{"title":"A narrative review of epigenetic marker in H3K27ac and its emerging potential as a therapeutic target in cancer.","authors":"Meizi Zhu, Xuejin Lu, Danhong Wang, Jinhu Ma, Yi Wang, Rui Wang, Hongye Wang, Wenhui Cheng, Yaling Zhu","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2460900","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2460900","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Histone acetylation, particularly H3 K27 acetylation (H3K27ac), is a critical post-translational modification that regulates chromatin structure and gene expression, which plays a significant role in various cancers, including breast, colon, lung, hepatocellular, and prostate cancer. However, the mechanisms of H3K27ac in tumorigenesis are not yet comprehensive, especially its epigenetic mechanisms. This review endeavors to discuss findings on the involvement of H3K27ac in carcinogenesis within the past 5 years through a literature search using academic databases such as Web of Science. Firstly, we provide an overview of the diverse landscape of histone modifications, emphasizing the distinctive characteristics and critical significance of H3K27ac. Secondly, we summarize and compare advanced high-throughput sequencing technologies that have been utilized in the construction of the H3K27ac epigenetic map. Thirdly, we elucidate the role of H3K27ac in mediating gene transcription. Fourthly, we venture into the potential molecular mechanism of H3K27ac in cancer development. Finally, we engage in discussing future therapeutic approaches in oncology, with a spotlight on strategies that harness the potential of H3K27 modifications. In conclusion, this review comprehensively summarizes the characteristics of H3K27ac and underscores its pivotal role in cancer, providing valuable insights into its potential as a therapeutic target for cancer intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"263-279"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853624/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143467430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2025-01-28DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2025.2459550
Amy L Non
{"title":"The eighth annual US DOHAD meeting: promising approaches in epigenetics research of early life exposures.","authors":"Amy L Non","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2459550","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2459550","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The U.S. Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) meeting is an annual conference of primarily U.S. scientists who study early life programming of health and disease. The eighth annual symposium, entitled \"Exploring Translational DOHaD Science: From Cells to Communities\" was held at the Rizzo Conference Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, from October 14 to 16, 2024. The meeting was organized by US-DOHaD President Danielle Christifano and Vice President Kaela Varberg, and other Society Council Members. This year's meeting had record attendance, with 158 attendees from diverse disciplines, and featured 10 keynote speakers, 11 platform talks, and 84 poster presentations. Four major topics were covered: 1) Early nutrition and developmental outcomes, 2) Prenatal origins of child health, 3) Developmental impacts of toxicant exposures, and 4) Metabolic origins of health. Overall, the presented research highlighted the value of studying epigenetic effects of dietary and toxic exposures early in life. Various strategies emerged to address challenges facing the field, such as harnessing the power of nationwide longitudinal birth cohorts, new methods to integrate epigenetic and environmental data across various levels, and the emerging potential of organoids to identify the causal impact of early life exposures.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"209-211"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853541/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143051972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2025-01-17DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2025.2453415
Yu Funahashi, Yogesh Dwivedi
{"title":"Epigenetics and suicidal behavior in adolescents: a critical review.","authors":"Yu Funahashi, Yogesh Dwivedi","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2453415","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2453415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Suicide continues to be a significant public health issue globally, claiming over 700,000 lives annually. It is, therefore, important to assess the suicide risk properly and provide intervention in a timely fashion. While the heritability of suicidal behavior is around 50%, it does not explain the factors involved in causality. Recent evidence suggests that gene x environment interaction plays a vital role in suicidal behavior. In this paper, we critically evaluate the association between adolescent suicidal behavior and epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs, as well as epigenetic-based treatment options. It was noted that the prevalence of suicidal behavior in adolescents varied by age and sex and the presence of psychiatric disorders. Childhood adversity was closely associated with suicidal behavior. Studies show that alterations in epigenetic modifications may increase the risk of suicidal behavior independent of mental illnesses. Because epigenetic factors are reversible, environmental enrichment or the use of pharmacological agents that can target specific epigenetic modulation may be able to reduce suicidal behavior in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"247-262"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853622/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2025-01-20DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2025.2454894
Wanqian Pan, Chi Zhang, Xiaojiao Du, Xiong Su, Jia Lin, Tingbo Jiang, Weixiang Chen
