• Galina Y Zheleznyakova, Eliane Piket, Francesco Marabita, Majid Pahlevan Kakhki, Ewoud Ewing, Sabrina Ruhrmann, Maria Needhamsen, Maja Jagodic, and Lara Kular.
• Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Physiol. Genomics. 2017 Sep 1; 49 (9): 447-461.

AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. MS likely results from a complex interplay between predisposing causal gene variants (the strongest influence coming from HLA class II locus) and environmental risk factors such as smoking, infectious mononucleosis, and lack of sun exposure/vitamin D. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying MS development and progression. Moreover, the clinical heterogeneity and variable response to treatment represent additional challenges to a comprehensive understanding and efficient treatment of disease. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications, integrate influences from the genes and the environment to regulate gene expression accordingly. Studying epigenetic modifications, which are stable and reversible, may provide an alternative approach to better understand and manage disease. We here aim to review findings from epigenetic studies in MS and further discuss the challenges and clinical opportunities arising from epigenetic research, many of which apply to other diseases with similar complex etiology. A growing body of evidence supports a role of epigenetic processes in the mechanisms underlying immune pathogenesis and nervous system dysfunction in MS. However, disparities between studies shed light on the need to consider possible confounders and methodological limitations for a better interpretation of the data. Nevertheless, translational use of epigenetics might offer new opportunities in epigenetic-based diagnostics and therapeutic tools for a personalized care of MS patients.Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

17 keywords...

hide…