Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Normal and Aberrant Blood Cell Development

Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Normal and Aberrant Blood Cell Development
Author: Constanze Bonifer
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 414
Release: 2014-03-12
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3642451985

During vertebrate hematopoiesis many specialized cell types are formed with vastly different functions such as B cells, T cells, granulocytes, macrophages, erythrocytes and megakaryocytes. To tightly control the enormous proliferative potential of developing blood cells, an intricately balanced signaling and transcription network has evolved that ensures that the different cell types are formed at the right time and in the right numbers. Intricate regulatory mechanisms ensure that blood cells function properly and have a determined life span. Moreover, in the adaptive immune system, long-lived memory cells have evolved that ensure that when pathogens have been seen once they will never cause a problem again. In this book we will therefore make a journey from asking how more primitive organisms use the epigenetic regulatory machinery to balance growth with differentiation control towards digging deep into what controls the function of specialized cells of the human immune system. We will first discover that flies make blood but exist without blood vessels, why fish make blood cells in the kidney and which precise genetic circuitries are required for these developmental pathways. We will then learn the regulatory principles that drive the differentiation of mature blood cells from stem cells and what controls their function in mammals. In the process, we will find out what unites hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial cells. Finally, we will shed light on the molecular mechanisms that either alter hematopoietic cell differentiation or lead to the development of cells with impaired function.

Epigenetic Regulation of Lymphocyte Development

Epigenetic Regulation of Lymphocyte Development
Author: Cornelis Murre
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2012-02-07
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3642241034

The studies described in this volume serve as a starting point to familiarize one self with the multifarious differences in epigenetic designs that orchestrate the progression of developing blood cells. They also may serve as a general paradigm for the mechanisms that underpin the control of eukaryotic gene expression.

Epigenetic Gene Expression and Regulation

Epigenetic Gene Expression and Regulation
Author: Suming Huang
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 484
Release: 2015-10-19
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0128004711

Epigenetic Gene Expression and Regulation reviews current knowledge on the heritable molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression, contribute to disease susceptibility, and point to potential treatment in future therapies. The book shows how these heritable mechanisms allow individual cells to establish stable and unique patterns of gene expression that can be passed through cell divisions without DNA mutations, thereby establishing how different heritable patterns of gene regulation control cell differentiation and organogenesis, resulting in a distinct human organism with a variety of differing cellular functions and tissues. The work begins with basic biology, encompasses methods, cellular and tissue organization, topical issues in epigenetic evolution and environmental epigenesis, and lastly clinical disease discovery and treatment. Each highly illustrated chapter is organized to briefly summarize current research, provide appropriate pedagogical guidance, pertinent methods, relevant model organisms, and clinical examples. Reviews current knowledge on the heritable molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression, contribute to disease susceptibility, and point to potential treatment in future therapies Helps readers understand how epigenetic marks are targeted, and to what extent transgenerational epigenetic changes are instilled and possibly passed onto offspring Chapters are replete with clinical examples to empower the basic biology with translational significance Offers more than 100 illustrations to distill key concepts and decipher complex science

Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cellular Reprogramming

Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cellular Reprogramming
Author: Alexander Meissner
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2014-12-11
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3642319742

The ability of a single genome to give rise to hundreds of functionally distinct cell type programs is in itself remarkable. Pioneering studies over the past few decades have demonstrated that this plasticity is retained throughout development, a phenomenon of epigenetic programming and reprogramming that remains one of the most fascinating areas of modern biology, with major relevance to human health and disease. This book presents the basic biology involved, including key mechanistic insights into this rapidly growing field.

Epigenetics: Development and Disease

Epigenetics: Development and Disease
Author: Tapas Kumar Kundu
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 698
Release: 2012-11-13
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9400745257

Epigenetics fine-tunes the life processes dictated by DNA sequences, but also kick-starts pathophysiological processes including diabetes, AIDS and cancer. This volume tracks the latest research on epigenetics, including work on new-generation therapeutics.

