The Role of Epigenetics in Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2022 May 14

PMID 35563266

Authors

Alessio Gerussi

Elvezia Maria Paraboschi

Claudio Cappadona

Chiara Caime

Eleonora Binatti

Laura Cristoferi

Rosanna Asselta

Pietro Invernizzi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a rare autoimmune disease of the liver, affecting mostly females. There is evidence that epigenetic changes have a pathogenic role in PBC. Epigenetic modifications are related to methylation of CpG DNA islands, post-translational modifications of histone proteins, and non-coding RNAs. In PBC, there are data showing a dysregulation of all these levels, especially in immune cells. In addition, epigenetics seems to be involved in complex phenomena such as X monosomy or abnormalities in the process of X chromosome inactivation, which have been reported in PBC and appear to influence its sex imbalance and pathogenesis. We review here historical data on epigenetic modifications in PBC, present new data, and discuss possible links among X-chromosome abnormalities at a genetic and epigenetic level, PBC pathogenesis, and PBC sex imbalance.

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