Recent advances in neuroepigenetic editing

Song-Jun Xu; Elizabeth A Heller

doi:10.1016/j.conb.2019.03.010

Recent advances in neuroepigenetic editing

Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2019 Dec:59:26-33. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.03.010. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

Authors

Song-Jun Xu¹, Elizabeth A Heller²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
² Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics and Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: eheller@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

PMID: 31015104
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.03.010

Abstract

A wealth of studies in the mammalian nervous system indicate the role of epigenetic gene regulation in both basic neurobiological function and disease. However, the relationship between epigenetic regulation and neuropathology is largely correlational due to the presence of mixed cell populations within brain regions and the genome-wide effects of classical approaches to manipulate the epigenome. Locus-specific epigenetic editing allows direct epigenetic regulation of specific genes to elucidate the direct causal relationship between epigenetic modifications and transcription. This review discusses some of the latest innovations in the efficacy and flexibility in this approach that hold promise for neurobiological application.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Epigenesis, Genetic
Gene Editing*
Gene Expression Regulation
Genome
Nervous System Diseases*

Grants and funding

DP1 DA044250/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States