{"title":"Association between epigenetic aging and atrioventricular block: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.","authors":"Wanqian Pan, Chi Zhang, Xiaojiao Du, Xiong Su, Jia Lin, Tingbo Jiang, Weixiang Chen","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2454894","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2025.2454894","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Atrioventricular block (AVB) is a prevalent bradyarrhythmia. This study aims to investigate the causal effects of epigenetic aging, as inferred from DNA methylation profiles on the prevalence of AVB by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Genetic instruments for epigenetic aging and AVB were obtained from genome-wide association study data in the Edinburgh DataShare and FinnGen biobanks. Univariable and multivariable MR analyses were conducted to evaluate causal associations. Additionally, we employed sensitivity tests to assess the robustness of the MR findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MR analysis showed that genetically predicted GrimAge acceleration was significantly associated with a higher risk of AVB (inverse variance-weighted: <i>p</i> = 0.010, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.024-1.196; weighted median: <i>p</i> = 0.031, 95% CI = 1.009-1.215). However, no evidence supported a causal relationship between AVB and epigenetic aging. The association between epigenetic aging and AVB was established using multivariate MR analysis after adjusting for various risk factors. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability and robustness of the results.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that epigenetic aging in GrimAge may increase the risk of AVB, emphasizing the importance of addressing epigenetic aging in strategies for AVB prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"223-234"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853617/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-11-24DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2433409
Christine Nardini, Pietro Di Lena
{"title":"Predictive power of epigenetic age - opportunities and cautions.","authors":"Christine Nardini, Pietro Di Lena","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2433409","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2433409","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"75-77"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142709442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-12-20DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2442293
Jenny Zhen-Duan, Katia M Canenguez, Anna E Wilson, Yue Gu, Harshitha G Valluri, Alejandra D Chavez, M Austin Argentieri, Anna Boonin Schachter, Haotian Wu, Andrea A Baccarelli, Martha L Daviglus, Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Erica T Warner, Alexandra E Shields
{"title":"Religion, spirituality, and DNA methylation in HPA-axis genes among Hispanic/Latino adults.","authors":"Jenny Zhen-Duan, Katia M Canenguez, Anna E Wilson, Yue Gu, Harshitha G Valluri, Alejandra D Chavez, M Austin Argentieri, Anna Boonin Schachter, Haotian Wu, Andrea A Baccarelli, Martha L Daviglus, Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Erica T Warner, Alexandra E Shields","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2442293","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2442293","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Investigate associations between religion and spirituality (R&S) and DNA methylation of four HPA-axis genes (i.e. 14 CpG sites) among 992 adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos cohorts.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We assessed 1) the association between R&S measures and mean percent methylation overall and stratified by nativity status (US-born or immigrant) and 2) if interactions between R&S and methylation differed by nativity status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among individuals with the <i>FKBP5</i> CC genotype, increased spirituality scores were associated with significantly lower methylation levels among immigrants, compared to US-born participants. Organizational religiosity (e.g. service attendance) was associated with increased <i>FKBP5</i> (CC genotype) methylation among immigrants.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>R&S may influence HPA-axis functioning differently based on nativity status; a finding that could offer insight into mechanisms leading to health disparities.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"155-166"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11812325/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142871675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-12-04DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2436837
Gwen Lomberk, Raul Urrutia
{"title":"The triple code model for advancing research in rare and undiagnosed diseases beyond the base pairs.","authors":"Gwen Lomberk, Raul Urrutia","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2436837","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2436837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rare and undiagnosed diseases pose significant challenges for understanding their mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment. The Triple Code Model, an integrative paradigm described here, considers the combined influence of the genetic code, epigenetic code, and nuclear structure (an emerging code), as fundamental biochemical mechanisms underlying many rare diseases. Studies demonstrate dysfunctional membrane and cytoplasmic signals instruct the epigenome to ultimately impact the 3D structure and dynamics of the nucleus, highlighting their close interrelationships. Consequently, this model offers a holistic perspective on rare and undiagnosed diseases by moving beyond a solely genetic view. We propose that this integrated framework will efficiently guide rare disease research by taking it 'Beyond the Base Pairs,' leading to improved diagnostics and personalized treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"115-124"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792834/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142766126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-12-23DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2441653
Elaheh Zarean, Shuai Li, Ee Ming Wong, Enes Makalic, Roger L Milne, Graham G Giles, Catriona McLean, Melissa C Southey, Pierre-Antoine Dugué
