Defining the Scope of Exposome Studies and Research Needs from a Multidisciplinary Perspective.

Pei Zhang,Stephen M Rappaport,Mengna Huang,Douglas I Walker,Romanas Chaleckis,Kalliroi Sdougkou,Stefano Papazian,Craig E Wheelock,Tomohiko Isobe,Robert O Wright,Jonathan W Martin,Ville M Koistinen,Christopher Carlsten,Hongyu Xie,Kati Hanhineva,Hiroshi Tsugawa,Isabel Meister,Tracey J Woodruff

doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00648

Abstract

The concept of the exposome was introduced over 15 years ago to reflect the important role that the environment exerts on health and disease. While originally viewed as a call-to-arms to develop more comprehensive exposure assessment methods applicable at the individual level and throughout the life course, the scope of the exposome has now expanded to include the associated biological response. In order to explore these concepts, a workshop was hosted by the Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR, Japan) to discuss the scope of exposomics from an international and multidisciplinary perspective. This Global Perspective is a summary of the discussions with emphasis on (1) top-down, bottom-up, and functional approaches to exposomics, (2) the need for integration and standardization of LC- and GC-based high-resolution mass spectrometry methods for untargeted exposome analyses, (3) the design of an exposomics study, (4) the requirement for open science workflows including mass spectral libraries and public databases, (5) the necessity for large investments in mass spectrometry infrastructure in order to sequence the exposome, and (6) the role of the exposome in precision medicine and nutrition to create personalized environmental exposure profiles. Recommendations are made on key issues to encourage continued advancement and cooperation in exposomics.

Highlights

As early as the 18th century, it was demonstrated that environmental exposures increase risks of chronic human disease.[1]
There has been a shift from occupational studies of workplace exposures to populationbased environmental studies to research on multiple factors and low dose effects
Given our increasing understanding of the causal role that environmental exposures exert in disease etiology, precision exposomics will become an important component of precision medicine approaches to personalized healthcare as well as public health initiatives

Summary

■ INTRODUCTION

As early as the 18th century, it was demonstrated that environmental exposures increase risks of chronic human disease.[1]. Given our increasing understanding of the causal role that environmental exposures exert in disease etiology, precision exposomics will become an important component of precision medicine approaches to personalized healthcare as well as public health initiatives

■ CONCLUSION

■ REFERENCES