Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39843630›Full record

ReviewEMBO molecular medicine2025

Improving the odds of survival: transgenerational effects of infections.

Victoria M Spanou, Theano P Andriopoulou, Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Mihai G Netea

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in EMBO molecular medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Stability of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease and parturition abnormalities.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Victoria M Spanou4th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece. vimaspanou@med.uoa.gr.ORCID 0000-0001-8533-7160
Theano P Andriopoulou4th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis4th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-4713-3911
Mihai G NeteaDepartment of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Funding

EC | European Research Council (ERC) #833247Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO) Spinoza Grant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent studies argue for a novel concept of the role of chromatin as a carrier of epigenetic memory through cellular and organismal generations, defining and coordinating gene activity states and physiological functions. Environmental insults, such as exposures to unhealthy diets, smoking, toxic compounds, and infections, can epigenetically reprogram germ-line cells and influence offspring phenotypes. This review focuses on intergenerational and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in different plants, animal species and humans, presenting the up-to-date evidence and arguments for such effects in light of Darwinian and Lamarckian evolutionary theories. An overview of the epigenetic changes induced by infection or other immune challenges is presented, and how these changes, known as epimutations, contribute to shaping offspring phenotypes. The mechanisms that mediate the transmission of epigenetic alterations via the germline are also discussed. Understanding the relationship between environmental fluctuations, epigenetic changes, resistance, and susceptibility to diseases is critical for unraveling disease etiology and adaptive evolution.

Indexed as

Epigenesis, GeneticInfectionsAnimalsHumansEpigenetic MemoryEpigeneticsEvolutionInfectionsTransgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance

Identifiers

PMID39843630
PMCPMC11982362

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.