DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism in mammalian cells. It occurs almost exclusively at CpG sites and has a key role in a number of biological processes. It plays an important part in regulating chromatin structure and has been best studied for its role in controlling gene expression. In particular, hypermethylation of gene promoters which have high levels of CpG sites, known as CpG islands, leads to gene inactivation. In healthy cells, however, it appears that only a small number of genes are controlled through promoter hypermethylation, such as genes on the inactivated X-chromosome or at imprinted loci, and most promoter-associated CpG islands remain methylation-free regardless of gene expression status. However, a large body of evidence has now shown that this protection from methylation not only breaks down in a number of pathological conditions (e.g. cancer), but also already occurs during the normal process of aging. The present review focuses on the methylation changes that occur during healthy aging and during disease development, and the potential links between them. We focus especially on the extent to which the acquisition of aberrant methylation changes during aging could underlie the development of a number of important age-related pathological conditions.
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Conference Article|
May 23 2013
Do age-related changes in DNA methylation play a role in the development of age-related diseases?
Sanne D. van Otterdijk;
Sanne D. van Otterdijk
1
*Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (emails.d.van-otterdijk@ncl.ac.uk).
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John C. Mathers;
John C. Mathers
†Human Nutrition Research Centre, Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, U.K.
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Gordon Strathdee
Gordon Strathdee
*Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 21 2012
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 Biochemical Society
2013
Biochem Soc Trans (2013) 41 (3): 803–807.
Article history
Received:
December 21 2012
Citation
Sanne D. van Otterdijk, John C. Mathers, Gordon Strathdee; Do age-related changes in DNA methylation play a role in the development of age-related diseases?. Biochem Soc Trans 1 June 2013; 41 (3): 803–807. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20120358
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