Epigenetic Aspects Of Chronic Diseases

Epigenetic Aspects of Chronic Diseases assembles in comprehensive form what is known about the role of epigenetics in chronic disease development. This book provides new insights into treatment, including modulation of epigenetic regulation. Each chapter gives an outline of a respective disease, explains why epigenetics may be involved in the disease process and then presents the evidence of how changes in epigenetic status contribute to initiation and progress of the disease. The final chapters look towards future therapeutic treatment, based on manipulation of epigenetic aspects. Written by widely published experts, Epigenetic Aspects of Chronic Diseases is a valuable reference tool for clinicians and researchers who investigate and treat chronic diseases, as well as health care personnel, post-doctoral fellows and medical or dental students.

Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Epigenetics, Second Edition is a comprehensive reference on the epigenetic basis of common neuropsychiatric disorders. The volume is organized into chapters covering individual neuropsychiatric disorders, from addiction to anxiety and autism spectrum disorders, and is contributed by leading experts in their respective fields. The epigenetic aspects of each disorder are discussed, in the context of the full range of associated epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA modification, histone post-translational modification, chromatin organization, and non-coding RNA. A particular emphasis is placed on potential epigenetic interventions, when the effects of environmental stimuli on epigenetic states is particularly relevant to disease. This new edition has been fully updated to reflect recent research advances enabled by genomic technologies, as well as therapeutic interventions for previously unmanageable disorders. Several new chapters have been added on disorders or approaches not considered in the earlier edition, including epigenetics and anxiety disorders, epigenetics and neuroimaging in neuropsychiatric disorders, genome-wide approaches to epigenetic research, and the epigenetics of spinal muscular atrophy. By helping to define epigenetics as a key player in neuropsychiatric disorders, this volume empowers new research, clinical translation, and pharmacological advances, and highlights promising directions for ongoing investigation. Analyzes the effects of environmental stimuli on epigenetic states that correlate with neuropsychiatric disease induction Reviews the epigenetic basis for common neuropsychiatric disorders, thereby guiding translational therapies for clinicians and mechanistic studies for scientists Features extensive use of diagrams, illustrations, tables, and graphical abstracts for each section to reinforce understanding Includes chapter contributions from leading global experts

Gene Expression and its Discontents examines a class of probability models describing how epigenetic context affects gene expression and organismal development, using the asymptotic limit theorems of information theory in a highly formal manner. Taking classic results on spontaneous symmetry breaking abducted from statistical physics in groupoid, rather than group, circumstances, the work suggests that epigenetic information sources act as analogs to a tunable catalyst, directing development into different characteristic pathways according to the structure of external signals. The results have significant implications for epigenetic epidemiology, in particular for understanding how environmental stressors, in a large sense, can induce a broad spectrum of developmental disorders in humans. The authors then apply the perspective to a number of chronic diseases broadly associated with obesity, using data at different scales of observation.

Recent studies have indicated that epigenetic processes may play a major role in both cellular and organismal aging. These epigenetic processes include not only DNA methylation and histone modifications, but also extend to many other epigenetic mediators such as the polycomb group proteins, chromosomal position effects, and noncoding RNA. The topics of this book range from fundamental changes in DNA methylation in aging to the most recent research on intervention into epigenetic modifications to modulate the aging process. The major topics of epigenetics and aging covered in this book are: 1) DNA methylation and histone modifications in aging; 2) Other epigenetic processes and aging; 3) Impact of epigenetics on aging; 4) Epigenetics of age-related diseases; 5) Epigenetic interventions and aging: and 6) Future directions in epigenetic aging research. The most studied of epigenetic processes, DNA methylation, has been associated with cellular aging and aging of organisms for many years. It is now apparent that both global and gene-specific alterations occur not only in DNA methylation during aging, but also in several histone alterations. Many epigenetic alterations can have an impact on aging processes such as stem cell aging, control of telomerase, modifications of telomeres, and epigenetic drift can impact the aging process as evident in the recent studies of aging monozygotic twins. Numerous age-related diseases are affected by epigenetic mechanisms. For example, recent studies have shown that DNA methylation is altered in Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmunity. Other prevalent diseases that have been associated with age-related epigenetic changes include cancer and diabetes. Paternal age and epigenetic changes appear to have an effect on schizophrenia and epigenetic silencing has been associated with several of the progeroid syndromes of premature aging. Moreover, the impact of dietary or drug intervention into epigenetic processes as they affect normal aging or age-related diseases is becoming increasingly feasible.

Many inheritable changes in gene function are not explained by changes in the DNA sequence. Such epigenetic mechanisms are known to influence gene function in most complex organisms and include effects such as transposon function, chromosome imprinting, yeast mating type switching and telomeric silencing. In recent years, epigenetic effects have become a major focus of research activity. This monograph, edited by three well-known biologists from different specialties, is the first to review and synthesize what is known about these effects across all species, particularly from a molecular perspective, and will be of interest to everyone in the fields of molecular biology and genetics.

