title: Epigenetics in autoimmune diseases: Pathogenesis and prospects for therapy.
abstract: Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in genome function without underlying modifications in their nucleotide sequence. Disorders of epigenetic processes, which involve DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNA and nucleosome remodeling, may influence chromosomal stability and gene expression, resulting in complicated syndromes. In the past few years, it has been disclosed that identified epigenetic alterations give rise to several typical human autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). These emerging epigenetic studies provide new insights into autoimmune diseases. The identification of specific epigenetic dysregulation may inspire more discoveries of other uncharacterized mechanisms. Further elucidation of the biological functions and clinical significance of these epigenetic alterations may be exploited for diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic benefits.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology and Inflammation, Department of Immunology and Research Center of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironments and Diseases of Educational Ministry of China; Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development (Ministry of Health), Metabolic Diseases Hospital and Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology,Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
authors.forename: Zimu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology and Inflammation, Department of Immunology and Research Center of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironments and Diseases of Educational Ministry of China; Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development (Ministry of Health), Metabolic Diseases Hospital and Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology,Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China. Electronic address: rxzhang@tmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Rongxin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Autoimmune disease; DNA methylation; Epigenetic therapy; Epigenetics; Histone modification; ncRNA