{"title":"Evaluation of agreement between common clustering strategies for DNA methylation-based subtyping of breast tumours.","authors":"Elaheh Zarean, Shuai Li, Ee Ming Wong, Enes Makalic, Roger L Milne, Graham G Giles, Catriona McLean, Melissa C Southey, Pierre-Antoine Dugué","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2441653","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2441653","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Clustering algorithms have been widely applied to tumor DNA methylation datasets to define methylation-based cancer subtypes. This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between subtypes obtained from common clustering strategies.</p><p><strong>Materials & methods: </strong>We used tumor DNA methylation data from 409 women with breast cancer from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) and 781 breast tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Agreement was assessed using the adjusted Rand index for various combinations of number of CpGs, number of clusters and clustering algorithms (hierarchical, K-means, partitioning around medoids, and recursively partitioned mixture models).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Inconsistent agreement patterns were observed for between-algorithm and within-algorithm comparisons, with generally poor to moderate agreement (ARI <0.7). Results were qualitatively similar in the MCCS and TCGA, showing better agreement for moderate number of CpGs and fewer clusters (K = 2). Restricting the analysis to CpGs that were differentially-methylated between tumor and normal tissue did not result in higher agreement.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study highlights that common clustering strategies involving an arbitrary choice of algorithm, number of clusters and number of methylation sites are likely to identify different DNA methylation-based breast tumor subtypes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"105-114"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792870/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142876370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exercise-mediated epigenetic modifications in cardiovascular diseases.","authors":"Xinyu Yang, Yanqi Zhang, Xingyi Wang, Shiliang Chen, Yang Zheng, Xinyu Hou, Shiyu Wang, Xianghui Zheng, Qifeng Li, Yong Sun, Jian Wu","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2447811","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2447811","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a prominent contributor to global morbidity and mortality rates, with projections indicating a rise in this burden due to population aging. While extensive research has underscored the efficacy of exercise in mitigating the risk of CVDs, the precise mechanisms, particularly within the realm of epigenetics, remain nascent. This article delves into cutting-edge research concerning exercise-induced epigenetic alterations and their impact on CVDs. Initially, we examine the cardiac implications stemming from exercise-induced epigenetic influences across varying intensities. Subsequently, our focus shifts toward delineating the mechanisms governing exercise-induced DNA methylation, lactylation modifications, and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modifications, alongside addressing associated challenges and outlining prospective research directions. These findings suggest that exercise-mediated epigenetic modifications offer promising therapeutic potential for the prevention and comorbidity management of CVDs. However, the heterogeneity and tissue specificity of these effects necessitate more targeted research to unlock their full therapeutic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":"17 3","pages":"179-191"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11812364/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143390567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EpigenomicsPub Date : 2025-02-01Epub Date: 2024-12-20DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2439782
Josefine Jönsson, Alexander Perfilyev, Unn Kugelberg, Signe Skog, Axel Lindström, Sabrina Ruhrmann, Jones K Ofori, Karl Bacos, Tina Rönn, Anita Öst, Charlotte Ling
{"title":"Impact of excess sugar on the whole genome DNA methylation pattern in human sperm.","authors":"Josefine Jönsson, Alexander Perfilyev, Unn Kugelberg, Signe Skog, Axel Lindström, Sabrina Ruhrmann, Jones K Ofori, Karl Bacos, Tina Rönn, Anita Öst, Charlotte Ling","doi":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2439782","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17501911.2024.2439782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims, patients & methods: </strong>Dietary factors may regulate the epigenome. We aimed to explore whether a diet intervention, including excess sugar, affects the methylome in human sperm, and to describe the sperm methylome. We used Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) to analyze DNA methylation in sperm taken at three time points from 15 males during a diet intervention; i) at baseline, ii) after one week on a standardized diet, and iii) after an additional week on a high-sugar diet providing 150% of their estimated total energy expenditure.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified seven nominal diet-associated differentially methylated regions in sperm (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The diet was nominally associated with methylation of 143 sites linked to fertility (e.g. <i>AHRR</i>, <i>GNAS</i>, and <i>HDAC4</i>), 313 sites in imprinted genes (e.g. <i>GLIS3</i>, <i>PEG10</i>, <i>PEG3</i>, and <i>SNURF</i>), and 42 sites in top 1%-expressed genes (e.g. <i>CHD2</i>) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In sperm, 3'UTRs and introns had the highest levels of methylation, while 5'UTRs and CpG islands had the lowest levels. Non-expressed genes in human sperm were hypomethylated in exons compared with transcribed genes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In human sperm, DNA methylation levels were linked to gene expression, and excess sugar had modest effects on methylation on imprinted and highly expressed genes, and genes affecting fertility.</p>","PeriodicalId":11959,"journal":{"name":"Epigenomics","volume":" ","pages":"89-104"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11792836/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142871674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}