It is becoming increasingly apparent that certain phenotypes are inherited across generations independent of the information contained in the DNA sequence, by factors in germ cells that remain largely uncharacterized. As evidence for germline non-genetic inheritance of phenotypes and diseases continues to grow in model organisms, there are fewer reports of this phenomenon in humans, due to a variety of complications in evaluating this mechanism of inheritance in humans. This review summarizes the evidence for germline-based non-genetic inheritance in humans, as well as the significant challenges and important caveats that must be considered when evaluating this process in human populations. Most reports of this process evaluate the association of a lifetime exposure in ancestors with changes in DNA methylation or small RNA expression in germ cells, as well as the association between ancestral experiences and the inheritance of a phenotype in descendants, down to great-grandchildren in some cases. Collectively, these studies provide evidence that phenotypes can be inherited in a DNA-independent manner; the extent to which this process contributes to disease development, as well as the cellular and molecular regulation of this process, remain largely undefined.

中文翻译：

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人类表型和疾病的种系非遗传遗传的证据。

越来越明显的是，某些表型是跨代遗传的，与 DNA 序列中包含的信息无关，通过生殖细胞中的因子在很大程度上仍未表征。随着表型和疾病的种系非遗传遗传的证据在模式生物中继续增长，由于在评估人类的这种遗传机制时存在各种并发症，关于人类这种现象的报道越来越少。本综述总结了人类基于种系的非遗传遗传的证据，以及在人群中评估这一过程时必须考虑的重大挑战和重要警告。大多数关于这一过程的报告都评估了祖先终生暴露与 DNA 甲基化或生殖细胞中小 RNA 表达变化之间的关系，以及祖先经历与后代表型遗传之间的关联，在某些情况下甚至是曾孙。总的来说，这些研究提供了表型可以以不依赖 DNA 的方式遗传的证据。这一过程对疾病发展的贡献程度，以及这一过程的细胞和分子调控，在很大程度上仍未确定。