Epigenetics and Autoimmune Diseases

Autor: Paula Quintero-Ronderos, Gladis Montoya-Ortiz
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Autoimmune Diseases, Vol 2012 (2012)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2090-0422
2090-0430
DOI: 10.1155/2012/593720
Popis: Epigenetics is defined as the study of all inheritable and potentially reversible changes in genome function that do not alter the nucleotide sequence within the DNA. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, nucleosome positioning, and microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential to carry out key functions in the regulation of gene expression. Therefore, the epigenetic mechanisms are a window to understanding the possible mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of complex diseases such as autoimmune diseases. It is noteworthy that autoimmune diseases do not have the same epidemiology, pathology, or symptoms but do have a common origin that can be explained by the sharing of immunogenetic mechanisms. Currently, epigenetic research is looking for disruption in one or more epigenetic mechanisms to provide new insights into autoimmune diseases. The identification of cell-specific targets of epigenetic deregulation will serve us as clinical markers for diagnosis, disease progression, and therapy approaches.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals