Zusammenfassung
Most human diseases are related in some way to the loss or gain in
gene functions. Regulation of gene expression is a complex process.
In addition to genetic mechanisms, epigenetic causes are gaining
new perspectives in human diseases related to gene deregulation.
Most eukaryotic genes are packed into chromatin structures, which
lead to high condensations of the genes that require dynamic chromatin
remodeling processes to facilitate their transcription. DNA methylation
and histone modifications represent two of the major chromatin remodeling
processes. They also serve to integrate environmental signals for
the cells to modulate the functional output of their genome. Complex
human diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes are believed to
have a strong environmental component in addition to genetic causes.
Aberrancies in chromatin remodeling are associated with both genetically
and environmentally-related diseases. We will focus on recent findings
of the epigenetic basis of human metabolic disorders to facilitate
further exploration of epigenetic mechanisms and better understandings
of the molecular cues underlying such complex diseases.
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