表观遗传学研究进展

表观遗传学被定义为研究可遗传的基因表达改变的一门遗传学分支学科。它既不同于基因突变,也不依赖DNA序列的改变。基因表达的表观遗传调控对人类健康具有长远而广泛的影响。饮食及环境因素可能会潜在的改变表观遗传调节的水平及范围,因此,对于表观遗传的深入研究有助于解释生活习惯与疾病发生间的关系。此外,DNA表观遗传修饰变化可以作为早期癌症及癌前病变检测的生物标志物,对于癌症的诊断、预后及治疗大有裨益。逆转表观遗传对基因的调控代表一种新的治疗策略或药物设计模式。

Advances in epigenetics

Epigenetics is defined as heritable changes in gene expression that are, unlike mutations, not attributable to alterations in the sequence of DNA. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression appears to have long-term effects and wide-ranging effects on health. Diet and environmental exposures may potentially alter the level and scope of epige-netic regulation, thus interesting developments in the study of epigenetics might explain correlations that researchers have found between lifestyle and risk of disease. Epigenetic modifications of DNA in cancer and precancerous lesions offer hope and the promise of novel biomarkers for early cancer detection, prediction, prognosis, and response to treat-ment. Furthermore, reversal of epigenetic changes represents a potential target of novel therapeutic strategies and med-ication design.