Epigenetics and Metabolism in Health and Disease

Epigenetic regulation of TGF-β pathway and its role in radiation response

PURPOSE

Transforming growth factor (TGF-β) plays a dual role in tumor progression as well as a pivotal role in radiation response. TGF-β-related epigenetic regulations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications (including methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination), chromatin remodeling and non-coding RNA regulation, have been found to affect the occurrence and development of tumors as well as their radiation response in multiple dimensions. Due to the significance of radiotherapy in tumor treatment and the essential roles of TGF-β signaling in radiation response, it is important to better understand the role of epigenetic regulation mechanisms mediated by TGF-β signaling pathways in radiation-induced targeted and non-targeted effects.

CONCLUSIONS

By revealing the epigenetic mechanism related to TGF-β-mediated radiation response, summarizing the existing relevant adjuvant strategies for radiotherapy based on TGF-β signaling, and discovering potential therapeutic targets, we hope to provide a new perspective for improving clinical treatment.

Effect of lead exposure on histone modifications: A review

Lead at any levels can result in detrimental health effects affecting various organ systems. These systematic manifestations under Pb exposure and the underlying probable pathophysiological mechanisms have not been elucidated completely. With advancements in molecular research under Pb exposure, epigenetics is one of the emerging field that has opened many possibilities for appreciating the role of Pb exposure in modulating gene expression profiles. In terms of epigenetic alterations reported in Pb toxicity, DNA methylation, and microRNA alterations are extensively explored in both experimental and epidemiological studies, however, the understanding of histone modifications under Pb exposure is still in its infant stage limited to experimental models. In this review, we aim to present a synoptic view of histone modifications explored in relation to Pb exposure attempting to bring out this potential lacunae in research. The scarcity of studies associating histone modifications with Pb toxicity, and the paucity of their validation in human cohort further emphasizes the strong research potential of this field. We summarize the review by presenting our hypotheses regarding the involvement of these histone modification in various diseases modalities associated with Pb toxicity.

Metabolic syndrome accelerates epigenetic ageing in older adults: Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. It has an estimated prevalence of 40 % among older adults. Epigenetic clocks, which measure biological age based on DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns, are a candidate biomarker for ageing. GrimAge is one such clock which is based on levels of DNAm at 100 Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) sites. This study hypothesised that those with MetS have 'accelerated ageing' (biological age greater than their chronological age) as indexed by GrimAge. This study examined MetS's association with GrimAge age acceleration (AA) using data from a subsample of 469 participants of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). MetS was defined by National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) and International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) criteria, operationalised using the conventional binary cut-off, and as a count variable ranging from 0 to 5, based on the presence of individual components. This study also explored inflammation (as measured by C reactive protein) and metabolic dysfunction (as measured by adiponectin) as possible mediating factors between MetS and GrimAge AA. We found that MetS as defined by IDF criteria was associated with GrimAge AA of 0.63 years. When MetS was treated as a count, each unit increase in MetS score was associated with over 0.3 years GrimAge AA for both ATP III and IDF criteria. Inflammation mediated approximately one third of the association between MetS and GrimAge AA, suggesting that chronic subclinical inflammation observed in MetS has a relationship with DNAm changes consistent with a faster pace of ageing. Metabolic dysfunction mediated the association between MetS and GrimAge AA to a lesser extent (16 %). These data suggest that chronic subclinical inflammation observed in MetS has a relationship with DNAm changes consistent with a greater pace of ageing.

Role of caveolin-1 in metabolic programming of fetal brain

Mice lacking caveolin-1 (Cav1), a key protein of plasma membrane, exhibit brain aging at an early adult stage. Here, integrative analyses of metabolomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and single-cell data were performed to test the hypothesis that metabolic deregulation of fetal brain due to the ablation of Cav1 is linked to brain aging in these mice. The results of this study show that lack of Cav1 caused deregulation in the lipid and amino acid metabolism in the fetal brain, and genes associated with these deregulated metabolites were significantly altered in the brain upon aging. Moreover, ablation of Cav1 deregulated several metabolic genes in specific cell types of the fetal brain and impacted DNA methylation of those genes in coordination with mouse epigenetic clock. The findings of this study suggest that the aging program of brain is confounded by metabolic abnormalities in the fetal stage due to the absence of Cav1.

Role of Epigenetics and Metabolomics in Predicting Endothelial Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a worldwide health problem and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in T2D patients, making the prevention of CVD onset a major priority. It is therefore crucial to optimize diagnosis and treatment to reduce this burden. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the most important prognostic factors for CVD progression, thus novel approaches to identify the early phase of endothelial dysfunction may lead to specific preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of CVD. Nowadays, multiomics approaches have provided unprecedented opportunities to stratify T2D patients into endotypes, improve therapeutic treatment and outcome and amend the survival prediction. Among omics strategies, epigenetics and metabolomics are gaining increasing interest. Recently, a dynamic correlation between metabolic pathways and gene expression through chromatin remodeling, such as DNA methylation, has emerged, indicating new perspectives on the regulatory networks impacting cellular processes. Thus, a better understanding of epigenetic-metabolite relationships can provide insight into the physiological processes altered early in the endothelium that ultimately head to disease development. Here, recent studies on epigenetics and metabolomics related to CVD prevention potentially useful to identify disease biomarkers, as well as new therapies hopefully targeting the early phase of endothelial dysfunction are highlighted.

Histone H3 and H4 Modifications Point to Transcriptional Suppression as a Component of Winter Freeze Tolerance in the Gall Fly Eurosta solidaginis

The goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) is a well-studied model of insect freeze tolerance. In situations of prolonged winter subzero temperatures, larvae of E. solidaginis accept ice penetration throughout extracellular spaces while protecting the intracellular environment by producing extreme amounts of glycerol and sorbitol as cryoprotectants. Hypometabolism (diapause) is implemented, and energy use is reprioritized to essential pathways. Gene transcription is one energy-expensive process likely suppressed over the winter, in part, due to epigenetic controls. The present study profiled the prevalence of 24 histone H3/H4 modifications of E. solidaginis larvae after 3-week acclimations to decreasing environmental temperatures (5 °C, -5 °C and -15 °C). Using immunoblotting, the data show freeze-mediated reductions (p < 0.05) in seven permissive histone modifications (H3K27me1, H4K20me1, H3K9ac, H3K14ac, H3K27ac, H4K8ac, H3R26me2a). Along with the maintenance of various repressive marks, the data are indicative of a suppressed transcriptional state at subzero temperatures. Elevated nuclear levels of histone H4, but not histone H3, were also observed in response to both cold and freeze acclimation. Together, the present study provides evidence for epigenetic-mediated transcriptional suppression in support of the winter diapause state and freeze tolerance of E. solidaginis.

