The epigenetic changes that occur with age and the potential for reprogramming
This research paper is a good read if you’re interested in age-reversal and haven’t yet read Dr David Sinclair’s (Harvard Medical School).
New studies have shown that the age-related changes in epigenetics can be reversed by interventions like cyclic expressions of Yamanaka reprogramming factor. This review provides a summary on epigenetic alterations that are associated with aging. It also highlights studies that indicate epigenetic alterations may contribute to aging and summarizes the state of the research in interventions to reprogram epigenetic alterations.
Ageing results in epigenetic modifications at all levels of DNA and chromatin organization. They include global heterochromatin reduction, nucleosome remodeling, loss of histone marks, global hypomethylation and CpG islands hypermethylation and chromatin modification factors relocalization. It is still not clear how or why these changes happen, but there is increasing evidence that they affect longevity and could cause aging. New studies have shown that interventions like cyclic expression Yamanaka reprogramming factor can reverse age-related changes in epigenetics. This review provides a summary on epigenetic alterations that are associated with aging. It also highlights studies that indicate epigenetic alterations may be contributing to the aging processes. Finally, it outlines the state of the research in interventions that can reverse age-related epigenetic alterations.
The term \”epigenetics\”, which is often used, has become very popular. The term epigenetics was originally used to describe heritable, non-mendelian changes. However, its use has evolved. Today, the term \”epigenetics\”, which was originally used to describe heritable changes that were non-mendelian, is more broadly used to refer to all information stored in cells other than genomic data, including gene networks and chromatin structures, as well as post-translational modifications of histones. As we age, epigenome changes occur from DNA modifications to global chromatin alterations. Yet, key questions are still unanswered. How and why do changes happen? Are these changes responsible for disease and aging in the body? Can they be reversed?
The complex structure of chromatin determines the genomic organization (Figure 1). The nucleosome is the basic unit of chromatin, and it is composed of 147 base pairs of DNA wrapped around an eight-protein histone octamer. This octamer is usually composed of two copies of each H2A and H2B as well as H3 or H4 (Luger, et al. 1997; Hansen 2002). Histones and DNA are both subjected to chemical modifications within nucleosomes that influence the chromatin’s structure and, ultimately, the expression of genes. Chromatin can be divided into two main subtypes, euchromatin (which is transcriptionally active) and heterochromatin (which is transcriptionally inactive). Factors that modify chromatin, such as DNA- and histone modifying enzymes, transcription factor, and more recently identified noncoding (ncRNAs), regulate the epigenetic networks.
Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6424622/
