Abstract
In the presence of different environmental cues that are able to trigger specific responses, a given genotype has the ability to originate a variety of different phenotypes. This property is defined as plasticity and allows cell fate definition and tissue specialization. Fundamental epigenetic mechanisms drive these modifications in gene expression and include DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and microRNAs. Understanding these mechanisms can provide powerful tools to switch cell phenotype and implement cell therapy.Environmentally influenced epigenetic changes have also been associated to many diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, with patients that do not respond, or only poorly respond, to conventional therapy. It is clear that disorders based on an individual’s personal genomic/epigenomic profile can rarely be successfully treated with standard therapies due to genetic heterogeneity and epigenetic alterations and a personalized medicine approach is far more appropriate to manage these patients.We here discuss the recent advances in small molecule approaches for personalized medicine, drug targeting, and generation of new cells for medical application. We also provide prospective views of the possibility to directly convert one cell type into another, in a safe and robust way, for cell-based clinical trials and regenerative medicine.
Highlights
Epigenetics is at the center of modern biology and medicine, since it is currently considered a fundamental tool to understand embryo development and stem cell biology, as well as to explain the relationship among an individual’s genetic background, the environmental influences, aging, and disease susceptibility.The most exciting idea is that epigenetics may provide new clues to intervene at the junction between the genome and the environment, modifying the effects of deleterious genes [1]
The exact mechanisms underlying Induced pluripotent cell (iPSCs) generation still remain to be elucidated, these results suggest that epigenetic modifiers improve cell reprogramming altering chromatin structure and directly modulating the epigenetic enzymes
Altogether, the results accumulated during the last years have paved the way to the use of small molecules for personalized medicine, drug targeting, and the induction of changes in cell fate
Summary
Epigenetics is at the center of modern biology and medicine, since it is currently considered a fundamental tool to understand embryo development and stem cell biology, as well as to explain the relationship among an individual’s genetic background, the environmental influences, aging, and disease susceptibility.The most exciting idea is that epigenetics may provide new clues to intervene at the junction between the genome and the environment, modifying the effects of deleterious genes [1]. This new approach demonstrated that it is possible to dynamically interact with cell genotype and phenotype through the use of epigenetic modifiers [2,3,4,5,6,7].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