The impact of metabolism on the adaptation of organisms to environmental change

Since Jacob and Monod's discovery of the lac operon ∼1960, the explanations offered for most metabolic adaptations have been genetic. The focus has been on the adaptive changes in gene expression that occur, which are often referred to as "metabolic reprogramming." The contributions metabolism makes to adaptation have been largely ignored. Here we point out that metabolic adaptations, including the associated changes in gene expression, are highly dependent on the metabolic state of an organism prior to the environmental change to which it is adapting, and on the plasticity of that state. In support of this hypothesis, we examine the paradigmatic example of a genetically driven adaptation, the adaptation of E. coli to growth on lactose, and the paradigmatic example of a metabolic driven adaptation, the Crabtree effect in yeast. Using a framework based on metabolic control analysis, we have reevaluated what is known about both adaptations, and conclude that knowledge of the metabolic properties of these organisms prior to environmental change is critical for understanding not only how they survive long enough to adapt, but also how the ensuing changes in gene expression occur, and their phenotypes post-adaptation. It would be useful if future explanations for metabolic adaptations acknowledged the contributions made to them by metabolism, and described the complex interplay between metabolic systems and genetic systems that make these adaptations possible.

Characterization of gut microbiota associated with metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes mellitus in Mexican pediatric subjects

BACKGROUND

Childhood obesity is a serious public health concern that confers a greater risk of developing important comorbidities such as MetS and T2DM. Recent studies evidence that gut microbiota may be a contributing factor; however, only few studies exist in school-age children. Understanding the potential role of gut microbiota in MetS and T2DM pathophysiology from early stages of life might contribute to innovative gut microbiome-based interventions that may improve public health. The main objective of the present study was to characterize and compare gut bacteria of T2DM and MetS children against control subjects and determine which microorganisms might be potentially related with cardiometabolic risk factors to propose gut microbial biomarkers that characterize these conditions for future development of pre-diagnostic tools.

RESULTS

Stool samples from 21 children with T2DM, 25 with MetS, and 20 controls (n = 66) were collected and processed to conduct 16S rDNA gene sequencing. α- and β-diversity were studied to detect microbial differences among studied groups. Spearman correlation was used to analyze possible associations between gut microbiota and cardiometabolic risk factors, and linear discriminant analyses (LDA) were conducted to determine potential gut bacterial biomarkers. T2DM and MetS showed significant changes in their gut microbiota at genus and family level. Read relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Oscillospora was significantly higher in MetS and an increasing trend of Prevotella and Dorea was observed from the control group towards T2DM. Positive correlations were found between Prevotella, Dorea, Faecalibacterium, and Lactobacillus with hypertension, abdominal obesity, high glucose levels, and high triglyceride levels. LDA demonstrated the relevance of studying least abundant microbial communities to find specific microbial communities that were characteristic of each studied health condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Gut microbiota was different at family and genus taxonomic levels among controls, MetS, and T2DM study groups within children from 7 to 17 years old, and some communities seemed to be correlated with relevant subjects' metadata. LDA helped to find potential microbial biomarkers, providing new insights regarding pediatric gut microbiota and its possible use in the future development of gut microbiome-based predictive algorithms.

Integration of nutrigenomics, melatonin, serotonin and inflammatory cytokines in the pathophysiology of pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus is an important public health problem and has been associated with the development of pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence. The interaction is related to hyperglycemia, and inflammatory and hormonal patterns, which favor functional alterations in different organs and systems. Several genes associated with human diseases have been identified and partially characterized. Most of these genes are known to cause monogenic diseases. However, about 3 % of diseases do not fit the monogenic theory due to the complex interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors, as in chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The nutritional, immunological, and hormonal patterns associated with changes in maternal metabolism may influence and contribute to greater susceptibility to urinary tract disorders. However, early systematic reviews have not yielded consistent findings for these associations. This literature review summarizes important new findings from integrating nutrigenomics, hormones, and cytokines in women with Gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence. Changes in maternal metabolism due to hyperglycemia can generate an inflammatory environment with increased inflammatory cytokines. This environment modulated by inflammation can alter tryptophan uptake through food and thus influence the production of serotonin and melatonin. As these hormones seem to have protective effects against smooth muscle dysfunction and to restore the impaired contractility of the detrusor muscle, it is assumed that these changes may favor the onset of urinary incontinence specific to pregnancy.

Chemical Biology Approaches to Identify and Profile Interactors of Chromatin Modifications

In eukaryotes, DNA is packaged with histone proteins in a complex known as chromatin. Both the DNA and histone components of chromatin can be chemically modified in a wide variety of ways, resulting in a complex landscape often referred to as the "epigenetic code". These modifications are recognized by effector proteins that remodel chromatin and modulate transcription, translation, and repair of the underlying DNA. In this Review, we examine the development of methods for characterizing proteins that interact with these histone and DNA modifications. "Mark first" approaches utilize chemical, peptide, nucleosome, or oligonucleotide probes to discover interactors of a specific modification. "Reader first" approaches employ arrays of peptides, nucleosomes, or oligonucleotides to profile the binding preferences of interactors. These complementary strategies have greatly enhanced our understanding of how chromatin modifications effect changes in genomic regulation, bringing us ever closer to deciphering this complex language.

An overview of vitamins as epidrugs for colorectal cancer prevention

Gene expression altering epigenomic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromosome remodeling is crucial to regulating many biological processes. Several lifestyle factors, such as diet and natural, bioactive food compounds, such as vitamins, modify epigenetic patterns. However, epigenetic dysregulation can increase the risk of many diseases, including cancer. Various studies have provided supporting and contrasting evidence on the relationship between vitamins and cancer risk. Though there is a gap in knowledge about whether dietary vitamins can induce epigenetic modifications in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC), the possibility of using them as epidrugs for CRC treatment is being explored. This is promising because such studies might be informative about the most effective way to use vitamins in combination with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and other approved therapies to prevent and treat CRC. This review summarizes the available epidemiological and observational studies involving dietary, circulating levels, and supplementation of vitamins and their relationship with CRC risk. Additionally, using available in vitro, in vivo, and human observational studies, the role of vitamins as potential epigenetic modifiers in CRC is discussed. This review is focused on the action of vitamins as modifiers of DNA methylation because aberrant DNA methylation, together with genetic alterations, can induce the initiation and progression of CRC. Although this review presents some studies with promising results, studies with better study designs are necessary. A thorough understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of vitamin-mediated epigenetic regulation of CRC genes can help identify effective therapeutic targets for CRC prevention and treatment.

