101
|
Circulation Research
Thematic Synopsis. Circ Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1161/res.0b013e31826396e8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
102
|
Abstract
The ongoing revolution in molecular genetics has led many to speculate that one day we will be able to change the expression or phenotype of numerous complex traits to improve ourselves in many different ways. The prospect of genetic enhancements has generated heated controversy, with proponents advocating research and implementation, with caution advised for concerns about justice, and critics tending to see the prospect of genetic enhancements as an assault on human freedom and human nature. Both camps base their arguments on the unquestioned assumption that the science will realize either their dreams or nightmares. In this paper, I show that their beliefs are based upon two fundamental mistakes. First, they are based upon an unwarranted reliance in a genetic determinism that takes for granted that the traits that we might most want to enhance, like intelligence, aggression, shyness, and even athletic ability, can be causally directed by specific genes. In so doing, character descriptions are reified to be concrete and discrete entities, in this case, genes. Second, they have accepted on faith that there is, or will be, a science to translate their hopes or worries into reality when, in fact, that is unlikely to occur because of the irreducible complexity of phenotypic expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip M Rosoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, 108 Seeley G. Mudd Building, Box 3040, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Naidoo N, Pawitan Y, Soong R, Cooper DN, Ku CS. Human genetics and genomics a decade after the release of the draft sequence of the human genome. Hum Genomics 2012; 5:577-622. [PMID: 22155605 PMCID: PMC3525251 DOI: 10.1186/1479-7364-5-6-577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial progress has been made in human genetics and genomics research over the past ten years since the publication of the draft sequence of the human genome in 2001. Findings emanating directly from the Human Genome Project, together with those from follow-on studies, have had an enormous impact on our understanding of the architecture and function of the human genome. Major developments have been made in cataloguing genetic variation, the International HapMap Project, and with respect to advances in genotyping technologies. These developments are vital for the emergence of genome-wide association studies in the investigation of complex diseases and traits. In parallel, the advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies has ushered in the 'personal genome sequencing' era for both normal and cancer genomes, and made possible large-scale genome sequencing studies such as the 1000 Genomes Project and the International Cancer Genome Consortium. The high-throughput sequencing and sequence-capture technologies are also providing new opportunities to study Mendelian disorders through exome sequencing and whole-genome sequencing. This paper reviews these major developments in human genetics and genomics over the past decade.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nasheen Naidoo
- Centre for Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
104
|
Temiz NA, Donohue DE, Bacolla A, Luke BT, Collins JR. The role of methylation in the intrinsic dynamics of B- and Z-DNA. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35558. [PMID: 22530050 PMCID: PMC3328458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylation of cytosine at the 5-carbon position (5 mC) is observed in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In humans, DNA methylation at CpG sites plays an important role in gene regulation and has been implicated in development, gene silencing, and cancer. In addition, the CpG dinucleotide is a known hot spot for pathologic mutations genome-wide. CpG tracts may adopt left-handed Z-DNA conformations, which have also been implicated in gene regulation and genomic instability. Methylation facilitates this B-Z transition but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Herein, four structural models of the dinucleotide d(GC)(5) repeat sequence in B-, methylated B-, Z-, and methylated Z-DNA forms were constructed and an aggregate 100 nanoseconds of molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent under physiological conditions was performed for each model. Both unmethylated and methylated B-DNA were found to be more flexible than Z-DNA. However, methylation significantly destabilized the BII, relative to the BI, state through the Gp5mC steps. In addition, methylation decreased the free energy difference between B- and Z-DNA. Comparisons of α/γ backbone torsional angles showed that torsional states changed marginally upon methylation for B-DNA, and Z-DNA. Methylation-induced conformational changes and lower energy differences may contribute to the transition to Z-DNA by methylated, over unmethylated, B-DNA and may be a contributing factor to biological function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuri A Temiz
- In Silico Research Centers of Excellence, Advanced Biomedical Computing Center, Information Systems Program, SAIC-Frederick Inc, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
105
|
Boyd ME, Heimer BW, Sikes HD. Functional heterologous expression and purification of a mammalian methyl-CpG binding domain in suitable yield for DNA methylation profiling assays. Protein Expr Purif 2012; 82:332-8. [PMID: 22326799 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2012.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2011] [Revised: 01/21/2012] [Accepted: 01/24/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification in mammalian cells, and patterns involving methylation of cytosine bases, known as CpG methylation, have been implicated in the development of many types of cancer. Methyl binding domains (MBDs) excised from larger mammalian methyl-CpG-binding proteins specifically recognize methyl-cytosine bases of CpG dinucleotides in duplex DNA. Previous molecular diagnostic studies involving MBDs have employed Escherichia coli for protein expression with either low soluble yields or the use of time-consuming denaturation-renaturation purification procedures to improve yields. Efficient MBD-based diagnostics require expression and purification methods that maximize protein yield and minimize time and resource expenditure. This study is a systematic optimization analysis of MBD expression using both SDS-PAGE and microscopy and it provides a comparison of protein yield from published procedures to that from the conditions found to be optimal in these experiments. Protein binding activity and specificity were verified using a DNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and final protein yield was improved from the starting conditions by a factor of 65 with a simple, single-step purification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Boyd
