Can we define a level of protection for allergic consumers that everyone can accept?

Substantial progress has been made in characterising the risk associated with exposure to allergens in food. However, absence of agreement on what risk is tolerable has made it difficult to set quantitative limits to manage that risk and protect allergic consumers effectively. This paper reviews scientific progress in the area and the diverse status of allergen management approaches and lack of common standards across different jurisdictions, including within the EU. This lack of regulation largely explains why allergic consumers find Precautionary Allergen Labelling confusing and cannot rely on it. We reviewed approaches to setting quantitative limits for a broad range of food safety hazards to identify the reasoning leading to their adoption. This revealed a diversity of approaches from pragmatic to risk-based, but we could not find clear evidence of the process leading to the decision on risk acceptability. We propose a framework built around the criteria suggested by Murphy and Gardoni (2008) for approaches to defining tolerable risks. Applying these criteria to food allergy, we concluded that sufficient knowledge exists to implement the framework, including sufficient expertise across the whole range of stakeholders to allow opinions to be heard and respected, and a consensus to be achieved

Comprehensive DNA methylation and gene expression profiling in differentiating human adipocytes

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) differentiating into adipocytes (day 10). The Illumina Infinium 450k Human DNA methylation Beadchip v1.2 was used to measure DNA methylation of hMSC before differentiation (day 0) and of adipocytes at day 10 of differentiation. Our aims were to 1) measure genome-wide DNA methylation changes during adipocyte differentiation in primary hMSCs and 2) investigate the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression regulation in a panel of 84 adipocyte-related genes

Persistent organic pollutants alter DNA methylation during human adipocyte differentiation

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) differentiated into adipocytes (day 10) while being continuously exposed to either one of three different persistent organic pollutants (POPs), namely TCDD, PFOS, and TBT. The Illumina Infinium 450K Human DNA methylation Beadchip v1.2 was used to measure DNA methylation of unexposed differentiated adipocytes and compared to POP-exposed differentiated adipocytes. Our aims were to 1) measure genome-wide DNA methylation changes upon POP exposure during adipocyte differentiation in primary hMSCs and 2) investigate the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression regulation after POP-exposure in a panel of 84 adipocyte-related genes

Comprehensive DNA methylation and gene expression profiling in differentiating human adipocytes

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) differentiating into adipocytes (day 10). The Illumina Infinium 450k Human DNA methylation Beadchip v1.2 was used to measure DNA methylation of hMSC before differentiation (day 0) and of adipocytes at day 10 of differentiation. Our aims were to 1) measure genome-wide DNA methylation changes during adipocyte differentiation in primary hMSCs and 2) investigate the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression regulation in a panel of 84 adipocyte-related genes

Persistent organic pollutants alter DNA methylation during human adipocyte differentiation

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) differentiated into adipocytes (day 10) while being continuously exposed to either one of three different persistent organic pollutants (POPs), namely TCDD, PFOS, and TBT. The Illumina Infinium 450K Human DNA methylation Beadchip v1.2 was used to measure DNA methylation of unexposed differentiated adipocytes and compared to POP-exposed differentiated adipocytes. Our aims were to 1) measure genome-wide DNA methylation changes upon POP exposure during adipocyte differentiation in primary hMSCs and 2) investigate the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression regulation after POP-exposure in a panel of 84 adipocyte-related genes

Association between DNA methylation profiles in leukocytes and serum levels of persistent organic pollutants in Dutch men

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed in Dutch men consuming eel from relatively low- or high-polluted areas, resulting in a broad range of serum POP levels. The Illumina Infinium 450K Human DNA methylation Beadchip v1.0HD was used to measure DNA methylation in these men and associate this with serum levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In total 48 POPs were measured, of which 30 POPs had levels above the detection limit in at least 60% of the participants. Furthermore, 11 different clinical parameters were measured as biomarkers for health. The leukocyte count was measured in each sample to adjust DNA methylation values. Furthermore, participants reported possible confounders in a questionnaire

Persistent organic pollutants alter DNA methylation during human adipocyte differentiation

Ubiquitous persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can accumulate in humans where they might influence differentiation of adipocytes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether DNA methylation is one of the underlying mechanisms by which POPs affect adipocyte differentiation, and to what extent DNA methylation can be related to gene transcription. Adipocyte differentiation was induced in two human cell models with continuous exposure to different POPs throughout differentiation. From the seven tested POPs, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) decreased lipid accumulation, while tributyltin (TBT) increased lipid accumulation. In human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), TCDD and TBT induced opposite gene expression profiles, whereas after PFOS exposure gene expression remained relatively stable. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis showed that all three POPs affected DNA methylation patterns in adipogenic and other genes, possibly related to the phenotypic outcome, but without concomitant gene expression changes. Differential methylation was predominantly detected in intergenic regions, where the biological relevance of alterations in DNA methylation is unclear. This study demonstrates that POPs, at environmentally relevant levels, are able to induce differential DNA methylation in human differentiating adipocytes.</p

Cover Image, Volume 117, Number 12, December 2016

Cover: The cover image, by Myrthe W. van den Dungen et al., is based on the Article Comprehensive DNA Methylation and Gene Expression Profiling in Differentiating Human Adipocytes, DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25568.</p

Cover Image, Volume 117, Number 12, December 2016

Cover: The cover image, by Myrthe W. van den Dungen et al., is based on the Article Comprehensive DNA Methylation and Gene Expression Profiling in Differentiating Human Adipocytes, DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25568.</p