On the road to resilience: Epigenetic effects of meditation

Many environmental and lifestyle related factors may influence the physiology of the brain and body by acting on fundamental molecular pathways, such as the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and the immune system. For example, stressful conditions created by adverse early-life events, unhealthy habits and low socio-economic status may favor the onset of diseases linked to neuroendocrine dysregulation, inflammation and neuroinflammation. Beside pharmacological treatments used in clinical settings, much attention has been given to complementary treatments such as mind-body techniques involving meditation that rely on the activation of inner resources to regain health. At the molecular level, the effects of both stress and meditation are elicited epigenetically through a set of mechanisms that regulate gene expression as well as the circulating neuroendocrine and immune effectors. Epigenetic mechanisms constantly reshape genome activities in response to external stimuli, representing a molecular interface between organism and environment. In the present work, we aimed to review the current knowledge on the correlation between epigenetics, gene expression, stress and its possible antidote, meditation. After introducing the relationship between brain, physiology, and epigenetics, we will proceed to describe three basic epigenetic mechanisms: chromatin covalent modifications, DNA methylation and non-coding RNAs. Subsequently, we will give an overview of the physiological and molecular aspects related to stress. Finally, we will address the epigenetic effects of meditation on gene expression. The results of the studies reported in this review demonstrate that mindful practices modulate the epigenetic landscape, leading to increased resilience. Therefore, these practices can be considered valuable tools that complement pharmacological treatments when coping with pathologies related to stress.

High-fat diet induced obesity alters Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a levels and global DNA methylation in mouse ovary and testis

Obesity impairs reproductive capacity, and the link between imprinting disorders and obesity has been discussed in many studies. Recent studies indicate that a high-fat diet may cause epigenetic changes in maternal and paternal genes, which may be transmitted to offspring and negatively affect their development. On this basis, our study aims to reveal the changes in DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase enzymes in the ovaries and testes of C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet and created a model of obesity, by comparing them with the control group. For this purpose, we demonstrated the presence and quantitative differences of DNA methyltransferase 1 and DNA methyltransferase 3a enzymes as well as global DNA methylation in ovaries and testis of C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet by using immunohistochemistry and western blot methods. We found that a high-fat diet induces the levels of Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a proteins (p < 0.05). We observed increased global DNA methylation in testes but, interestingly, decreased global DNA methylation in ovaries. We think that our outcomes have significant value to demonstrate the effects of obesity on ovarian follicle development and testicular spermatogenesis and may bring a new perspective to obesity-induced infertility treatments. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to document dynamic alteration of Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a as well as global DNA methylation patterns during follicle development in healthy mouse ovaries.

Aging: Epigenetic modifications

Aging is one of the most complex and irreversible health conditions characterized by continuous decline in physical/mental activities that eventually poses an increased risk of several diseases and ultimately death. These conditions cannot be ignored by anyone but there are evidences that suggest that exercise, healthy diet and good routines may delay the Aging process significantly. Several studies have demonstrated that Epigenetics plays a key role in Aging and Aging-associated diseases through methylation of DNA, histone modification and non-coding RNA (ncRNA). Comprehension and relevant alterations in these epigenetic modifications can lead to new therapeutic avenues of age-delaying contrivances. These processes affect gene transcription, DNA replication and DNA repair, comprehending epigenetics as a key factor in understanding Aging and developing new avenues for delaying Aging, clinical advancements in ameliorating aging-related diseases and rejuvenating health. In the present article, we have described and advocated the epigenetic role in Aging and associated diseases.

The landscape of CRISPR/Cas9 for inborn errors of metabolism

Since its discovery as a genome editing tool, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system has opened new horizons in the diagnosis, research, and treatment of genetic diseases. CRISPR/Cas9 can rewrite the genome at any region with outstanding precision to modify it and further instructions for gene expression. Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) are a group of more than 1500 diseases produced by mutations in genes encoding for proteins that participate in metabolic pathways. IEM involves small molecules, energetic deficits, or complex molecules diseases, which may be susceptible to be treated with this novel tool. In recent years, potential therapeutic approaches have been attempted, and new models have been developed using CRISPR/Cas9. In this review, we summarize the most relevant findings in the scientific literature about the implementation of CRISPR/Cas9 in IEM and discuss the future use of CRISPR/Cas9 to modify epigenetic markers, which seem to play a critical role in the context of IEM. The current delivery strategies of CRISPR/Cas9 are also discussed.

Nutrition, body composition and physical activity have differential impact on the determination of lipidemic blood profiles between young females with different blood cholesterol concentrations

INTRODUCTION

This cross-sectional study explored whether nutrition, body composition, and physical activity energy expenditure (PAΕΝ) have a differential impact on lipidemic blood profiles among young females with different blood cholesterol concentrations.

METHODS

One hundred thirty-five young female students (N = 135) were allocated into three groups according to their blood cholesterol concentrations (Chol): (A) Normal [NL; Chol: < 200 mg·dL^-1; n = 56 Age: 21.4 ± 2.6 yrs, Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.1 ± 2.0 kg·m^-2], (B) Borderline (BL; Chol: ≥200 mg·dL^-1 and <240 mg·dL^-1; n = 44 Age: 21.6 ± 2.5 yrs, BMI: 24.2 ± 3.1 kg·m^-2) and (C) High level (HL; Chol: ≥240 mg·dL^-1; n = 35 Age: 22.5 ± 2.4 yrs, BMI: 28.9 ± 2.1 kg·m^-2). Body composition [bioelectrical impedance analysis including lean body mass (LBM) and body fat mass], nutritional intake (recall questionnaire), daily physical activity energy expenditure through activity trackers and resting blood lipids concentrations were evaluated.

RESULTS

Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that in the NL group, lean mass, daily PAΕΝ and daily energy balance were the determinant parameters of blood lipidemic profiles (B: -0.815 to 0.700). In the BL group, nutrition, body composition and daily physical activity energy expenditure exhibited similar impacts (B: -0.440 to 0.478). In the HL group, nutritional intake and body fat mass determined blood lipidemic profile (B: -0.740 to 0.725).

CONCLUSION

Nutrition, body composition and daily PAΕΝ impact on blood lipids concentration is not universal among young females. In NL females, PAEN, energy expenditure and LBM are the strongest determinants of blood lipids, while in HL females, nutritional intake and body fat mass are. As PAΕΝ increases, the importance of nutrition and body fat decreases, and vice versa.

Murine blastocysts generated by in vitro fertilization show increased Warburg metabolism and altered lactate production

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has resulted in the birth of over 8 million children. Although most IVF-conceived children are healthy, several studies suggest an increased risk of altered growth rate, cardiovascular dysfunction, and glucose intolerance in this population compared to naturally conceived children. However, a clear understanding of how embryonic metabolism is affected by culture condition and how embryos reprogram their metabolism is unknown. Here, we studied oxidative stress and metabolic alteration in blastocysts conceived by natural mating or by IVF and cultured in physiologic (5%) or atmospheric (20%) oxygen. We found that IVF-generated blastocysts manifest increased reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage to DNA/lipid/proteins, and reduction in glutathione. Metabolic analysis revealed IVF-generated blastocysts display decreased mitochondria respiration and increased glycolytic activity suggestive of enhanced Warburg metabolism. These findings were corroborated by altered intracellular and extracellular pH and increased intracellular lactate levels in IVF-generated embryos. Comprehensive proteomic analysis and targeted immunofluorescence showed reduction of lactate dehydrogenase-B and monocarboxylate transporter 1, enzymes involved in lactate metabolism. Importantly, these enzymes remained downregulated in the tissues of adult IVF-conceived mice, suggesting that metabolic alterations in IVF-generated embryos may result in alteration in lactate metabolism. These findings suggest that alterations in lactate metabolism are a likely mechanism involved in genomic reprogramming and could be involved in the developmental origin of health and disease.

