found through extensive searches across major human health databases,