A mother’s exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may lead to lasting epigenetic changes that worsen asthma severity in her adult offspring, according to a mouse study presented at the ATS 2025 International Conference.
The research reveals how prenatal pollution exposure alters gene regulation in ways that persist into adulthood, even at air quality levels deemed “safe” by current guidelines.
Led by Dr. Razia Zakarya of the University of Technology Sydney, the study exposed pregnant mice to pollution particulates or saline. Adult offspring of exposed mothers exhibited heightened airway constriction during allergen challenges and thousands of differentially expressed lung genes.
DNA methylation—a key epigenetic mechanism—was also disrupted, suggesting a “molecular memory” of prenatal pollution exposure.
“This epigenetic memory effect influences genes tied to lung function and immune response, worsening asthma symptoms in adulthood,” said Dr. Zakarya.
Notably, the pollution levels tested align with World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards, raising questions about whether these guidelines adequately protect fetal health.
While prior studies linked maternal pollution exposure to childhood asthma, this is among the first to demonstrate intergenerational effects via epigenetic pathways. The team plans to validate findings in human populations and explore interventions to mitigate these risks.
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