The Evolution of Ketosis: Potential Impact on Clinical Conditions

Ketone bodies are small compounds derived from fatty acids that behave as an alternative mitochondrial energy source when insulin levels are low, such as during fasting or strenuous exercise. In addition to the metabolic function of ketone bodies, they also have several signaling functions separate from energy production. In this perspective, we review the main current data referring to ketone bodies in correlation with nutrition and metabolic pathways as well as to the signaling functions and the potential impact on clinical conditions. Data were selected following eligibility criteria accordingly to the reviewed topic. We used a set of electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences (WOS), Cochrane Library) for a systematic search until July 2022 using MeSH keywords/terms (i.e., ketone bodies, BHB, acetoacetate, inflammation, antioxidant, etc.). The literature data reported in this review need confirmation with consistent clinical trials that might validate the results obtained in in vitro and in vivo in animal models. However, the data on exogenous ketone consumption and the effect on the ketone bodies’ brain uptake and metabolism might spur the research to define the acute and chronic effects of ketone bodies in humans and pursue the possible implication in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. Therefore, additional studies are required to examine the potential systemic and metabolic consequences of ketone bodies.

A regeneration-triggered metabolic adaptation is necessary for cell identity transitions and cell cycle re-entry to support blastema formation and bone regeneration

Regeneration depends on the ability of mature cells at the injury site to respond to injury, generating tissue-specific progenitors that incorporate the blastema and proliferate to reconstitute the original organ architecture. The metabolic microenvironment has been tightly connected to cell function and identity during development and tumorigenesis. Yet, the link between metabolism and cell identity at the mechanistic level in a regenerative context remains unclear. The adult zebrafish caudal fin, and bone cells specifically, have been crucial for the understanding of mature cell contribution to tissue regeneration. Here, we use this model to explore the relevance of glucose metabolism for the cell fate transitions preceding new osteoblast formation and blastema assembly. We show that injury triggers a modulation in the metabolic profile at early stages of regeneration to enhance glycolysis at the expense of mitochondrial oxidation. This metabolic adaptation mediates transcriptional changes that make mature osteoblast amenable to be reprogramed into pre-osteoblasts and induces cell cycle re-entry and progression. Manipulation of the metabolic profile led to severe reduction of the pre-osteoblast pool, diminishing their capacity to generate new osteoblasts, and to a complete abrogation of blastema formation. Overall, our data indicate that metabolic alterations have a powerful instructive role in regulating genetic programs that dictate fate decisions and stimulate proliferation, thereby providing a deeper understanding on the mechanisms regulating blastema formation and bone regeneration.

An Epigenetic Role of Mitochondria in Cancer

Mitochondria are not only the main energy supplier but are also the cell metabolic center regulating multiple key metaborates that play pivotal roles in epigenetics regulation. These metabolites include acetyl-CoA, α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), NAD⁺, and O-linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), which are the main substrates for DNA methylation and histone post-translation modifications, essential for gene transcriptional regulation and cell fate determination. Tumorigenesis is attributed to many factors, including gene mutations and tumor microenvironment. Mitochondria and epigenetics play essential roles in tumor initiation, evolution, metastasis, and recurrence. Targeting mitochondrial metabolism and epigenetics are promising therapeutic strategies for tumor treatment. In this review, we summarize the roles of mitochondria in key metabolites required for epigenetics modification and in cell fate regulation and discuss the current strategy in cancer therapies via targeting epigenetic modifiers and related enzymes in metabolic regulation. This review is an important contribution to the understanding of the current metabolic-epigenetic-tumorigenesis concept.

Effects of DNA methylation on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Epigenetic changes, especially DNA methylation have a main role in regulating cardiometabolic disorders and their risk factors. This study provides a review of the current evidence on the association between methylation of some genes (LINE1, ABCG1, SREBF1, PHOSPHO1, ADRB3, and LEP) and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted in electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Scopus up to end of 2020. All observational human studies (cross-sectional, case–control, and cohort) were included. Studies that assessed the effect of DNA methylation on cardiometabolic risk factors were selected.

Results

Among 1398 articles, eight studies and twenty-one studies were included in the meta-analysis and the systematic review, respectively. Our study showed ABCG1 and LINE1 methylation were positively associated with blood pressure (Fisher’s zr = 0.07 (0.06, 0.09), 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.08). Methylation in LINE1, ABCG1, SREBF1, PHOSPHO1 and ADRB3 had no significant association with HDL levels (Fisher’s zr = − 0.05 (− 0.13, 0.03), 95% CI:-0.12 to 0.02). Positive association was existed between LINE1, ABCG1 and LEP methylation and LDL levels (Fisher’s zr = 0.13 (0.04, 0.23), 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.23). Moreover, positive association was found between HbA1C and ABCG1 methylation (Fisher’s zr = 0.11 (0.09, 0.13), 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.12). DNA methylation of LINE1, ABCG1 and SREBF1 genes had no significant association with glucose levels (Fisher’s zr = 0.01 (− 0.12, 0.14), 95% CI:-0.12 to 0.14).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis showed that DNA methylation was associated with some cardiometabolic risk factors including LDL-C, HbA1C, and blood pressure.

Registration

Registration ID of the protocol on PROSPERO is CRD42020207677.

Methylated Cytochrome P450 and the Solute Carrier Family of Genes Correlate With Perturbations in Bile Acid Metabolism in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder following Alzheimer’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is hypothesized to be caused by a multifaceted interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Herein, and for the first time, we describe the integration of metabolomics and epigenetics (genome-wide DNA methylation; epimetabolomics) to profile the frontal lobe from people who died from PD and compared them with age-, and sex-matched controls. We identified 48 metabolites to be at significantly different concentrations (FDR q < 0.05), 4,313 differentially methylated sites [5’-C-phosphate-G-3’ (CpGs)] (FDR q < 0.05) and increased DNA methylation age in the primary motor cortex of people who died from PD. We identified Primary bile acid biosynthesis as the major biochemical pathway to be perturbed in the frontal lobe of PD sufferers, and the metabolite taurine (p-value = 5.91E-06) as being positively correlated with CpG cg14286187 (SLC25A27; CYP39A1) (FDR q = 0.002), highlighting previously unreported biochemical changes associated with PD pathogenesis. In this novel multi-omics study, we identify regulatory mechanisms which we believe warrant future translational investigation and central biomarkers of PD which require further validation in more accessible biomatrices.

