OBM Genetics

Special Issue

Epigenetic Mechanisms in Health and Disease

Submission Deadline: May 31, 2018 (Open)               Submit Now

Guest Editors

Stéphane Viville, PhD
Professor, LABORATOIRE DE DIAGNOSTIC GENETIQUE, UF3472 – Infertilité, Nouvel Hôpital Civil,
1 place de l’Hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg cedex, France
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:  http://med.unistra.fr/eng/Recherche/Liste-des-Hospitalo-Universitaires/VIVILLE
Research Interests: human genetics of infertility; male and female infertility; human gametogenesis; human infertility and epigenetics; embryonic stem cells

Marcel Mannens, PhD
Professor, Department of Clinical Genetics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
E-Mails: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: https://www.amc.nl/web/research-75/person-1/prof.-dr.-m.m.a.m.-mannens.htm
Research Interests: genome diagnostics; epigenetics of disease; cardiogenetics

Planned Papers

Title: Epigenetics and Human Reproduction
Author: Liborio Stuppia, MD^1,2
Affiliation: 1. Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
2. Center for Aging Studies and Translational Medicine (CESI-MET), G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy, E-Mail: [email protected]
Abstract
In the frame of the large interest recently devoted to the role played by epigenetic regulation of gene expression in human health and disease, a key point is represented by the involvement of epigenetic modifications in human reproduction, in terms of reduced fertility, abnormalities of embryo development and risk of early and late onset diseases in the offspring. In fact, epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in the control of male and female gametogenesis, and alterations in the correct organization of DNA methylation, chromatin modelling and miRNA production can affect not only the fertility of the couple, but also, by intergenerational or transgenerational effects, the health of the offspring at birth or during lifetime. A further element of variability in human reproduction is represented by the increasing use of Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART), in turn able to induce epigenetic modifications in the embryo and increase the risk of related disorders.
In this review, we analyse the different features of the correlation between epigenetics modification and human reproduction, describing not only the risks related to alterations of the epigenetic organization in male and female gamete, but also suggesting that the reversibility of the epigenetic processes could represent a novel resource for the treatment of the infertility of the couple.

Title: Update on Epigenetics Landscape in Parkinson Disease and Lewy Body Dementia
Author: Simon Chiu
Affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, N6A 4V2, Canada

Publication