AbstractPrenatal exposure to the highly toxic and common pollutant cadmiumhas been associatedwith adverse effects on child health and development. However, the underlying bio-logical mechanisms of cadmium toxicity remain partially un-solved. Epigenetic disruption due to early cadmium exposure has gained attention as a plausible mode of action, since epi-genetic signatures respond to environmental stimuli and the fetus undergoes drastic epigenomic rearrangements during embryogenesis. In the current review, we provide a critical examination of the literature addressing prenatal cadmium ex-posure and epigenetic effects in human, animal, and in vitro studies. We conducted a PubMed search and obtained eight
recent studies addressing this topic, focusing almost exclu-sively on DNA methylation. These studies provide evidence that cadmium alters epigenetic signatures in the DNA of the placenta and of the newborns, and some studies indicated marked sexual differences for cadmium-related DNA methyl-ation changes. Associations between early cadmium exposure and DNA methylation might reflect interference with de novo DNA methyltransferases. More studies, especially those in cluding environmentally relevant doses, are needed to confirm the toxicoepigenomic effects of prenatal cadmium exposure and how that relates to the observed health effects of cadmium in childhood and later life. KeywordsCadmium.DNA methylation.DNA methyltransferase.Early life. Metal.Placenta. Prenatal