Histone Deacetylases as Modulators of the Crosstalk Between Skeletal Muscle and Other Organs

Skeletal muscle plays a major role in controlling body mass and metabolism: it is the most abundant tissue of the body and a major source of humoral factors; in addition, it is primarily responsible for glucose uptake and storage, as well as for protein metabolism. Muscle acts as a metabolic hub, in a crosstalk with other organs and tissues, such as the liver, the brain, and fat tissue. Cytokines, adipokines, and myokines are pivotal mediators of such crosstalk. Many of these circulating factors modulate histone deacetylase (HDAC) expression and/or activity. HDACs form a numerous family of enzymes, divided into four classes based on their homology to their orthologs in yeast. Eleven family members are considered classic HDACs, with a highly conserved deacetylase domain, and fall into Classes I, II, and IV, while class III members are named Sirtuins and are structurally and mechanistically distinct from the members of the other classes. HDACs are key regulators of skeletal muscle metabolism, both in physiological conditions and following metabolic stress, participating in the highly dynamic adaptative responses of the muscle to external stimuli. In turn, HDAC expression and activity are closely regulated by the metabolic demands of the skeletal muscle. For instance, NAD+ levels link Class III (Sirtuin) enzymatic activity to the energy status of the cell, and starvation or exercise affect Class II HDAC stability and intracellular localization. SUMOylation or phosphorylation of Class II HDACs are modulated by circulating factors, thus establishing a bidirectional link between HDAC activity and endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine factors. Indeed, besides being targets of adipo-myokines, HDACs affect the synthesis of myokines by skeletal muscle, altering the composition of the humoral milieu and ultimately contributing to the muscle functioning as an endocrine organ. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the interplay between HDACs and circulating factors, in relation to skeletal muscle metabolism and its adaptative response to energy demand. We believe that enhancing knowledge on the specific functions of HDACs may have clinical implications leading to the use of improved HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of metabolic syndromes or aging.

Unconventional metabolites in chromatin regulation

Chromatin, the complex of DNA and histone proteins, serves as a main integrator of cellular signals. Increasing evidence links cellular functional to chromatin state. Indeed, different metabolites are emerging as modulators of chromatin function and structure. Alterations in chromatin state are decisive for regulating all aspects of genome function and ultimately have the potential to produce phenotypic changes. Several metabolites such as acetyl-CoA, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) or adenosine triphosphate (ATP) have now been well characterized as main substrates or cofactors of chromatin-modifying enzymes. However, there are other metabolites that can directly interact with chromatin influencing its state or that modulate the properties of chromatin regulatory factors. Also, there is a growing list of atypical enzymatic and nonenzymatic chromatin modifications that originate from different cellular pathways that have not been in the limelight of chromatin research. Here, we summarize different properties and functions of uncommon regulatory molecules originating from intermediate metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and amino acids. Based on the various modes of action on chromatin and the plethora of putative, so far not described chromatin-regulating metabolites, we propose that there are more links between cellular functional state and chromatin regulation to be discovered. We hypothesize that these connections could provide interesting starting points for interfering with cellular epigenetic states at a molecular level.

The Ability of Nutrition to Mitigate Epigenetic Drift: A Novel Look at Regulating Gene Expression

Epigenetic drift causes modification in gene expression during aging and a myriad of physiological changes that are mostly undesirable, remove youthful phenotype and are related to biological decay and disease onset. The epigenome is considered a stable regulator of genetic expression. Moreover, evidence is now accumulating that commonly available compounds found in foods can influence the epigenome to embrace a more youthful and therefore, more disease resistant state. Here we explore the correlation between nutriment and the epigenetic regulation through various types of alimentation. The aim is not to discuss specific chemicals involved in disease onset. Instead, we offer a brief glance at pathogens and offer a practical pathway into epigenetic regulation, hypothesizing that epigenetic drift might be attenuated by several foods able to drive a more youthful and disease resistant phenotype.

Epigenetic regulation of pediatric and neonatal immune responses

Epigenetic regulation of transcription is a collective term that refers to mechanisms known to regulate gene transcription without changing the underlying DNA sequence. These mechanisms include DNA methylation and histone tail modifications which influence chromatin accessibility, and microRNAs that act through post-transcriptional gene silencing. Epigenetics is known to regulate a variety of biological processes, and the role of epigtenetics in immunity and immune-mediated diseases is becoming increasingly recognized. While DNA methylation is the most widely studied, each of these systems play an important role in the development and maintenance of appropriate immune responses. There is clear evidence that epigenetic mechanisms contribute to developmental stage-specific immune responses in a cell-specific manner. There is also mounting evidence that prenatal exposures alter epigenetic profiles and subsequent immune function in exposed offspring. Early life exposures that are associated with poor long-term health outcomes also appear to impact immune specific epigenetic patterning. Finally, each of these epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases that manifest during childhood. This review will discuss each of these areas in detail. IMPACT: Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone tail modifications, and microRNA expression, dictate immune cell phenotypes. Epigenetics influence immune development and subsequent immune health. Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal exposures alter immune cell epigenetic profiles and subsequent immune function. Numerous pediatric-onset diseases have an epigenetic component. Several successful strategies for childhood diseases target epigenetic mechanisms.

A novel screening strategy to identify histone methyltransferase inhibitors reveals a crosstalk between DOT1L and CARM1

Epigenetic regulation is a dynamic and reversible process that controls gene expression. Abnormal function results in human diseases such as cancer, thus the enzymes that establish epigenetic marks, such as...

Evidence of the Physical Interaction between Rpl22 and the Transposable Element Doc5, a Heterochromatic Transposon of Drosophila melanogaster

Chromatin is a highly dynamic biological entity that allows for both the control of gene expression and the stabilization of chromosomal domains. Given the high degree of plasticity observed in model and non-model organisms, it is not surprising that new chromatin components are frequently described. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that the remnants of the Doc5 transposable element, which retains a heterochromatin insertion pattern in the melanogaster species complex, can be bound by chromatin proteins, and thus be involved in the organization of heterochromatic domains. Using the Yeast One Hybrid approach, we found Rpl22 as a potential interacting protein of Doc5. We further tested in vitro the observed interaction through Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, uncovering that the N-terminal portion of the protein is sufficient to interact with Doc5. However, in situ localization of the native protein failed to detect Rpl22 association with chromatin. The results obtained are discussed in the light of the current knowledge on the extra-ribosomal role of ribosomal protein in eukaryotes, which suggests a possible role of Rpl22 in the determination of the heterochromatin in Drosophila.

