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Review
. 2025 Jan 8;9(1):2.
doi: 10.3390/epigenomes9010002.

DNA and RNA Methylation in Rheumatoid Arthritis-A Narrative Review

Kajetan Kiełbowski  1 , Estera Bakinowska  1 , Anna Gorący-Rosik  2 , Karolina Figiel  1 , Roksana Judek  1 , Jakub Rosik  1 , Paweł Dec  3 , Andrzej Modrzejewski  4 , Andrzej Pawlik  1
Affiliations
Review

DNA and RNA Methylation in Rheumatoid Arthritis-A Narrative Review

Kajetan Kiełbowski et al. Epigenomes. .

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune disease leading to structural and functional joint damage and, eventually, to physical disability. The pathogenesis of the disease is highly complex and involves interactions between fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) and immune cells, which stimulate the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, leading to chronic inflammation. In recent years, studies have demonstrated the importance of epigenetics in RA. Specifically, epigenetic alterations have been suggested to serve as diagnostic and treatment biomarkers, while epigenetic mechanisms are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. Epigenetic regulators coordinate gene expression, and in the case of inflammatory diseases, they regulate the expression of a broad range of inflammatory molecules. In this review, we discuss current evidence on the involvement of DNA and RNA methylation in RA.

Keywords: DNA methylation; RNA methylation; epigenetics; rheumatoid arthritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression. Over the years, studies have demonstrated dysregulated epigenetic processes in rheumatoid arthritis that contribute to the progression of the disease and could be utilized in the diagnosis process. Created in BioRender. Kiełbowski, K. (2024) BioRender.com/l26w541 (accessed on 15 May 2024).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Potential benefits associated with monitoring DNA methylation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Created in BioRender. Kiełbowski, K. (2024) BioRender.com/j38i306 (accessed on 15 May 2024).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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