title: Linking epigenetics to lipid metabolism: focus on histone deacetylases.
abstract: A number of recent studies revealed that epigenetic modifications play a central role in the regulation of lipid and of other metabolic pathways such as cholesterol homeostasis, bile acid synthesis, glucose and energy metabolism. Epigenetics refers to aspects of genome functions regulated in a DNA sequence-independent fashion. Chromatin structure is controlled by epigenetic mechanisms through DNA methylation and histone modifications. The main modifications are histone acetylation and deacetylation on specific lysine residues operated by two different classes of enzymes: Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), respectively. The interaction between these enzymes and histones can activate or repress gene transcription: Histone acetylation opens and activates chromatin, while deacetylation of histones and DNA methylation compact chromatin making it transcriptionally silent. The new evidences on the importance of HDACs in the regulation of lipid and other metabolic pathways will open new perspectives in the comprehension of the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italia.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiorino
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giudici
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gilardi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galmozzi
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitro
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cermenati
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godio
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Fabiani
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crestani
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000502:physiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006655:Histone Deacetylases