Microvascular Inflammation and Cardiovascular Prevention: The Role of Microcirculation as Earlier Determinant of Cardiovascular Risk

Healthcare systems encumbered by cardiovascular diseases demand adequate cardiovascular prevention. Indeed, even with the most novel therapies, the residual cardiovascular risk still fuels morbidity and mortality. Addressing inflammation as a putative mediator of this risk has brought along promising in vitro results, though large clinical trials have only in part confirmed them. To fully exploit the therapeutic potential between the inflammatory hypothesis, a change of viewpoint is required. Focus on microcirculation, whose dysfunction is the primary driver of cardiometabolic disease, is mandatory. Several factors play a pivotal role in the capacity of microvascular inflammation to promote a health-to-disease transition: the adipose tissue (in particular, perivascular and epicardial), the mitochondria function, the hyperglycemic damage and their epigenetic signature. Indeed, the low-grade inflammatory response, which is now an acknowledged hallmark of cardiometabolic disease, is promoted by these mediators and leaves a permanent epigenetic scar on the microvasculature. Even if a more profound knowledge about the mechanisms of metabolic memory has been brought to light by recent evidence, we still have to fully understand its mechanisms and clinical potential. Addressing the detrimental role of inflammation by targeting the microvascular phenotype and leveraging epigenetics is the road down which we must go to achieve satisfactory cardiovascular prevention, ultimately leading to disease-free ageing.

Effect of DNA modifications on the transition between canonical and non-canonical DNA structures in CpG islands during senescence

Patterns and levels of DNA modifications play important roles in senescence. Two major epigenetic modifications of DNA, 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), target CpG sites. Importantly, CpG concentrated regions, known as CpG islands, contain GC-rich sequences, which have the potential to fold into non-canonical DNA structures such as i-motifs and G-quadruplexes. In this study, we investigated the effect of 5mC and 5hmC modifications on the transition between a duplex, and i-motif and G-quadruplexes. To examine the transition, we firstly investigated the stability and structure of the i-motif and G-quadruplexes, considering the molecular environment in senescent cells. Analyses of their stability showed that the modifications did not drastically affect the stability. However, noteworthily, the modification can weaken the (de)stabilisation effect on G-quadruplexes caused by cosolute(s) and cations. Circular dichroism analyses indicated that the surrounding environments, including the molecular crowding and the type of cations such as K⁺ and Na⁺, regulate the topology of G-quadruplexes, while neither 5mC nor 5hmC had a drastic effect. On the other hand, the modifications changed the transition between duplexes and quadruplexes. Unmodified DNA preferred to fold into quadruplexes, whereas DNA with 5mC and 5hmC preferred to fold into duplexes in the absence of PEG200; on the other hand, DNA with or without modifications tended to fold into i-motifs under crowded conditions. Furthermore, an investigation of quadruplexes forming sequences in CpG islands, which are hyper- or hypomethylated during senescence, followed by gene ontology enrichment analysis for each gene group classified by the presence of quadruplexes, showed a difference in function between genes with and without quadruplexes in the CpG region. These results indicate that it is important to consider the effects of patterns and levels of DNA modifications on the transition between canonical and non-canonical DNA structures to understand gene regulation by epigenetic modification during senescence.

The modification of DNA can regulate the transition between a duplex and quadruplexes during senescence responding to surrounding environments.

Epigenetic regulation of energy metabolism in obesity

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally. Although modern adoption of a sedentary lifestyle coupled with energy-dense nutrition is considered to be the main cause of obesity epidemic, genetic preposition contributes significantly to the imbalanced energy metabolism in obesity. However, the variants of genetic loci identified from large-scale genetic studies do not appear to fully explain the rapid increase in obesity epidemic in the last four to five decades. Recent advancements of next-generation sequencing technologies and studies of tissue-specific effects of epigenetic factors in metabolic organs have significantly advanced our understanding of epigenetic regulation of energy metabolism in obesity. The epigenome, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA-mediated processes, is characterized as mitotically or meiotically heritable changes in gene function without alteration of DNA sequence. Importantly, epigenetic modifications are reversible. Therefore, comprehensively understanding the landscape of epigenetic regulation of energy metabolism could unravel novel molecular targets for obesity treatment. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the roles of DNA methylation, histone modifications such as methylation and acetylation, and RNA-mediated processes in regulating energy metabolism. We also discuss the effects of lifestyle modifications and therapeutic agents on epigenetic regulation of energy metabolism in obesity.

Guidelines for pre-analytical conditions for assessing the methylation of circulating cell-free DNA

Methylation analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cirDNA), as a liquid biopsy, has a significant potential to advance the detection, prognosis, and treatment of cancer, as well as many genetic disorders. The role of epigenetics in disease development has been reported in several hereditary disorders, and epigenetic modifications are regarded as one of the earliest and most significant genomic aberrations that arise during carcinogenesis. Liquid biopsy can be employed for the detection of these epigenetic biomarkers. It consists of isolation (pre-analytical) and detection (analytical) phases. The choice of pre-analytical variables comprising cirDNA extraction and bisulfite conversion methods can affect the identification of cirDNA methylation. Indeed, different techniques give a different return of cirDNA, which confirms the importance of pre-analytical procedures in clinical diagnostics. Although novel techniques have been developed for the simplification of methylation analysis, the process remains complex, as the steps of DNA extraction, bisulfite treatment, and methylation detection are each carried out separately. Recent studies have noted the absence of any standard method for the pre-analytical processing of methylated cirDNA. We have therefore conducted a comprehensive and systematic review of the important pre-analytical and analytical variables and the patient-related factors which form the basis of our guidelines for analyzing methylated cirDNA in liquid biopsy.

Metabolic Reprogramming of Nasal Airway Epithelial Cells Following Infant Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a seasonal mucosal pathogen that infects the ciliated respiratory epithelium and results in the most severe morbidity in the first six months of life. RSV is a common cause of acute respiratory infection during infancy and is an important early-life risk factor strongly associated with asthma development. While this association has been repeatedly demonstrated, limited progress has been made on the mechanistic understanding in humans of the contribution of infant RSV infection to airway epithelial dysfunction. An active infection of epithelial cells with RSV in vitro results in heightened central metabolism and overall hypermetabolic state; however, little is known about whether natural infection with RSV in vivo results in lasting metabolic reprogramming of the airway epithelium in infancy. To address this gap, we performed functional metabolomics, 13C glucose metabolic flux analysis, and RNA-seq gene expression analysis of nasal airway epithelial cells (NAECs) sampled from infants between 2-3 years of age, with RSV infection or not during the first year of life. We found that RSV infection in infancy was associated with lasting epithelial metabolic reprogramming, which was characterized by (1) significant increase in glucose uptake and differential utilization of glucose by epithelium; (2) altered preferences for metabolism of several carbon and energy sources; and (3) significant sexual dimorphism in metabolic parameters, with RSV-induced metabolic changes most pronounced in male epithelium. In summary, our study supports the proposed phenomenon of metabolic reprogramming of epithelial cells associated with RSV infection in infancy and opens exciting new venues for pursuing mechanisms of RSV-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction in early life.

