Abstract
The best-known phenomenon exemplifying epigenetic drift (the alteration of epigenetic patterns during aging) is the gradual decrease of global DNA methylation. Aging cells, different tissue types, as well as a variety of human diseases possess their own distinct DNA methylation profiles, although the functional impact of these is not always clear. DNA methylation appears to be a dynamic tool of transcriptional regulation, with an extra layer of complexity due to the recent discovery of the conversion of 5-methylcytosine into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. This age-related DNA demethylation is associated with changes in histone modification patterns and, furthermore, we now know that ncRNAs have evolved in eukaryotes as epigenetic regulators of gene expression. In this review, we will discuss current knowledge on how all these epigenetic phenomena are implicated in human aging, and their links with external, internal and stochastic factors which can affect human age-related diseases onset.
Keywords: Aging, Age-related diseases, DNA methylation, Epigenetics, External factors, Histone modifications, Non-coding RNAs.
Current Genomics
Title:Epigenetics of Aging
Volume: 16 Issue: 6
Author(s): Marta I. Sierra, Agustín F. Fernández and Mario F. Fraga
Affiliation:
Keywords: Aging, Age-related diseases, DNA methylation, Epigenetics, External factors, Histone modifications, Non-coding RNAs.
Abstract: The best-known phenomenon exemplifying epigenetic drift (the alteration of epigenetic patterns during aging) is the gradual decrease of global DNA methylation. Aging cells, different tissue types, as well as a variety of human diseases possess their own distinct DNA methylation profiles, although the functional impact of these is not always clear. DNA methylation appears to be a dynamic tool of transcriptional regulation, with an extra layer of complexity due to the recent discovery of the conversion of 5-methylcytosine into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. This age-related DNA demethylation is associated with changes in histone modification patterns and, furthermore, we now know that ncRNAs have evolved in eukaryotes as epigenetic regulators of gene expression. In this review, we will discuss current knowledge on how all these epigenetic phenomena are implicated in human aging, and their links with external, internal and stochastic factors which can affect human age-related diseases onset.
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Cite this article as:
Sierra I. Marta, Fernández F. Agustín and Fraga F. Mario, Epigenetics of Aging, Current Genomics 2015; 16 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389202916666150817203459
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389202916666150817203459 |
Print ISSN 1389-2029 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5488 |
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