Environmental Epigenetics in Toxicology and Public Health provides in-depth discussions of the suite of complex environmental factors shown to impact epigenetic components within the cell, as well as evidence that these epigenetic modifications are tied to early and later life health effects. This book offers a translational research perspective, highlighting both in vivo and human population-based evidence for ties between the environment, the epigenome, and health outcomes, with an emphasis on evidence for transgenerational effects of exposures, as well as developmental windows of susceptibility to environmentally-linked epigenetic effects. This volume in the Translational Epigenetics series aides in the development of new therapeutic options meant to reverse inappropriate epigenetic alterations, helping researchers in their efforts prevent and treat a variety of chronic diseases tied to environmental exposures. Offers a thorough discussion of the environmental factors influencing epigenetic mechanisms in early and late life, and in transgenerational inheritance Examines both animal model and human population-based research in environmental epigenetics, highlighting developmental windows of vulnerability to epigenetic modification Features contributions from international experts in the field

Epigenetic Mechanisms in Development and Disease, the latest volume in the Biochemical Society Symposia series, features ten chapters from the Biochemical Society's Annual Symposium held at the University of Leeds on 11 - 13 December 2012. Epigenetic mechanisms, including the post translational modifications of chromatin (DNA and histones), play pivotal roles in development, cell differentiation and cell identity. Inappropriate regulation of epigenetic mechanisms has been implicated in common human diseases including diabetes, neuropsychiatric disorders and cancers. Environmental influences such as nutrition and stress can lead to epigenetic alterations and contribute to chronic disease biology.

This book examines the toxicological and health implications of environmental epigenetics and provides knowledge through an interdisciplinary approach. Included in this volume are chapters outlining various environmental risk factors such as phthalates and dietary components, life states such as pregnancy and ageing, hormonal and metabolic considerations and specific disease risks such as cancer cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases. Environmental Epigenetics imparts integrative knowledge of the science of epigenetics and the issues raised in environmental epidemiology. This book is intended to serve both as a reference compendium on environmental epigenetics for scientists in academia, industry and laboratories and as a textbook for graduate level environmental health courses. Environmental Epigenetics imparts integrative knowledge of the science of epigenetics and the issues raised in environmental epidemiology. This book is intended to serve both as a reference compendium on environmental epigenetics for scientists in academia, industry and laboratories and as a textbook for graduate level environmental health courses.

Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Epigenetics is a comprehensive reference for the epigenetic basis of most common neuropsychiatric disorders. The volume is organized into chapters representing individual neuropsychiatric disorders, from addition to obesity contributed by leading experts in their respective fields. The epigenetic aspects of each disorder are discussed, in the context of the full range of epigenetic mechanisms including DNA modification, histone post-translational modification, chromatin organization and non-coding RNA. A particular emphasis is placed on potential epigenetic interventions, when the effects of environmental stimuli on epigenetic states is particularly relevant o disease. Recent discoveries in epigenetic research enabled by epic advances in genomic technologies have positioned the field for broad translation to therapeutic interventions for previously unmanageable disorders Neuropsychiatric disorders represent a prime target of epigenetic interventions as they are highly debilitating, often chronic diseases with enormous costs to society. Thus, this volume will help define epigenetics as a key player in neuropsychiatric disorders, highlighting the full spectrum of epigenetic mechanisms underlying such disorders and introducing the vast range of epigenetic therapies under development.

Epigenetic Biomarkers and Diagnostics comprises 31 chapters contributed by leading active researchers in basic and clinical epigenetics. The book begins with the basis of epigenetic mechanisms and descriptions of epigenetic biomarkers that can be used in clinical diagnostics and prognostics. It goes on to discuss classical methods and next generation sequencing-based technologies to discover and analyze epigenetic biomarkers. The book concludes with an account of DNA methylation, post-translational modifications and noncoding RNAs as the most promising biomarkers for cancer (i.e. breast, lung, colon, etc.), metabolic disorders (i.e. diabetes and obesity), autoimmune diseases, infertility, allergy, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders. The book describes the challenging aspects of research in epigenetics, and current findings regarding new epigenetic elements and modifiers, providing guidance for researchers interested in the most advanced technologies and tested biomarkers to be used in the clinical diagnosis or prognosis of disease. Focuses on recent progress in several areas of epigenetics, general concepts regarding epigenetics, and the future prospects of this discipline in clinical diagnostics and prognostics Describes the importance of the quality of samples and clinical associated data, and also the ethical issues for epigenetic diagnostics Discusses the advances in epigenomics technologies, including next-generation sequencing based tools and applications Expounds on the utility of epigenetic biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of several diseases, highlighting the study of these biomarkers in cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, infertility, and infectious diseases Includes a special section that discusses the relevance of biobanks in the maintenance of high quality biosamples and clinical-associated data, and the relevance of the ethical aspects in epigenetic studies