A Discovery that Reframes the Whole of Global Healthcare in the 21st Century: The Importance of the Imprintome

Within the genome exists a specific subset of genes whose expression is controlled by epigenetic marks. These tags can be modified by lifestyle factors including diet, behavior, environment and social interactions. Differences in genetic expression, despite identical genes, is explained in part through metastable epialleles-alleles that, while genetically indistinguishable, are variably expressed as a function of epigenetic modification. As a group, these metastable epialleles have been given a unique descriptive name: the imprintome. This breakthrough in understanding genetic expression has led to a wider recognition that our genes are fundamentally controlled at two levels. One is the hardware of the genetic code, which is modified slowly by natural selection through mutational changes in the genome over centuries of time. The other is the software that controls the expression of our genetic code, converting nucleotide sequences into phenotype in response to the imprinting of our epigenome. Acting as a rapid translator for real time changes, the imprintome responds to environmental and lifestyle inputs by genomic methylation and histone modifications that affect promoter accessibility and transcription factor activity. In application, this understanding of the plasticity of the imprintome necessitates a rethinking of both health and disease states. It's a concept that cuts across all forms of healthcare: physical, metabolic, and cognitive-behavioral interventions. But at the same time, it is an aggregating concept-one that brings disciplines together to collaborate on the personalization of health and the delivery of truly individualized care. This article reviews the development of the concept of the imprintome, as well as clinical studies supporting its importance as a potential driver of change in global health care.

Undisclosed, unmet and neglected challenges in multi-omics studies

Multi-omics approaches have become a reality in both large genomics projects and small laboratories. However, the multi-omics research community still faces a number of issues that have either not been sufficiently discussed or for which current solutions are still limited. In this Perspective, we elaborate on these limitations and suggest points of attention for future research. We finally discuss new opportunities and challenges brought to the field by the rapid development of single-cell high-throughput molecular technologies.

Epigenetic Remodeling in Obesity-Related Vascular Disease

Significance: The prevalence of obesity and cardiometabolic phenotypes is alarmingly increasing across the globe and is associated with atherosclerotic vascular complications and high mortality. In spite of multifactorial interventions, vascular residual risk remains high in this patient population, suggesting the need for breakthrough therapies. The mechanisms underpinning obesity-related vascular disease remain elusive and represent an intense area of investigation. Recent Advances: Epigenetic modifications-defined as environmentally induced chemical changes of DNA and histones that do not affect DNA sequence-are emerging as a potent modulator of gene transcription in the vasculature and might significantly contribute to the development of obesity-induced endothelial dysfunction. DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications cooperate to build complex epigenetic signals, altering transcriptional networks that are implicated in redox homeostasis, mitochondrial function, vascular inflammation, and perivascular fat homeostasis in patients with cardiometabolic disturbances. Critical Issues: Deciphering the epigenetic landscape in the vasculature is extremely challenging due to the complexity of epigenetic signals and their function in regulating transcription. An overview of the most important epigenetic pathways is required to identify potential molecular targets to treat or prevent obesity-related endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerotic disease. This would enable the employment of precision medicine approaches in this setting. Future Directions: Current and future research efforts in this field entail a better definition of the vascular epigenome in obese patients as well as the unveiling of novel, cell-specific chromatin-modifying drugs that are able to erase specific epigenetic signals that are responsible for maladaptive transcriptional alterations and vascular dysfunction in obese patients. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 34, 1165-1199.

The remodel of the "central dogma": a metabolomics interaction perspective

BACKGROUND

In 1957, Francis Crick drew a linear diagram on a blackboard. This diagram is often called the "central dogma." Subsequently, the relationships between different steps of the "central dogma" have been shown to be considerably complex, mostly because of the emerging world of small molecules. It is noteworthy that metabolites can be generated from the diet through gut microbiome metabolism, serve as substrates for epigenetic modifications, destabilize DNA quadruplexes, and follow Lamarckian inheritance. Small molecules were once considered the missing link in the "central dogma"; however, recently they have acquired a central role, and their general perception as downstream products has become reductionist. Metabolomics is a large-scale analysis of metabolites, and this emerging field has been shown to be the closest omics associated with the phenotype and concomitantly, the basis for all omics.

AIM OF REVIEW

Herein, we propose a broad updated perspective for the flux of information diagram centered in metabolomics, including the influence of other factors, such as epigenomics, diet, nutrition, and the gut- microbiome.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

Metabolites are the beginning and the end of the flux of information.

CpG content-dependent associations between transcription factors and histone modifications

Understanding the factors that underlie the epigenetic regulation of genes is crucial to understand the gene regulatory machinery as a whole. Several experimental and computational studies examined the relationship between different factors involved. Here we investigate the relationship between transcription factors (TFs) and histone modifications (HMs), based on ChIP-seq data in cell lines. As it was shown that gene regulation by TFs differs depending on the CpG class of a promoter, we study the impact of the CpG content in promoters on the associations between TFs and HMs. We suggest an approach based on sparse linear regression models to infer associations between TFs and HMs with respect to CpG content. A study of the partial correlation of HMs for the two classes of high and low CpG content reveals possible CpG dependence and potential candidates for confounding factors in our models. We show that the models are accurate, inferred associations reflect known biological relationships, and we give new insight into associations with respect to CpG content. Moreover, analysis of a ChIP-seq dataset in HepG2 cells of the HM H3K122ac, an HM about little is known, reveals novel TF associations and supports a previously established link to active transcription.

Genome Scale-Differential Flux Analysis reveals deregulation of lung cell metabolism on SARS-CoV-2 infection

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing an unprecedented threat to the whole world. In this regard, it is absolutely imperative to understand the mechanism of metabolic reprogramming of host human cells by SARS-CoV-2. A better understanding of the metabolic alterations would aid in design of better therapeutics to deal with COVID-19 pandemic. We developed an integrated genome-scale metabolic model of normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) infected with SARS-CoV-2 using gene-expression and macromolecular make-up of the virus. The reconstructed model predicts growth rates of the virus in high agreement with the experimental measured values. Furthermore, we report a method for conducting genome-scale differential flux analysis (GS-DFA) in context-specific metabolic models. We apply the method to the context-specific model and identify severely affected metabolic modules predominantly comprising of lipid metabolism. We conduct an integrated analysis of the flux-altered reactions, host-virus protein-protein interaction network and phospho-proteomics data to understand the mechanism of flux alteration in host cells. We show that several enzymes driving the altered reactions inferred by our method to be directly interacting with viral proteins and also undergoing differential phosphorylation under diseased state. In case of SARS-CoV-2 infection, lipid metabolism particularly fatty acid oxidation, cholesterol biosynthesis and beta-oxidation cycle along with arachidonic acid metabolism are predicted to be most affected which confirms with clinical metabolomics studies. GS-DFA can be applied to existing repertoire of high-throughput proteomic or transcriptomic data in diseased condition to understand metabolic deregulation at the level of flux.