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
106
|
Olsen AS, Sarras MP, Leontovich A, Intine RV. Heritable transmission of diabetic metabolic memory in zebrafish correlates with DNA hypomethylation and aberrant gene expression. Diabetes 2012; 61:485-91. [PMID: 22228713 PMCID: PMC3266410 DOI: 10.2337/db11-0588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic memory (MM) is the phenomenon whereby diabetes complications persist and progress after glycemic recovery is achieved. Here, we present data showing that MM is heritable and that the transmission correlates with hyperglycemia-induced DNA hypomethylation and aberrant gene expression. Streptozocin was used to induce hyperglycemia in adult zebrafish, and then, following streptozocin withdrawal, a recovery phase was allowed to reestablish a euglycemic state. Blood glucose and serum insulin returned to physiological levels during the first 2 weeks of the recovery phase as a result of pancreatic β-cell regeneration. In contrast, caudal fin regeneration and skin wound healing remained impaired to the same extent as in diabetic fish, and this impairment was transmissible to daughter cell tissue. Daughter tissue that was never exposed to hyperglycemia, but was derived from tissue that was, did not accumulate AGEs or exhibit increased levels of oxidative stress. However, CpG island methylation and genome-wide microarray expression analyses revealed the persistence of hyperglycemia-induced global DNA hypomethylation that correlated with aberrant gene expression for a subset of loci in this daughter tissue. Collectively, the data presented here implicate the epigenetic mechanism of DNA methylation as a potential contributor to the MM phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ansgar S. Olsen
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
- Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
| | - Michael P. Sarras
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
| | - Alexey Leontovich
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Robert V. Intine
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
- Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
- Corresponding author: Robert V. Intine,
| |
Collapse
|
107
|
Matsuura K, Fujimoto K, Fu L, Shi YB. Liganded thyroid hormone receptor induces nucleosome removal and histone modifications to activate transcription during larval intestinal cell death and adult stem cell development. Endocrinology 2012; 153:961-72. [PMID: 22147009 PMCID: PMC3275393 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-1736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (T(3)) plays an important role in regulating multiple cellular and metabolic processes, including cell proliferation, cell death, and energy metabolism, in vertebrates. Dysregulation of T(3) signaling results in developmental abnormalities, metabolic defects, and even cancer. We used T(3)-dependent Xenopus metamorphosis as a model to study how T(3) regulates transcription during vertebrate development. T(3) exerts its metamorphic effects through T(3) receptors (TR). TR recruits, in a T(3)-dependent manner, cofactor complexes that can carry out chromatin remodeling/histone modifications. Whether and how histone modifications change upon gene regulation by TR during vertebrate development is largely unknown. Here we analyzed histone modifications at T(3) target genes during intestinal metamorphosis, a process that involves essentially total apoptotic degeneration of the simple larval epithelium and de novo development of the adult epithelial stem cells, followed by their proliferation and differentiation into the complex adult epithelium. We demonstrated for the first time in vivo during vertebrate development that TR induces the removal of core histones at the promoter region and the recruitment of RNA polymerase. Furthermore, a number of histone activation and repression marks have been defined based on correlations with mRNA levels in cell cultures. Most but not all correlate with gene expression induced by liganded TR during development, suggesting that tissue and developmental context influences the roles of histone modifications in gene regulation. Our findings provide important mechanistic insights on how chromatin remodeling affects developmental gene regulation in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Matsuura
- National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Development, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
108
|
Sánchez D, Lefebvre C, Rioux J, García LF, Barrera LF. Evaluation of Toll-like receptor and adaptor molecule polymorphisms for susceptibility to tuberculosis in a Colombian population. Int J Immunogenet 2012; 39:216-23. [PMID: 22221660 DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-313x.2011.01077.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Immunological studies have supported the idea that innate immunity is critical for the control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection in humans. Despite the overwhelming evidence showing the critical role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the in vitro recognition of Mtb, the in vivo significance of individual TLRs has been more difficult to demonstrate consistently. We were interested in examining the role of genes of TLRs and molecules involved in their signalling cascades, and a case-control study was designed to test the association of polymorphisms of these innate immune genes with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in a Colombian population. In this study, we did not find an association with TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, MyD88 or MAL/TIRAP polymorphic variants. These findings suggest that those genes are not involved as risk factors for pulmonary TB in our population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Sánchez
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
109
|
