Figure 4. One example of how air pollution can trigger coordinated epigenetic and epitranscriptomic responses that impact human health.
Exposure to particulate matter air pollution can trigger alterations in epitranscriptomic machinery and multiple other regulatory mechanisms that interact to generate a systemic response. In this example, air pollution exposure triggers changes in DNA methylation, small non-coding RNA, and epitranscriptomic machinery that may influence risk of pulmonary fibrosis.