Gene-Environment Interactions

Understanding the play between heredity and environment, and relating it to disease causation, is the task of ecogenetics. Gene-Environment Interactions: Fundamentals of Ecogenetics presents the first comprehensive survey of this discipline, reflecting its relationship with toxicology, epidemiology, pharmacology, public health, and other medical and biological fields. Divided into four sections, the text elucidates key basic and advanced topics: * Section 1 covers fundamentals, including the history of the discipline, a discussion of the molecular laboratory tools currently available to assess genotypes, using such measurements in molecular epidemiology studies, and the statistical issues involved in their analysis. * Section 2 focuses on a number of key genetic polymorphisms relevant for ecogenetics, including enzymes of phase I and phase II metabolism, enzymes involved in DNA repair, as well as receptors and ion channels. This highlights characteristics of selected, widely studied genotypic/phenotypic differences, and allows discussion of how given genetic variations can influence responses to exogenous chemicals. * Section 3 examines gene-environment interactions through a disease-based approach, addressing how genetic polymorphisms can influence susceptibility to various diseases. Chapters cover important disease conditions such as various types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, and obesity. * The final section discusses the ethical, legal, and social issues that arise when investigating and evaluating genetic polymorphisms in human populations, as well as the impact of ecogenetics on risk assessment, regulatory policies, and medicine and public health. Packed with clear examples illustrating concepts, as well as numerous tables and figures, Gene-Environment Interactions: Fundamentals of Ecogenetics is a unique resource for a wide range of physicians, students, and other specialists.

Understanding the play between heredity and environment, andrelating it to disease causation, is the task of ecogenetics.Gene-Environment Interactions: Fundamentals of Ecogenetics presentsthe first comprehensive survey of this discipline, reflecting itsrelationship with toxicology, epidemiology, pharmacology, publichealth, and other medical and biological fields.Divided into four sections, the text elucidates key basic andadvanced topics:* Section 1 covers fundamentals, including the history of thediscipline, a discussion of the molecular laboratory toolscurrently available to assess genotypes, using such measurements inmolecular epidemiology studies, and the statistical issues involvedin their analysis.* Section 2 focuses on a number of key genetic polymorphismsrelevant for ecogenetics, including enzymes of phase I and phase IImetabolism, enzymes involved in DNA repair, as well as receptorsand ion channels. This highlights characteristics of selectedwidely studied genotypic/phenotypic differences, and allowsdiscussion of how given genetic variations can influence responsesto exogenous chemicals.* Section 3 examines gene-environment interactions through adisease-based approach, addressing how genetic polymorphisms caninfluence susceptibility to various diseases. Chapters coverimportant disease conditions such as various types of cancerneurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, chronicpulmonary diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, andobesity.* The final section discusses the ethical, legal, and social issuesthat arise when investigating and evaluating genetic polymorphismsin human populations, as well as the impact of ecogenetics on riskassessment, regulatory policies, and medicine and publichealth.Packed with clear examples illustrating concepts, as well asnumerous tables and figures, Gene-Environment Interactions:Fundamentals of Ecogenetics is a unique resource for a wide rangeof physicians, students, and other specialists.

Foreword.Acknowledgments.Contributors.PART I.Chapter 1. Introduction (Lucio G. Costa and David L. Eaton).Chapter 2. Ecogenetics: Historical Perspectives (Gilbert S.Omenn and Arno G. Motulsky).Chapter 3. Tools of Ecogenetics (Theo K. Bammler, Federico M.Farin, and Richard P. Beyer).Chapter 4. Epidemiologic Approaches (Harvey Checkoway, ParveenBhatti, and Anneclaire De Roos).Chapter 5. Statistical Issues in Ecogenetic Studies (StephanieA. Monks).PART II.Chapter 6. Overview of Section II (Lucio G. Costa and David L.Eaton).Chapter 7. Polymorphisms in Cytochrome P450 andFlavin-Containing Monooxygenase Genes (Catherine K.Yeung, Allan E.Rettie, and Kenneth E. Thummel)Chapter 8. Polymorphisms in Xenobiotic Conjugation (Helen E.Smith, David L. Eaton, and Theo K. Bammler).Chapter 9. Paraoxonase, Butyrylcholinesterase, and EpoxideHydrolase (Lucio G. Costa, Toby B. Cole, Gary K. Geiss, and ClementE. Furlong).Chapter 10. DNA Repair Enzymes (Jon P. Anderson and Lawrence A.Loeb).Chapter 11. Receptors and Ion Channels (Lucio G. Costa).PART III.Chapter 12. Overview of Section III (Lucio G. Costa and David L.Eaton).Chapter 13. Lung Cancer (Valle Nazar-Stewart).Chapter 14. Gastrointestinal Cancers (Thomas L.Vaughan).Chapter 15. Neurodegenerative Diseases (Samir N. Kelada, HarveyCheckoway, and Lucio G. Costa).Chapter 16. Cardiovascular Disease (Melissa A.Austin and StephenM. Schwartz).Chapter 17. Type 2 Diabetes (Karen L. Edwards).Chapter 18. Infectious Disease Ecogenetics (David R.Sherman).Chapter 19. Genetic Variation, Diet, and Disease Susceptibility(Johanna W. Lampe and John D. Potter).Chapter 20. Genetic Determinants of Addiction to AlcoholTobacco, and Drugs of Abuse (Andrew J. Saxon).PART IV.Chapter 21. Overview of Section IV (Lucio G. Costa and David L.Eaton).Chapter 22. Ethical Issues in Ecogenetics (Kelly Fryer-EdwardsLindsay A. Hampson, Christopher R. Carlsten, and Wylie Burke).Chapter 23. Social and Psychological Aspects of Ecogenetics(Deborah Bowen, Shirley Beresford, and Brenda Diergaarde).Chapter 24. Legal Issues (Kate Battuello and AnnaMastroianni).Chapter 25. Risk Assessment and the Impact of Ecogenetics(Elaine M. Faustman and Gilbert S. Omenn).Bibliography.Index.