Linking Aging to Cancer: The Role of Chromatin Biology

Abstract

Epigenetic changes have been established to be a hallmark of aging, which implies that aging science requires collaborating with the field of chromatin biology. DNA methylation patterns, changes in relative abundance of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), and chromatin remodeling are the central players in modifying chromatin structure. Aging is commonly associated with an overall increase in chromatin instability, loss of homeostasis and decondensation. However, numerous publications have highlighted that the link between aging and chromatin changes is not nearly as linear as previously expected. This complex interplay of these epigenetics elements during the lifetime of an organism likely contribute to cellular senescence, genomic instability, and disease susceptibility. Yet, the causal links between these phenomena still need to be fully unraveled. In this perspective article, we discuss potential future directions of aging chromatin biology.