Epigenetics and Disease Pharmaceutical Opportunities
Epigenetics has emerged recently as an important area of molecular biological studies. Epigenetic modifications lead to potentially heritable but reversible alterations in the expression of genes that determine cell fate. Epigenetic misregulation is thus
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Founding Editor of the Series Ernst Jucker
Series Editors Prof. Dr. Paul L. Herrling Novartis International AG, 4002 Basel, Switzerland Alex Matter, M.D., CEO Experimental Therapeutics Center, 31 Biopolis Way, #03-01 Nanos, Singapore 138669, Singapore
For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/4857
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Susan M. Gasser
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En Li
Editors
Epigenetics and Disease Pharmaceutical Opportunities
Editors Dr. Susan M. Gasser Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research Part of the Novartis Research Foundation Maulbeerstrasse 66 4058 Basel Switzerland [email protected]
Dr. En Li China Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Co., Ltd. Lane 898 Halei Road 201203 Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Pudong New Area People’s Republic of China [email protected]
ISBN 978-3-7643-8988-8 e-ISBN 978-3-7643-8989-5 DOI 10.1007/978-3-7643-8989-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2010937861 # Springer Basel AG 2011 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in data banks. For any kind of use, permission of the copyright owner must be obtained. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Product liability: The publishers cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information about dosage and application contained in this book. In every individual case the user must check such information by consulting the relevant literature. Cover design: deblik Berlin, Germany Printed on acid-free paper Springer Basel AG is part of Springer ScienceþBusiness Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
The field of epigenetics seeks to explain how cell-type specific controls over gene expression are maintained during self renewal and differentiation and are altered by environmental events. The field covers the biochemistry of genome organization, its expression, inheritance, as well as controls over translation, message stability, and the relationship of all these with external signals. Epigenetics is now at an exciting stage, one comparable to the field of genetics before the elucidation of the structure of DNA and the genetic code. We know most of the players, but are still unclear as to how they work together to maintain gene expression states faithfully. As our understanding of epigenetic inheritance expands, the field intersects increasingly with fields focused on human health and disease. The topics most directly addressed are control over stem cell status and modulation of cell differentiation, which are at the heart of degenerative disease and cancer. Finally, from the study of chromatin and miRNA modifications, we can expect to identify targets, biomarkers, and diagnostic tools relev
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