title: Epigenetics of Aging.
abstract: The best-known phenomenon exemplifying epigenetic drift (the alteration of epigenetic patterns during aging) is the gradual decrease of global DNA methylation. Aging cells, different tissue types, as well as a variety of human diseases possess their own distinct DNA methylation profiles, although the functional impact of these is not always clear. DNA methylation appears to be a dynamic tool of transcriptional regulation, with an extra layer of complexity due to the recent discovery of the conversion of 5-methylcytosine into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. This age-related DNA demethylation is associated with changes in histone modification patterns and, furthermore, we now know that ncRNAs have evolved in eukaryotes as epigenetic regulators of gene expression. In this review, we will discuss current knowledge on how all these epigenetic phenomena are implicated in human aging, and their links with external, internal and stochastic factors which can affect human age-related diseases onset.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA), HUCA, Universidad de Oviedo and Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC)-Universidad de Oviedo (UO) -Principado de Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Sierra
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA), HUCA, Universidad de Oviedo and Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC)-Universidad de Oviedo (UO) -Principado de Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Agustín F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA), HUCA, Universidad de Oviedo and Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC)-Universidad de Oviedo (UO) -Principado de Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fraga
keywords: Age-related diseases; Aging; DNA methylation; Epigenetics; External factors; Histone modifications; Non-coding RNAs.