TY - CHAP
T1 - The Promise of Epigenetic Editing for Treating Brain Disorders
AU - González Molina, Luis A.
AU - Dolga, Amalia M.
AU - Rots, Marianne G.
AU - Sarno, Federica
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
PY - 2025/1/17
Y1 - 2025/1/17
N2 - Brain disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases, affect millions of people worldwide. There is no causal treatment available; therefore, there is an unmet clinical need for finding therapeutic options for these diseases. Epigenetic research has resulted in identification of various genomic loci with differential disease-specific epigenetic modifications, mainly DNA methylation. These biomarkers, although not yet translated into clinically approved options, offer therapeutic targets as epigenetic modifications are reversible. Indeed, clinical trials are designed to inhibit epigenetic writers, erasers, or readers using epigenetic drugs to interfere with epigenetic dysregulation in brain disorders. However, since such drugs elicit genome-wide effects and potentially cause toxicity, the recent developments in the field of epigenetic editing are gaining widespread attention. In this review, we provide examples of epigenetic biomarkers and epi-drugs, while describing efforts in the field of epigenetic editing, to eventually make a difference for the currently incurable brain disorders.
AB - Brain disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases, affect millions of people worldwide. There is no causal treatment available; therefore, there is an unmet clinical need for finding therapeutic options for these diseases. Epigenetic research has resulted in identification of various genomic loci with differential disease-specific epigenetic modifications, mainly DNA methylation. These biomarkers, although not yet translated into clinically approved options, offer therapeutic targets as epigenetic modifications are reversible. Indeed, clinical trials are designed to inhibit epigenetic writers, erasers, or readers using epigenetic drugs to interfere with epigenetic dysregulation in brain disorders. However, since such drugs elicit genome-wide effects and potentially cause toxicity, the recent developments in the field of epigenetic editing are gaining widespread attention. In this review, we provide examples of epigenetic biomarkers and epi-drugs, while describing efforts in the field of epigenetic editing, to eventually make a difference for the currently incurable brain disorders.
KW - DNA methylation biomarkers, histone modifications, Epi-drugs
KW - Epigenetic editing
KW - Epigenetics
KW - Neurodegenerative diseases
KW - Neuropsychiatric disorders
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85216054641&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-75980-2_4
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-75980-2_4
M3 - Chapter
C2 - 39820862
AN - SCOPUS:85216054641
SN - 978-3-031-75979-6
SN - 978-3-031-75982-6
T3 - Subcellular Biochemistry
SP - 111
EP - 190
BT - Neuroepigenetics Mechanisms in Health and Disease
A2 - van Zundert, Brigitte
A2 - Montecino, Martin
PB - Springer
ER -