EpiSTOX · EPIgenetic Signatures as biomarkers of ecoTOXicological effects

The study of emergent pollutants is included in the priority research guidelines of many environmental- and health-regulationbodies, such as the World Health Organisation, the USA Environmental Protection Agency or the EFSA and ECHA agenciesof the European Commission. In this regard this regulatory bodies have identified substances of very high concern, includingEndocrine Disruptors (EDCs). An emerging concern is related to substances that are able to modify cellular regulatorymechanisms long after the actual exposure occurred, a long-term effect mediated by chemical chromatin changes andintegrated into the concept of epigenetics. The prevalent hypothesis is to use the ""epigenetic foot-print” as a tool to evaluatethe exposure of a given organism to toxicants, with the ultimate goal of identify determine if epigenetic signaturescharacterized after early development exposures are maintained through time once the pollutant exposure ceased, and ifthose can cause adverse effects on the exposed animals. In that context the main goal of the present proposal is to identifyepigenetic footprints characteristic of early development exposures to EDCs in zebrafish. This project intends to: 1) To identify common epigenetic markers regulated by EDC exposures during early development