With the improvement in living standards and changes in lifestyles, human life expectancy has been extended, while the prevalence of metabolic-related diseases (e.g., obesity, disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism, fatty liver, cancers) and immunological diseases has been increasing rapidly. Previous studies showed that epigenetics is tightly associated with risk factors and the development of metabolic and immunological diseases, cancers as well as aging. Epigenetic regulations include multi-level intracellular events that influence chromatin structure and gene expression without altering DNA sequences, such as DNA methylation, post-translational modifications of histones, RNA-mediated processes, and chromatin remodeling. Epigenetic pathways are crucial for coordinating metabolic reprogramming and cellular immunological events in response to extracellular stimuli, leading to varied biological and pathological outcomes. Besides, epigenetic modulations are active, dynamic, and possibly reversible, which may play critical roles in disease onset, development, and prognosis; these biological modules enable providing targets for disease management.
It is still unclear whether disruption of epigenetic regulation is a driver or a response to a specific metabolic or immunological disease, and the underlying mechanisms of how epigenetic changes affect gene function and phenotypes remain to be further investigated. A better understanding of the mechanisms, cross-talks, and causal relationships will aid in disease management and healthy aging.
The aims of this Research Topic are:
1) To collect the most recent advances in epigenetic studies that help understand the role of epigenetics in metabolism, immunology, aging, and cancer.
2) To discuss future research perspectives and how to facilitate clinical transformations based on epigenetic research findings.
We welcome submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, and Systematic Reviews that explore a wide range of themes, including, but not limited to the following:
(1) Epigenetic networks that contribute to the pathogenesis, progression, and therapy advances of metabolism, immunology and aging at the human population, animal models, and cellular level.
(2) Epigenetic cross-talks among metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer, and the possible mechanisms. (
3) Causal relationships between epigenetics and metabolic or immunological diseases, and how this causality influence various biological processes, such as long-term memory, stem cell differentiation, aging and tumorigenesis.
(4) Development of epigenetic biomarkers and/or identifications of the subtypes of metabolic or immunological diseases.
(5) Applications of epigenetic-related approaches for the treatment of metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer.
(6) Novel technologies and/or research models facilitate epigenetics study, especially in the metabolism, immunity, aging, and cancer field.
With the improvement in living standards and changes in lifestyles, human life expectancy has been extended, while the prevalence of metabolic-related diseases (e.g., obesity, disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism, fatty liver, cancers) and immunological diseases has been increasing rapidly. Previous studies showed that epigenetics is tightly associated with risk factors and the development of metabolic and immunological diseases, cancers as well as aging. Epigenetic regulations include multi-level intracellular events that influence chromatin structure and gene expression without altering DNA sequences, such as DNA methylation, post-translational modifications of histones, RNA-mediated processes, and chromatin remodeling. Epigenetic pathways are crucial for coordinating metabolic reprogramming and cellular immunological events in response to extracellular stimuli, leading to varied biological and pathological outcomes. Besides, epigenetic modulations are active, dynamic, and possibly reversible, which may play critical roles in disease onset, development, and prognosis; these biological modules enable providing targets for disease management.
It is still unclear whether disruption of epigenetic regulation is a driver or a response to a specific metabolic or immunological disease, and the underlying mechanisms of how epigenetic changes affect gene function and phenotypes remain to be further investigated. A better understanding of the mechanisms, cross-talks, and causal relationships will aid in disease management and healthy aging.
The aims of this Research Topic are:
1) To collect the most recent advances in epigenetic studies that help understand the role of epigenetics in metabolism, immunology, aging, and cancer.
2) To discuss future research perspectives and how to facilitate clinical transformations based on epigenetic research findings.
We welcome submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, and Systematic Reviews that explore a wide range of themes, including, but not limited to the following:
(1) Epigenetic networks that contribute to the pathogenesis, progression, and therapy advances of metabolism, immunology and aging at the human population, animal models, and cellular level.
(2) Epigenetic cross-talks among metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer, and the possible mechanisms. (
3) Causal relationships between epigenetics and metabolic or immunological diseases, and how this causality influence various biological processes, such as long-term memory, stem cell differentiation, aging and tumorigenesis.
(4) Development of epigenetic biomarkers and/or identifications of the subtypes of metabolic or immunological diseases.
(5) Applications of epigenetic-related approaches for the treatment of metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer.
(6) Novel technologies and/or research models facilitate epigenetics study, especially in the metabolism, immunity, aging, and cancer field.