Epigenetic Treatment of Neurological Disease

Abstract

Neurological disease, and in particular neurodegenerative diseases, cause significant burdens on both patient and healthcare costs. Despite extensive research, treatment options for patients with these conditions remain limited, and generally, only provide modest symptomatic relief. Aberrant epigenetic post-translational modifications of proteins are emerging as important elements in the pathogenesis of neurological disease. Using Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease as examples in the following article, some of latest data linking both the histone code and the various proteins that regulate this code to the pathogenesis of neurological disease are discussed. The current evidence suggesting that pharmacologically targeting one such family, the histone deacetylases, may be of potential benefit in the treatment of such diseases is also discussed. Finally, some of the potential mechanisms to specifically target these proteins within the neurological setting are discussed.

Oleuropein aglycone protects against pyroglutamylated-3 amyloid-ß toxicity: biochemical, epigenetic and functional correlates

“…More recently, aberrant epigenetic posttranslational modifications of proteins are emerging as important elements in the pathogenesis of neurologic diseases and their treatment and as a potential new approach for prevention of neurodegeneration. In particular, current evidence suggests that pharmacologically targeting histone deacetylases may be of potential benefit in the treatment of such diseases (Gray, 2011). This view is supported by recent data on epigenetic suppression of neuroligin 1, a postsynaptic protein found in central excitatory synapses, indicating that amyloid-induced neuroinflammation in rats enhances the activity of the HDAC2-MeCP2 co-repressor complex suppressing neuroligin 1 expression, with glutamatergic dysfunction in the hippocampus and memory deficits.…”

Epigenetic Modification and Its Role in Alzheimer's Disease

“…Accumulating evidence indicates that aberrant epigenetic posttranslational modifications of proteins are emerging as important elements in the pathogenesis of AD. The current evidence suggests that pharmacologically targeting one such family, namely DNA methylation, histone deacetylases, or ncRNA, may be of potential benefit in the future treatment of AD [5,45]. …”

The Neuroprotective Effect of White Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) on the Trimethyltin (TMT)-Induced Memory Deficit Rats

“…기억력, 인지능력 감퇴와 심한 우울증을 동반하며, 병이 진행될수록 인지력을 완전히 상실하여 정서적 안정감을 잃고 난폭해지며, 인간성을 유지하지 못하게 되는 초로성 치 매병 즉, 알쯔하이머형 치매병 (Alzheimer's disease)은 연령에 관계없이 발병하는 치명적인 뇌질환 중 하나이다 (Balin et al, 2011;Gray, 2011). (Balaban et al, 1988;Dyer, 1982;Ishida et al, 1997;Fortemps et al, 1978;Chang and Dyer, 1983).…”