Many histone genes related to epigenetic regulation of transcription were affected by ethanol (Table 4). The reduction of many histone variants would alter chromatin organization, affecting transcription at a global level [58,59]; this may be an important effect of the alcohol that leads to the reduction of total RNA and induced growth retardation. Modification of epigenetic processes is a potential mechanism by which alcohol may alter gene expression during development, and may be an important candidate mechanism for the pathophysiology of fetal alcohol syndrome.