Conley YP, Alexander S. Genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic approaches to recovery after acquired brain injury. PM R 2011; 3:S52-8. [PMID: 21703581 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2010] [Accepted: 04/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genomics and its related fields have expanded rapidly, primarily because of the potential utility for clinical decision making and improving our understanding of the pathophysiology of complex conditions. The state of the science and technology associated with this field is such that current and future health care providers, when consulting with new patients about their acquired brain injury and options for rehabilitation, will use genetic information as a routine part of the process, which may include information received from a laboratory report that uses transcriptomic data, informs regarding patient prognosis, and makes recommendations for individualized therapeutic approaches to optimize recovery. This may sound like science fiction, but, in the field of oncology, it is the norm for breast cancer and, more recently, for colon cancer, with expansion to other types of cancer on the horizon as research data continue to contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions. Something similar for rehabilitation after acquired brain injury is much further off on the horizon. However, it is a possibility that will never be realized if the community of scientists and health care providers who work with these patients do not have the knowledge or expertise to embrace genomics and related approaches. This article discusses these approaches, some practical considerations for using such approaches, and what is currently published in this area with regard to brain injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yvette P Conley
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
110
|
Napoli C, Infante T, Casamassimi A. Maternal-foetal epigenetic interactions in the beginning of cardiovascular damage. Cardiovasc Res 2011; 92:367-74. [PMID: 21764886 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvr201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies indicate that impaired foetal growth, and in utero exposure to risk factors, especially maternal hypercholesterolaemia, may be relevant for the early onset of cardiovascular damage. The exact molecular mechanisms of such foetal programming are still unclear. Epigenetics may represent one of the possible scientific explanations of the impact of such intrauterine risk factors for the subsequent development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) during adulthood. Translational studies support this hypothesis; however, a direct causality in humans has not been ascertained. This hypothesis could be investigated in primates and in human post-mortem foetal arteries. Importantly, some studies also suggest the transgenerational transmission of epigenetic risk. The recently launched International Human Epigenome Consortium and the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium will provide the rationale for a useful clinical scenario for primary prevention and therapy of CVD. Despite the heritable nature of epigenetic modification, the clinically relevant information shows that it could be reversible through therapeutic approaches, including histone deacetylase inhibitors, histone acetyltransferase inhibitors, and commonly used drugs such as statins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Napoli
- Department of General Pathology, Division of Clinical Pathology and Excellence Research Centre on Cardiovascular Disease, U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology and Transplantation-CRT, 1st School of Medicine, Complesso S. Andrea delle Dame, Second University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
111
|
Abstract
The beginning of this century was not only marked by the publication of the first draft of the human genome but also set off a decade of intense research on epigenetic phenomena. Apart from DNA methylation, it became clear that many other factors including a wide range of histone modifications, different shades of chromatin accessibility, and a vast suite of noncoding RNAs comprise the epigenome. With the recent advances in sequencing technologies, it has now become possible to analyze many of these features in depth, allowing for the first time the establishment of complete epigenomic profiles for basically every cell type of interest. Here, we will discuss the recent advances that allow comprehensive epigenetic mapping, highlight several projects that set out to better understand the epigenome, and discuss the impact that epigenomic mapping can have on our understanding of both healthy and diseased cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joost H A Martens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
112
|
Movassagh M, Choy MK, Knowles DA, Cordeddu L, Haider S, Down T, Siggens L, Vujic A, Simeoni I, Penkett C, Goddard M, Lio P, Bennett MR, Foo RSY. Distinct epigenomic features in end-stage failing human hearts. Circulation 2011; 124:2411-22. [PMID: 22025602 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.111.040071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epigenome refers to marks on the genome, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, that regulate the expression of underlying genes. A consistent profile of gene expression changes in end-stage cardiomyopathy led us to hypothesize that distinct global patterns of the epigenome may also exist. METHODS AND RESULTS We constructed genome-wide maps of DNA methylation and histone-3 lysine-36 trimethylation (H3K36me3) enrichment for cardiomyopathic and normal human hearts. More than 506 Mb sequences per library were generated by high-throughput sequencing, allowing us to assign methylation scores to ≈28 million CG dinucleotides in the human genome. DNA methylation was significantly different in promoter CpG islands, intragenic CpG islands, gene bodies, and H3K36me3-enriched regions of the genome. DNA methylation differences were present in promoters of upregulated genes but not downregulated genes. H3K36me3 enrichment itself was also significantly different in coding regions of the genome. Specifically, abundance of RNA transcripts encoded by the DUX4 locus correlated to differential DNA methylation and H3K36me3 enrichment. In vitro, Dux gene expression was responsive to a specific inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase, and Dux siRNA knockdown led to reduced cell viability. CONCLUSIONS Distinct epigenomic patterns exist in important DNA elements of the cardiac genome in human end-stage cardiomyopathy. The epigenome may control the expression of local or distal genes with critical functions in myocardial stress response. If epigenomic patterns track with disease progression, assays for the epigenome may be useful for assessing prognosis in heart failure. Further studies are needed to determine whether and how the epigenome contributes to the development of cardiomyopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehregan Movassagh