Epigenetics and Regeneration

Epigenetics and Regeneration
Author:
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 541
Release: 2019-05-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0128148802

Epigenetics and Regeneration compiles the first foundational reference on epigenetic mechanisms governing tissue development, repair, homeostasis, and regeneration, as well as pathways to employ these mechanisms in clinical practice and translational science. In this book, life science researchers, clinicians, and students will discover an interdisciplinary resource bringing together common themes in the field, background overviews, research methods, recent advances, and opportunities for drug discovery. Throughout this volume, special attention is paid to pre-clinical and first clinical studies aimed at increasing the regenerative potential of damaged tissues by epigenetic drugs, as well as innovative, discipline spanning strategies to enhance cell reprogramming. As an all-inclusive, evidence-based volume, Epigenetics and Regeneration will stimulate discussion and boost new research in this fascinating and impactful area of translational epigenetics. Provides a foundational overview of epigenetics in regenerative medicine Examines epigenetic components of tissue regeneration for a variety of organ systems and tissue types, as well as current attempts to employ these mechanisms in clinical practice Offers researchers, students, clinicians, and pharmacologists the tools they need to enhance tissue development, repair, homeostasis, and regeneration and explore new epigenetic therapeutic pathways Features chapter contributions from leading international researchers and clinicians in the fields of epigenetics and regenerative medicine

Epigenetics and Reproductive Health

Epigenetics and Reproductive Health
Author:
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 464
Release: 2020-09-12
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0128197544

Epigenetics and Reproductive Health, a new volume in the Translational Epigenetics series, provides a thorough overview and discussion of epigenetics in reproduction and implications for reproductive medicine. Twenty international researchers discuss epigenetic mechanisms operating during the formation of male and female gametes, fertilization and subsequent embryo and placental development, particularly in mammals and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. This volume also addresses aberrant epigenetic changes influencing male and female infertility, pregnancy related disorders, and those potentially linked to therapeutic manipulations and assisted reproductive technologies. Emphasis is placed on identifying biomarkers for early detection of aberrant epigenetic mechanisms. Later chapters examine the possibility of correcting these epigenetic dysfunctions, as well as current challenges and next steps in research, enabling new translational discoveries and efforts towards developing therapeutics. Thoroughly examines the influence of aberrant epigenetics during gametogenesis and embryogenesis, affecting parents, gametes and embryos, offspring and future generations Explores health outcomes for reproductive senescence, endocrine disruption, testicular cancer, prostrate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian, cancer, endometrial cancer and cervical cancers Features chapter contributions from international researchers in the field

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Cell Programming and Reprogramming

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Cell Programming and Reprogramming
Author: Gang Pei
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2023-09-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9811974195

This book presents a major research program on epigenetic mechanisms of cell programming and reprogramming. The program was launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, which was started in October 2008 and concluded at the end of 2016. It first summarizes the epigenetic research plans and the current situation of epigenetic research in China and the international frontier. With the application of interdisciplinary research methods, the book discusses the development trends of epigenetic research, such as mechanisms of establishment and maintenance of epigenetic information and epigenetic regulation on reproduction and development. It also presents a variety of research achievements. For example, the discovery of new epigenetic regulators and chromatin remodulaters and their biological functions and mechanisms are highlighted. Several regulation mechanisms of cell differentiation and trans-differentiation are discussed, especially the discovery of the key factors to promote the trans-differentiation of somatic cells to hepatocytes. In addition, this book puts forward some key academic fields with increasing importance, such as biochemistry, cell biology, and clinical medicine. Given its scope, the book is of interest to researchers who work in cell biology, biochemistry, structural biology, bioinformatics, clinical medicine, and other related fields.

Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms of the First Cell Fate Decision and Reprogramming

Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms of the First Cell Fate Decision and Reprogramming
Author: Catherine Soo Rhee
Publisher:
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2016
Genre:
ISBN:

The placenta is a transient but vital organ mediating a myriad of interactions between maternal and embryonic tissues. The cells in the trophectoderm (TE) lineage are responsible for proper implantation, placentation, and immunological functions of the placenta. However, our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying placentation and TE development is still rudimentary. Deciphering the mechanisms by which key TE-specific transcription factors (TFs) control the first cell fate decision, as well as the maintenance and differentiation of TE, is a prerequisite for understanding early embryonic development and ultimately improving healthy pregnancy. First, using a combination of functional genomics, bioinformatics, and mouse genetics, I revealed that Arid3a is a critical regulator for controlling the first cell fate decision and placental development. Ectopically expressed Arid3a induces TE-like gene expression programs in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Moreover, Arid3a is not only essential for maintaining self-renewing TS cells, but also for promoting further differentiation of trophoblastic lineages. Consistently, Arid3a-/- mice suffer from severely impaired post-implantation development, resulting in early embryonic lethality. I further showed that Arid3a directly activates TE-specific genes while repressing pluripotency genes by recruiting HDAC1. Second, I studied the mechanisms underlying TF-mediated conversion of ES to trophoblast stem (TS)-like cells. Upon overexpression of TS cell-specific TFs, Cdx2, Arid3a, and Gata3 (CAG factors) in ES cells, I performed time–course profiling of chromatin accessibility, transcriptomes, and occupancy of these reprogramming factors during reprogramming. Using an integrative analysis, I discovered that CAG factors orchestrate the conversion via a sequential two-step regulation in a timely, ordered manner, with repression of pluripotency genes by decommissioning active enhancers, followed by activation of TS cell-specific genes as pioneer factors that can access closed chromatin. Taken together, my studies unveiled that Arid3a functions as a pivotal regulator of TE and placental development by regulating the commitment to the first cell fate, as well as by executing TE lineage differentiation. I advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underlying TF-mediated reprogramming of ES to TS-like cells, in particular Arid3a-mediated transcriptional and epigenetic regulation. Thus, my studies will be beneficial for enhancing clinical applications such as disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative therapies.

Epigenetic Modifications and Viral Infections

Epigenetic Modifications and Viral Infections
Author: Silvia Carolina Galvan
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Total Pages: 113
Release: 2015-07-09
Genre: Epigenetics
ISBN: 2889195872

Epigenetics is defined as the study of modifications of the genome, heritable during cell division that does not involve changes in DNA sequences. Up to date, epigenetic modifications involve at least three general mechanisms regulating gene expression: histone modifications, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). For the past two decades, an explosion in our interest and understanding of epigenetic mechanisms has been seen. This mainly based on the influence that epigenetic alterations have on an amazing number of biological processes, such as gene expression, imprinting, programmed DNA rearrangements, germ line silencing, developmentally cued stem cell division, and overall chromosomal stability and identity. It has become also evident that the constant exposure of living organisms to environment factors affects their genomes through epigenetic mechanisms. Viruses infecting animal cells are thought to play central roles in shaping the epigenetic scenario of infected cells. In this context it has become obvious that knowing the impact that viral infections have on the epigenetic control of their host cells will certainly lead to a better understanding of the interplay viruses have with animal cells. In fact, DNA viruses use host transcription factors as well as epigenetic regulators in such a way that they affect epigenetic control of gene expression that extends to host gene expression. At the same time, animal cells employ mechanisms controlling transcription factors and epigenetic processes, in order to eliminate viral infections. In summary, epigenetic mechanisms are involved in most virus-cell interactions. We now know that some viruses exhibit epigenetic immune evasion mechanisms to survive and propagate in their host; however, there is still much ambiguity over these epigenetic mechanisms of viral immune evasion, and most of the discovered mechanisms are still incomplete. Other animal viruses associated to cancer often deregulate cellular epigenetic mechanisms, silencing cellular tumor-suppressor genes and/or activating either viral or host cell oncogenes. In addition, in several cancers the down-regulation of tumor suppressor protein-coding genes and ncRNAs with growth inhibitory functions, such as miRNAs, have been closely linked to the presence of cell CpG island promoter hypermethylation. The goal of the aforementioned Research Topic is to bring together the key experimental and theoretical research, linking state-of-the-art knowledge about the epigenetic mechanisms involved in animal virus-cell interactions.