As a potential link between genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, and food allergy outcomes, epigenetics has been a molecular variable of interest in ongoing efforts to understand food allergy mechanisms and outcomes. Here we review population-based investigations of epigenetic loci associated with food allergy, focusing on established clinical food allergy. We first provide an overview of epigenetic mechanisms that have been studied in cohorts with food allergy, predominantly DNA methylation but also microRNA. We then discuss investigations that have implemented epigenome-wide approaches aimed at genome-wide profiling and discovery. Such epigenome-wide studies have collectively identified differentially methylated and differentially regulated loci associated with T cell development, antigen presentation, reaction severity, and causal mediation in food allergy. We then discuss candidate-gene investigations that have honed in on Th1, Th2, T regulatory, and innate genes of a priori interest in food allergy. These studies have highlighted methylation changes in specific candidate genes as associated with T regulatory cell activity as well as differential methylation of Type 1 and Type 2 cytokine genes associated with various food allergies. Intriguingly, epigenetic loci associated with food allergy have also been explored as potential biomarkers for the clinical management of food allergy. We conclude by highlighting several priority directions for advancing population-based epigenomic and epigenetic understandings of food allergy.

中文翻译：

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食物过敏的表观基因组和表观遗传学研究

作为遗传易感性、环境暴露和食物过敏结果之间的潜在联系，表观遗传学一直是了解食物过敏机制和结果的持续努力中感兴趣的分子变量。在这里，我们回顾了与食物过敏相关的表观遗传位点的基于人群的研究，重点关注已确定的临床食物过敏。我们首先概述了在食物过敏人群中研究的表观遗传机制，主要是 DNA 甲基化，但也有 microRNA。然后，我们讨论实施旨在全基因组分析和发现的全表观基因组方法的研究。此类全表观基因组研究共同鉴定了与食物过敏中 T 细胞发育、抗原呈递、反应严重程度和因果介导相关的差异甲基化和差异调节位点。然后我们讨论候选基因研究，这些研究针对 Th1、Th2、T 调节基因和与食物过敏先验相关的先天基因进行了磨练。这些研究强调了与 T 调节细胞活性相关的特定候选基因的甲基化变化，以及与各种食物过敏相关的 1 型和 2 型细胞因子基因的差异甲基化。有趣的是，与食物过敏相关的表观遗传位点也被探索作为食物过敏临床管理的潜在生物标志物。最后，我们强调了推进基于人群的表观基因组和表观遗传学对食物过敏的理解的几个优先方向。