The growing role of gene methylation on endocrine function

Abstract

DNA methylation is the best studied epigenetic factor, playing a key role in producing stable changes in gene expression, thus defining cell identity and function and adapting cells to environmental changes. DNA methylation has also been recently shown to mediate cell responses to physiological endocrine signals. Moreover, alterations of the normal DNA methylation pattern can also contribute to the development of endocrine and metabolic diseases and can explain the relationship between an individual's genetic background, the environment, and disease. It should be remarked that although DNA methylation and demethylation are active processes, epigenetic changes produced during development can impact adult processes, establishing the idea that endocrine function can be persistently affected by events occurring in early life. Given the complexity of the endocrine system, both genetic and epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, must be involved in its proper development and functioning. In this study, we summarize the recent knowledge in the field of DNA methylation and endocrinology. Given that DNA methylation can be involved in a number of endocrine and metabolic disorders, understanding and manipulating this modification opens a new door for preventing and treating endocrine diseases.Journal of Molecular Endocrinology (2011) 47, R75-R89

Programming of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis by Neonatal Intermittent Hypoxia: Effects on Adult Male ACTH and Corticosterone Responses Are Stress Specific

“…Changes in DNA methylation as well as other epigenetic modifications in the adult pituitary, due to neonatal IH exposure, are potential mechanisms that can regulate mRNA expression and augment corticosterone responses after maturity (22,23).…”

Transcriptomic profiling in Silurana tropicalis testes exposed to finasteride

“…These compounds are known to exert anti-androgenic properties (Albert and Jégou, 2014). There is increasing evidence that epigenetic regulation is important in enzymes, transcription factors and nuclear receptors that play a role in steroidogenesis (reviewed in Martinez-Arguelles and Papadopoulos, 2010;García-Carpizo et al, 2011;and Piferrer, 2013). Hence, the present study presents evidence that finasteride changes the normal epigenetic profile of genes by interfering with steroidogenic enzymes.…”

Make way for the ‘next generation’: application and prospects for genome-wide, epigenome-specific technologies in endocrine research

“…The cell population where these changes are apparent includes, but are most likely not confined to, the pituitary, thyroid, thymus, pancreas, ovary and testes. The role of DNA methylation in these principal endocrine cell populations, in both health and disease, has been subject to recent extensive review ( Garcia-Carpizo et al 2011). In these cases, aberration in epigenetic processes may result in profound local and systemic effects.…”

“…In these cases, aberration in epigenetic processes may result in profound local and systemic effects. The effects are frequently manifest as metabolic disease and/or syndromes and in some cases are consequent to a tumour within the particular cell population (Garcia-Carpizo et al 2011). In addition to the specific genes subject to DNA methylationmediated silencing reviewed by these authors, other studies on endocrine tumours have adopted genomewide approaches to identify potential novel epigenetically silenced genes.…”