Epigenetic modifications of promoter regions that influence the transcription of genes coding for crucial protein products can be induced by the environment.
Saturday, Oct. 21, 9:15 - 9:30 a.m., Room 220B, South Building Platform Presentation:
Epigenetic modifications of innate immunity genes impact early - stage non-small cell lung cancer survival: An integrative analysis of epigenome and transcriptome in Caucasian population R. Zhang, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, et al
Toward the end of his postdoc, as a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation fellow, Dr. Lomvardas started working on DNA methylation and other
epigenetic modifications of olfactory receptors.
AMHERST, Mass. — A new three - year, $ 440,000 study led by environmental health scientist Richard Pilsner at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is now underway to investigate whether phthalate levels in expectant fathers have an effect on the couples» reproductive success, via
epigenetic modifications of sperm DNA.
Disruption of a region in chromosome 6 or
epigenetic modifications of the DNA block Sestrin1 expression and these contribute to the development of Follicular Lymphoma.
Nestler: The ability of this chronic social stress to produce maladaptive changes in brain and behavior are mediated through
epigenetic modifications of gene expression in particular emotional centers of the brain.
What we found is that the ability of this chronic social stress to produce maladaptive changes in brain and behavior — loss of pleasure, inability to sleep normally and so on — are mediated through
epigenetic modifications of gene expression, in particular, emotional centers of the brain.
Early results from a larger, ongoing study led by environmental health scientist Richard Pilsner at the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggest that phthalate levels in expectant fathers have an effect on couples» reproductive success via
epigenetic modifications of sperm DNA.
«For example, we now know that RNA can be methylated just like DNA and in a highly specific way,» says Dr. Manel Esteller, «and even more recently we observed that
these epigenetic modifications of RNA may be key in the regulation of «guardian» RNAs, also called non-coding RNAs.»
«From other studies ***** we know that
epigenetic modifications of the DPP4 gene, which are associated with an increased production of the enzyme, have a negative impact on the liver metabolism already in young mice, long before fatty liver disease emerges,» says Baumeier.
In this way, certain
epigenetic modifications of the histone tails are removed.
A study published this week in PLOS Medicine suggests that
epigenetic modification of the HAND2 gene plays a critical role in the development of endometrial cancer.
Schrock: I'm sure that's been tried, but one of the new things they found is this specific tie between the circadian rhythm in our bodies and drug addiction and they found that it is actually through
an epigenetic modification of the circadian rhythm; so our circadian rhythms are reset by these drugs; we actually crave them at certain times of day and that is contributing to the necessity to, you know, relapse and go back on drugs or to get that craving, you know, at a certain point.
Methylation is
an epigenetic modification of DNA.
Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene influences the perception of anger and fear in the human brain
The article claimed the phenomenon was primarily driven by
epigenetic modification of chromatin.
Epigenetic modification of chromatin includes methylation of genomic DNA as well as post-translational modification of chromatin - associated proteins, mainly histones.
Dissertation: «
Epigenetic Modification of Vitamin D - induced Gene Expression in Human Colorectal and Breast Cancer Cell Lines.»
Postnatal
epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid receptor gene in preterm infants: a prospective cohort study
Finally, animal research focusing on brain - structural aspects related to early care and the new, conceptually important direction of studying environmental programming of early development through
epigenetic modification of gene functioning is examined in brief.
More recent research on
the epigenetic modification of gene expression by early maternal care in animals suggests the possibility of similar processes affecting human development.
Not exact matches
Epigenetic changes, the chemical
modifications of DNA that are the result
of environmental influences, are the results
of long term events lasting months or years, like famines.
Professor Keith Godfrey, from the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit and the National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, and a member
of the study team, said: «The new findings provide the first direct evidence linking faltering
of a baby's growth in the womb with
epigenetic modifications that themselves may increase the risk
of childhood obesity.
These changes, known as
epigenetic modifications, control the activity
of our genes without changing the actual DNA sequence.
This method allows the scientists to measure very subtle effects with very high confidence, while eliminating the effect
of any genetic or
epigenetic modifications and cell culture related variations that could occur during the experiment.
