Abstract
In the post-genomic era, epigenetic factors - literally those that are "over" or "above" genetic ones and responsible for controlling the expression and function of genes - have emerged as important mediators of development and aging; gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions; and the pathophysiology of complex disease states. Here, we provide a brief overview of the major epigenetic mechanisms (ie, DNA methylation, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA regulation). We highlight the nearly ubiquitous profiles of epigenetic dysregulation that have been found in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.We also reviewinnovativemethods and technologies that enable the characterization of individual epigenetic modifications and more widespread epigenomic states at high resolution. We conclude that, together with complementary genetic, genomic, and related approaches, interrogating epigenetic and epigenomic profiles in neurodegenerative diseases represent important and increasingly practical strategies for advancing our understanding of and the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 464-473 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Current neurology and neuroscience reports |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2011 |
Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Chromatin
- DNA methylation
- Epigenetics
- Epigenomics
- Histone modification
- Huntington's disease
- Neurodegenerative disease
- Next generation sequencing
- Non-coding RNA
- Parkinson's disease
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology