Understanding the epigenetic syntax for the genetic alphabet in the kidney.
Authors Susztak K
Submitted By Katalin Susztak on 6/2/2014
Status Published
Journal Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN
Year 2014
Date Published 1/1/2014
Volume : Pages 25 : 10 - 17
PubMed Reference 24179169
Abstract The cells in a human body have identical DNA sequences, yet the body has >200
cell types with different phenotypes. The basis for this nongenetic cellular
memory, which records developmental and environmental cues, is epigenetics. The
epigenome includes covalent modifications of the DNA and its associated proteins
and defines DNA accessibility to the transcriptional machinery. Notably, the
epigenome has emerged as an important mediator of the long-term programming
effect of environmental exposure, and multiple lines of evidence point to the
epigenome as an important missing link in our understanding of CKD development.
For example, recent studies identified epigenetic differences in the enhancer
regions of fibrosis-related genes in diseased human kidney samples. Furthermore,
chromatin profiling and epigenome analysis are powerful tools for annotating
gene regulatory regions that can be harnessed to interpret disease-causing
polymorphisms for complex traits such as CKD. This review highlights the results
of studies investigating the renal epigenome and discusses the significance of
these findings and future directions in the context of novel diagnostic and
treatment strategies for CKD.


Investigators with authorship
NameInstitution
Katalin SusztakUniversity of Pennsylvania

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