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Review
. 2023 Feb 23;14(3):554.
doi: 10.3390/genes14030554.

Immunoepigenetic Regulation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Current Insights into Novel Epigenetic Modulations of the Systemic Immune Response

Guillermo Bastida  1   2 , Alejandro Mínguez  1 , Pilar Nos  1   2 , Inés Moret-Tatay  1
Affiliations
Review

Immunoepigenetic Regulation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Current Insights into Novel Epigenetic Modulations of the Systemic Immune Response

Guillermo Bastida et al. Genes (Basel). .

Abstract

The immune system and environmental factors are involved in various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), through their effect on genetics, which modulates immune cells. IBD encompasses two main phenotypes, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, which are manifested as chronic and systemic relapse-remitting gastrointestinal tract disorders with rising global incidence and prevalence. The pathophysiology of IBD is complex and not fully understood. Epigenetic research has resulted in valuable information for unraveling the etiology of this immune-mediated disease. Thus, the main objective of the present review is to summarize the current findings on the role of epigenetic mechanisms in IBD to shed light on their potential clinical relevance. This review focuses on the latest evidence regarding peripheral blood mononuclear cells and epigenetic changes in histone modification, DNA methylation, and telomere shortening in IBD. The various identified epigenetic DNA profiles with clinical value in IBD could be used as biomarkers for more accurately predicting disease development, treatment response, and therapy-related adverse events. Ultimately, the information presented here could be of potential relevance for future clinical practice in developing more efficient and precise medicine to improve the quality of life for patients with IBD.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; IBD; Immunoepigenetic; PBMC; ulcerative colitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Summary of the mechanisms detailed in the review of the biological context and epigenetic processes of methylation, histone modification, and telomere dysfunction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Histone modifications as influencers of the impaired immune system in IBD. H3K4me3: trimethylated lysine 4 of histone 3; HDAC: histone deacetylases; SCFA: short-chain fatty acid; H3K9me: methylated lysine 9 of histone 3; KAT2B: lysine acetyltransferase 2B; EZH2: histone methyltransferase enhancer of Zeste homolog 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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