Secondhand Smoke‘s Long shadow: Father’s Childhood Exposure Linked too Grandchildren’s Lung Function
PARIS – A groundbreaking new study published in the journal Thorax reveals that a father’s exposure to secondhand smoke during childhood can negatively impact the lung function of his children, even if neither he nor they ever smoke. The research, highlighting the potential for intergenerational epigenetic inheritance, suggests the effects can persist for decades and are partially independent of individual smoking habits.
The study examined data from over 2,600 men, assessing their pulmonary function at age 53 and correlating it with their reported exposure to secondhand smoke before puberty. Researchers found a notable association between fathers’ childhood exposure and reduced lung function in their children, even after accounting for confounding factors like the father’s asthma, age, and family respiratory history.
This finding supports a growing body of evidence suggesting that environmental exposures can alter DNA regulation - through epigenetic changes – in reproductive cells, effectively transmitting biological memories across generations. These epigenetic modifications don’t alter the genetic code itself, but influence how genes are expressed.
A recent review published by Spandidos Publications notes tobacco’s potent ability to modify DNA methylation,particularly in germ cells,with these marks possibly lasting beyond a single generation.Previous research has even indicated a link between grandparents’ smoking and respiratory issues in grandchildren, irrespective of the intermediate generation’s smoking status.
Researchers hypothesize that exposure to smoke before puberty can modify these DNA regulation mechanisms in a developing boy’s germ cells. The Thorax study’s findings demonstrate this isn’t a temporary anomaly, but a lasting alteration in pulmonary function. Even men who never smoke, and whose children have never smoked, can pass on a degree of respiratory vulnerability stemming from the father’s childhood habitat.
The study underscores the far-reaching consequences of health choices, extending beyond individual lifespans and into the biological heritage of future generations. Understanding these mechanisms, researchers say, strengthens the case for preventative measures, potentially beginning even before conception.