Scientists
of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) led by the German Institute
of Human Nutrition (DIfE) have shown in a mouse model that the
epigenetic *
modification of the Igfbp2 ** gene observed in the young animal precedes a fatty liver in the adult animal later in life.
Epigenetics refers to biological processes — mostly biochemical
modifications of the DNA and its associated proteins — that condition the expression or repression
of genes.
«Our findings point toward a previously unknown function
of the DNMT3A protein in the interaction
of these two
epigenetic modifications that are normally not directly linked.
By contrast, in more than 90 %
of endometrial cancers, the gene has undergone hypermethylation, an
epigenetic modification that doesn't change its DNA sequence but renders it inactive.
These
epigenetic modifications do not change the genetic code, but may contribute to the inhibition
of gene expression, causing the cells to produce smaller amounts
of the corresponding proteins.
Researchers at the University
of Zurich have now identified a mechanism how cells pass on the regulation
of genetic information through
epigenetic modifications.
As the researchers showed, already at the age
of six weeks the Igfbp2 gene exhibited higher levels
of methylation, i.e. stronger
epigenetic modification, and at the same time the IGFBP2 synthesis in the liver was significantly reduced.
«Our results indicate that the
epigenetic modification we studied makes both mice and humans more susceptible to obesity and with increasing age increases their risk
of developing a fatty liver,» said Anne Kammel, first author
of the study.
Epigenetic effects include
modification of DNA by incorporation
of small chemical groups, methyl groups.
An example
of epigenetic modifications leading to cancer progenitor cell formation possibly occurs in leukemia development.
«Recent studies suggest that
epigenetic modifications may contribute to the development
of cancer progenitor cells that can induce drug resistance and the relapse
of different types
of cancer,» said Sibaji Sarkar, PhD, instructor
of medicine at BUSM.
Corin is particularly attractive as an inhibitor
of epigenetic modifications because it has dual - target specificity which allows for more selective targeting
of epigenetic complexes in treated cells.
BUSM researchers also discussed in Genetics &
Epigenetics (May 2014) how
epigenetic modifications play a role in the development
of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurologic and pulmonary disorders.
A new study suggests that
epigenetic effects — chemical
modifications of the human genome that alter gene activity without changing the DNA sequence — may sometimes influence sexual orientation.
Epigenetic modifications do not affect the DNA sequence
of genes, but change how the DNA is packaged and how genes are expressed.
The chemical
modification of histones is thought to be a form
of epigenetic information — information separate from our DNA — that controls gene regulation.
These new genes were created so they could not be the repositories
of epigenetic tags or
modifications.
The incoming paternal DNA contains
modifications that facilitate an «
epigenetic memory»
of its sperm state.
«This means that the
epigenetic modifications are likely not caused by substances in the tobacco, but by the hundreds
of different elements that are formed when the tobacco is burnt,» says Åsa Johansson, researcher at the Department
of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology at Uppsala University and Uppsala Clinical Research Center, who has led the study.
Later in life the genetic material can be changed by
epigenetic modifications, i.e. chemical alterations
of the DNA the affect the activity
of the genes.
The researchers linked the excess weight and changes in metabolism to
epigenetic modifications that reduce expression
of the gene for adiponectin — a hormone that helps regulate several metabolic processes, including glucose regulation.
In addition to RNA transcripts linked with inflammation and stress, the study examines a series
of epigenetic transcripts — RNA sequences that have undergone post-transcriptional
modification.
He explains that cells could potentially lower their 19S subunit levels through a wide variety
of epigenetic mechanisms, including microRNAs, transcription regulation, and histone
modifications.
DNA methylation is one form
of epigenetic modification being studied by scientists trying to understand how the same genetic code can produce so many different cells and tissues as well as differences between individuals as closely related as twins.
In order to elucidate the significance
of early
epigenetic modifications on the development
of neural cells during embryogenesis in the mouse, Götz and her colleagues specifically inactivated the gene Uhrf1.