DNA Methylation and Complex Human Disease

DNA Methylation and Complex Human Disease reviews the possibilities of methyl-group-based epigenetic biomarkers of major diseases, tailored epigenetic therapies, and the future uses of high-throughput methylome technologies.

This volume includes many pertinent advances in disease-bearing research, including obesity, type II diabetes, schizophrenia, and autoimmunity. DNA methylation is also discussed as a plasma and serum test for non-invasive screening, diagnostic and prognostic tests, as compared to biopsy-driven gene expression analysis, factors which have led to the use of DNA methylation as a potential tool for determining cancer risk, and diagnosis between benign and malignant disease.

Therapies are at the heart of this volume and the possibilities of DNA demethylation. In cancer, unlike genetic mutations, DNA methylation and histone modifications are reversible and thus have shown great potential in the race for effective treatments. In addition, the authors present the importance of high-throughput methylome analysis, not only in cancer, but also in non-neoplastic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Discusses breaking biomarker research in major disease families of current health concern and research interest, including obesity, type II diabetes, schizophrenia, and autoimmunitySummarizes advances not only relevant to cancer, but also in non-neoplastic disease, currently an emerging fieldDescribes wholly new concepts, including the linking of metabolic pathways with epigeneticsProvides translational researchers with the knowledge of both basic research and clinic applications of DNA methylation in human diseases

1. DNA methylation – Introduction
2. DNA methylation and epigenetics biomarkers in cancer
3. DNA methylation and epigenetic biomarkers in non-neoplastic diseases
4. DNA methylation and environmental factors
5. DNA methylation and epidemiology
6. DNA methylation and viral infections
7. DNA methylation and cancer
8. DNA methylation in breast and ovarian carcinoma
9. DNA methylation in tumorous multi-drug resistance
10. DNA methylation and endocrinology
11. DNA methylation in metabolic diseases (obesity, type II diabetes)
12. DNA methylation in pituitary diseases
13. DNA methylation and development
14. DNA methylation in growth retardation
15. DNA methylation in cardiology
16. DNA methylation and neurology
17. DNA methylation in psychiatric diseases (schizophrenia, alcohol and drug abuses)
18. DNA methylation in neurodegenerative diseases
19. DNA methylation and autoimmunity
20. DNA methylation in lymphocyte development
21. DNA methylation in stem cell diseases
22. DNA methylation and rheumatology – introduction
23. DNA methylation in synovial fibroblasts
24. DNA methylation in osteoporosis
25. Epigenetic therapies
26. Demethylation agents (5-azacytidine)
27. Methyl donors (s-adenoyl methionine)
28. Methylome analysis of complex diseases
29. Methylome analysis in cancer
30. Methylome analysis in non-neoplastic disease
31. Outlook