Metabolic flux analysis in disease biology is opening up new avenues for therapeutic interventions. Numerous diseases lead to disturbance in the metabolic homeostasis and it is becoming increasingly important to be able to quantify the difference in interaction under normal and diseased condition. While genome-scale metabolic models have been used to study those differences, there are limited methods to probe into the differences in flux between these two conditions. Our method of conducting a differential flux analysis can be leveraged to find which reactions are altered between the diseased and normal state. We applied this to study the altered reactions in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We further corroborated our results with other multi-omics studies and found significant agreement.

Epigenetic Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Disease

Research in the last decades has demonstrated the relevance of epigenetics in controlling gene expression to maintain cell homeostasis, and the important role played by epigenome alterations in disease development. Moreover, the reversibility of epigenetic marks can be harnessed as a therapeutic strategy, and epigenetic marks can be used as diagnosis biomarkers. Epigenetic alterations in DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression have been associated with the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Here, we summarize epigenetic alterations involved in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease (CLD), particularly focusing on DNA methylation. We also discuss their utility as epigenetic biomarkers in liquid biopsy for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Finally, we discuss the potential of epigenetic therapeutic strategies for HCC treatment.

An immune epigenetic insight to COVID-19 infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is a positive-sense RNA virus, a causal agent of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ACE2R methylation across three CpG sites (cg04013915, cg08559914, cg03536816) determines the host cell's entry. It regulates ACE2 expression by controlling the SIRT1 and KDM5B activity. Further, it regulates Type I and III IFN response by modulating H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 histone mark. SARS-CoV-2 protein with bromodomain and protein E mimics bromodomain histones and evades from host immune response. The 2'-O MTases mimics the host's cap1 structure and plays a vital role in immune evasion through Hsp90-mediated epigenetic process to hijack the infected cells. Although the current review highlighted the critical epigenetic events associated with SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion, the detailed mechanism is yet to be elucidated.

A BRD's (BiRD's) eye view of BET and BRPF bromodomains in neurological diseases

Neurological disorders (NLDs) are among the top leading causes for disability worldwide. Dramatic changes in the epigenetic topography of the brain and nervous system have been found in many NLDs. Histone lysine acetylation has prevailed as one of the well characterised epigenetic modifications in these diseases. Two instrumental components of the acetylation machinery are the evolutionarily conserved Bromodomain and PHD finger containing (BRPF) and Bromo and Extra terminal domain (BET) family of proteins, also referred to as acetylation 'readers'. Several reasons, including their distinct mechanisms of modulation of gene expression and their property of being highly tractable small molecule targets, have increased their translational relevance. Thus, compounds which demonstrated promising results in targeting these proteins have advanced to clinical trials. They have been established as key role players in pathologies of cancer, cardiac diseases, renal diseases and rheumatic diseases. In addition, studies implicating the role of these bromodomains in NLDs are gaining pace. In this review, we highlight the findings of these studies, and reason for the plausible roles of all BET and BRPF members in NLDs. A comprehensive understanding of their multifaceted functions would be radical in the development of therapeutic interventions.

Detecting methylation signatures in neurodegenerative disease by density-based clustering of applications with reducing noise

There have been numerous genetic and epigenetic datasets generated for the study of complex disease including neurodegenerative disease. However, analysis of such data often suffers from detecting the outliers of the samples, which subsequently affects the extraction of the true biological signals involved in the disease. To address this critical issue, we developed a novel framework for identifying methylation signatures using consecutive adaptation of a well-known outlier detection algorithm, density based clustering of applications with reducing noise (DBSCAN) followed by hierarchical clustering. We applied the framework to two representative neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS), using DNA methylation datasets from public sources (Gene Expression Omnibus, GEO accession ID: GSE74486). We first applied DBSCAN algorithm to eliminate outliers, and then used Limma statistical method to determine differentially methylated genes. Next, hierarchical clustering technique was applied to detect gene modules. Our analysis identified a methylation signature comprising 21 genes for AD and a methylation signature comprising 89 genes for DS, respectively. Our evaluation indicated that these two signatures could lead to high classification accuracy values (92% and 70%) for these two diseases. In summary, this framework will be useful to better detect outlier-free genetic and epigenetic signatures in various complex diseases and their developmental stages.

The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in the Interplay between a Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet and the Infant Gut Microbiota and Its Therapeutic Implications for Reducing Asthma

Gut microbiota is well known as playing a critical role in inflammation and asthma development. The very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) is suggested to affect gut microbiota; however, the effects of VLCKD during pregnancy and lactation on the infant gut microbiota are unclear. The VLCKD appears to be more effective than caloric/energy restriction diets for the treatment of several diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. However, whether adherence to VLCKD affects the infant gut microbiota and the protective effects thereof on asthma remains uncertain. The exact mechanisms underlying this process, and in particular the potential role of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are still to be unravelled. Thus, the aim of this review is to identify the potential role of SCFAs that underlie the effects of VLCKD during pregnancy and lactation on the infant gut microbiota, and explore whether it incurs significant implications for reducing asthma.

Impact of Genetic Variations and Epigenetic Mechanisms on the Risk of Obesity

Rare genetic obesity disorders are characterized by mutations of genes strongly involved in the central or peripheral regulation of energy balance. These mutations are effective in causing the early onset of severe obesity and insatiable hunger (hyperphagia), suggesting that the genetic component can contribute to 40–70% of obesity. However, genes’ roles in the processes leading to obesity are still unclear. This review is aimed to summarize the current knowledge of the genetic causes of obesity, especially monogenic obesity, describing the role of epigenetic mechanisms in obesity and metabolic diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, with the metabolic processes they control, will permit adequate management and prevention of obesity.

Neonatal Lead (Pb) Exposure and DNA Methylation Profiles in Dried Bloodspots

Lead (Pb) exposure remains a major concern in the United States (US) and around the world, even following the removal of Pb from gasoline and other products. Environmental Pb exposures from aging infrastructure and housing stock are of particular concern to pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations. Exposures during sensitive periods of development are known to influence epigenetic modifications which are thought to be one mechanism of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm. To gain insights into early life Pb exposure-induced health risks, we leveraged neonatal dried bloodspots in a cohort of children from Michigan, US to examine associations between blood Pb levels and concomitant DNA methylation profiles (n = 96). DNA methylation analysis was conducted via the Infinium MethylationEPIC array and Pb levels were assessed via high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS). While at-birth Pb exposure levels were relatively low (average 0.78 µg/dL, maximum of 5.27 ug/dL), we identified associations between DNA methylation and Pb at 33 CpG sites, with the majority (82%) exhibiting reduced methylation with increasing Pb exposure (q < 0.2). Biological pathways related to development and neurological function were enriched amongst top differentially methylated genes by p-value. In addition to increases/decreases in methylation, we also demonstrate that Pb exposure is related to increased variability in DNA methylation at 16 CpG sites. More work is needed to assess the accuracy and precision of metals assessment using bloodspots, but this study highlights the utility of this unique resource to enhance environmental epigenetics research around the world.