Paradigm Shift: From Genetics to Epigenetics

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Biology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 16292

Special Issue Editor


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Scientific Institute of Research and Care Multimedica, Via Milanese 300, 20099 Sesto S. Giovanni (Milano), Italy
Interests: cell differentiation; cancer cell peprogramming; tissue regeneration; cell survival; cellular senescence; aging prevention
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The epidemiological transition of diseases in recent decades, in the form of numerous chronic, inflammatory, degenerative and neoplastic diseases, with an alarming lowering of the age of onset, represents an unprecedented serious public health issue. It urges us to encourage the convergence of perspectives and interventions by the scientific community.

The parallel increase in the prevalence of numerous diseases and the worrying anticipation of the age of onset have drawn increasing attention to the study of embryo-fetal ontogenesis. Long considered a mere execution of predefined instructions written in DNA, the events of intrauterine growth currently appear in a completely different light, thanks to knowledge derived from epigenetics. Findings in this field have made it possible to understand that embryo-fetal ontogenesis is the most important time window for animal life and, particularly for human beings, it has relevant implications, both in the evolutionary and biomedical fields.

The traditional model of linear genetics and correlation of the genotype-phenotype have become increasingly unsuitable to explain epidemiological and clinical findings of the evolving scenario of diseases. A fluid genome model—made up of the DNA sequence, the dynamics and structure of histones responsive to information from the surrounding environment—seems a more plausible paradigm.

Besides the control of cell differentiation, and the development of embryonic tissues and organs during ontogenesis, the epigenetic machinery explains the tuning of predictive adaptive responses acting to program the limits of lifetime physiologic adaptations, modulating the risk for diseases. Among the factors modulating epigenetic machinery, the evidence supports a relevant impact of microbiota in determining the lifetime risk for disease. In fact, numerous studies show correlations between dysbiosis and the risk of non-transmissible diseases.

The Special Issue “Paradigm Shift: from Genetics to Epigenetics” aims to collect original research manuscripts, short communications and reviews on the latest progresses of epigenetics mechanisms, which can explain dramatic changes in the present new epidemiological scenario, considering the role of many different pollutants, like endocrine disruptors, but not least, the role of microbiota in changing gene expression in the cells of the body.

Dr. Pier Mario Biava
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • epigenetics
  • ontogenesis
  • stem cell differentiation
  • endocrine disruptors
  • nutrigenetics
  • nutrigenomics
  • microbioma
  • microbiota

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

17 pages, 17688 KiB  
Review
Histone H2B Mutations in Cancer
by Yi Ching Esther Wan and Kui Ming Chan
Biomedicines 2021, 9(6), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9060694 - 19 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4230
Abstract
Oncohistones have emerged as a new area in cancer epigenetics research. Recent efforts to catalogue histone mutations in cancer patients have revealed thousands of histone mutations across different types of cancer. In contrast to previously identified oncohistones (H3K27M, H3G34V/R, and H3K36M), where the [...] Read more.
Oncohistones have emerged as a new area in cancer epigenetics research. Recent efforts to catalogue histone mutations in cancer patients have revealed thousands of histone mutations across different types of cancer. In contrast to previously identified oncohistones (H3K27M, H3G34V/R, and H3K36M), where the mutations occur on the tail domain and affect histone post-translational modifications, the majority of the newly identified mutations are located within the histone fold domain and affect gene expression via distinct mechanisms. The recent characterization of the selected H2B has revealed previously unappreciated roles of oncohistones in nucleosome stability, chromatin accessibility, and chromatin remodeling. This review summarizes recent advances in the study of H2B oncohistones and other emerging oncohistones occurring on other types of histones, particularly those occurring on the histone fold domain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Paradigm Shift: From Genetics to Epigenetics)
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25 pages, 1654 KiB  
Review
Gender Specific Differences in Disease Susceptibility: The Role of Epigenetics
by Lucia Migliore, Vanessa Nicolì and Andrea Stoccoro
Biomedicines 2021, 9(6), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9060652 - 8 Jun 2021
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 11075
Abstract
Many complex traits or diseases, such as infectious and autoimmune diseases, cancer, xenobiotics exposure, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the outcome of vaccination, show a differential susceptibility between males and females. In general, the female immune system responds more efficiently to [...] Read more.
Many complex traits or diseases, such as infectious and autoimmune diseases, cancer, xenobiotics exposure, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the outcome of vaccination, show a differential susceptibility between males and females. In general, the female immune system responds more efficiently to pathogens. However, this can lead to over-reactive immune responses, which may explain the higher presence of autoimmune diseases in women, but also potentially the more adverse effects of vaccination in females compared with in males. Many clinical and epidemiological studies reported, for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gender-biased differential response; however, the majority of reports dealt with a comparable morbidity, with males, however, showing higher COVID-19 adverse outcomes. Although gender differences in immune responses have been studied predominantly within the context of sex hormone effects, some other mechanisms have been invoked: cellular mosaicism, skewed X chromosome inactivation, genes escaping X chromosome inactivation, and miRNAs encoded on the X chromosome. The hormonal hypothesis as well as other mechanisms will be examined and discussed in the light of the most recent epigenetic findings in the field, as the concept that epigenetics is the unifying mechanism in explaining gender-specific differences is increasingly emerging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Paradigm Shift: From Genetics to Epigenetics)
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