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Centre for Clinical Investigation, Level 6, Hills Rd, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
113
|
Kirectepe AK, Kasapcopur O, Arisoy N, Celikyapi Erdem G, Hatemi G, Ozdogan H, Tahir Turanli E. Analysis of MEFV exon methylation and expression patterns in familial Mediterranean fever. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2011; 12:105. [PMID: 21819621 PMCID: PMC3175150 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2350-12-105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2010] [Accepted: 08/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MEFV mutations and decreased expression level of the gene are related to FMF pathology. DNA methylation at CpG islands is a well-known mechanism for transcriptional silencing. MEFV has a CpG island, spanning a part of the first intron and the whole of the second exon of the gene covering 998 bp region. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the MEFV transcript level in FMF patients correlates with its methylation level, and methylation, by allowing transcription silencing, has a role in FMF ethiopathogenesis. METHODS The study group was composed of pediatric FMF patients (N = 51) and age-gender matched healthy controls (N = 21). The relative expression level of MEFV was assessed via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and bisulfite sequencing (BS) was performed to analyse the methylation level quantitatively. RESULTS MEFV expression in FMF patients were decreased compared to healthy controls (P = 0.031). Methylation level of exon 2 of MEFV was found to be slightly higher in FMF patients compared to healthy controls (76% versus 74%) (P = 0.049). The expression level of the MEFV was negatively correlated with the methylation level of the CpG island in both FMF and healthy controls groups (cor = -0.29, P = 0.041) but more so in the FMF only group (cor = -0.36, P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS In this study, the relation between reduced MEFV expression level and FMF was confirmed. Observed slight increase in methylation in FMF patients, and correlation of methylation with expression might be indicative of its role in FMF, however a larger dataset is needed to confirm our preliminary findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asli K Kirectepe
- Institute of Science and Technology, Molecular Biology Genetics and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ozgur Kasapcopur
- Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nil Arisoy
- Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gokce Celikyapi Erdem
- Institute of Science and Technology, Molecular Biology Genetics and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gulen Hatemi
- Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Rheumatology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Huri Ozdogan
- Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Rheumatology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Eda Tahir Turanli
- Institute of Science and Technology, Molecular Biology Genetics and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
114
|
Zeisberg M. ANCA vasculitis meets epigenetics--closing in on the molecular roots of disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2011; 26:1146-8. [DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfq834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
|
115
|
Abstract
There has been a rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes as well the associated vascular complications. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in these pathologies. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic factors play a key role in the complex interplay between genes and the environment. Actions of major pathological mediators of diabetes and its complications such as hyperglycaemia, oxidant stress, and inflammatory factors can lead to dysregulated epigenetic mechanisms that affect chromatin structure and gene expression. Furthermore, persistence of this altered state of the epigenome may be the underlying mechanism contributing to a 'metabolic memory' that results in chronic inflammation and vascular dysfunction in diabetes even after achieving glycaemic control. Further examination of epigenetic mechanisms by also taking advantage of recently developed next-generation sequencing technologies can provide novel insights into the pathology of diabetes and its complications and lead to the discovery of much needed new drug targets for these diseases. In this review, we highlight the role of epigenetics in diabetes and its vascular complications, and recent technological advances that have significantly accelerated the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marpadga A Reddy
- Department of Diabetes, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
116
|
Napoli C. Developmental Mechanisms Involved in the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2011; 13:170-5. [DOI: 10.1007/s11883-010-0156-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
117
|
Newbury DF, Monaco AP. Genetic advances in the study of speech and language disorders. Neuron 2010; 68:309-20. [PMID: 20955937 PMCID: PMC2977079 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Developmental speech and language disorders cover a wide range of childhood conditions with overlapping but heterogeneous phenotypes and underlying etiologies. This characteristic heterogeneity hinders accurate diagnosis, can complicate treatment strategies, and causes difficulties in the identification of causal factors. Nonetheless, over the last decade, genetic variants have been identified that may predispose certain individuals to different aspects of speech and language difficulties. In this review, we summarize advances in the genetic investigation of stuttering, speech-sound disorder (SSD), specific language impairment (SLI), and developmental verbal dyspraxia (DVD). We discuss how the identification and study of specific genes and pathways, including FOXP2, CNTNAP2, ATP2C2, CMIP, and lysosomal enzymes, may advance our understanding of the etiology of speech and language disorders and enable us to better understand the relationships between the different forms of impairment across the spectrum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D F Newbury
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Headington, Oxford, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|