Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression independent of DNA nucleotide sequence itself, and the main mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications, noncoding RNAs, and so on. Vascular disease is a chronic disease regulated by the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. In recent years, more and more studies have confirmed that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the occurrence and development of vascular diseases. This article reviews recent advances in epigenetics in vascular disease.
ObjectiveTo summarize the current research status of the relationship between DNA methylation and liver regeneration.MethodThe related literatures at home and abroad were searched to review the studies on relationships between the methylation level of liver cells, regulation of gene expression, and methylation related proteins and liver regeneration.ResultsThe DNA methylation was an important epigenetic regulation method in vivo and its role in the liver regeneration had been paid more and more attentions in recent years. The existing studies had found the epigenetic phenomena during the liver regeneration such as the genomic hypomethylation, methylation changes of related proliferating genes and DNA methyltransferase and UHRF1 regulation of the liver regeneration.ConclusionsThere are many relationships between DNA methylation and liver regeneration. Regulation of liver regeneration from DNA methylation level is expected to become a reality in the near future.
ObjectiveTo investigate the difference of DNA methylation before and after bariatric surgery.MethodThe relevant literatures of the research on the changes of DNA methylation level and gene expression regulation in blood and tissues before and after bariatric surgery were retrieved and reviewed.ResultsDNA methylation was an important method of epigenetic regulation in organisms and its role in bariatric surgery had been paid more and more attention in recent years. Existing studies had found that there were changes of DNA methylation in blood and tissues before and after bariatric surgery. The degree of methylation varies with different follow-up time after bariatric surgery and the same gene had different degrees of methylation in different tissues, and some even had the opposite results.ConclusionsDNA methylation levels before and after bariatric surgery are different in different tissues. And studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up time are needed, to further reveal relationship among DNA methylation, obesity, and bariatric surgery.
RNA can be labeled by more than 170 chemical modifications after transcription, and these chemical modifications are collectively referred to as RNA modifications. It opened a new chapter of epigenetic research and became a major research hotspot in recent years. RNA modification regulates the expression of genes from the transcriptome level by regulating the fate of RNA, thus participating in many biological processes and disease occurrence and development. With the deepening of research, the diversity and complexity of RNA modification, as well as its physiological significance and potential as a therapeutic target, can not be ignored.