Environmental exposures and intergenerational cardiovascular risk: epigenetic reprogramming via parental exercise

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a predominant cause of global mortality. The spectrum of traditional risk factors is rapidly expanding, largely driven by the modern cardiovascular exposome. This comprehensive exposome encompasses environmental hazards, sedentary lifestyles, and severe psychosocial stress. Clinical management has evolved toward an integrated system to counteract these threats, yet traditional strategies primarily target the middle and late stages of pathogenesis. Addressing this limitation, modern research has shifted its focus to intergenerational effects. At the molecular level, epigenetic regulation may constitute a key mechanistic link between parental environmental exposures and cardiovascular susceptibility in offspring. Harmful parental exposures can reshape epigenetic regulation within germ cells placental tissues and the developing fetus. By contrast regular physical activity prior to or during pregnancy may exert favorable effects on these biological processes as well as the intrauterine environment conferring potential protective benefits to offspring cardiovascular health. Consequently, future strategies for CVD prevention and control must adopt a life-course perspective. The proactive optimization of the epigenetic environment during early life holds the potential to reduce the burden of CVD at its source.