Do you know your histones?...
Histones are structural components of chromatin, consider them the protein "glue" which holds our DNA together. It has been known they also regulate gene expression through epigenetic modifications. These modifications can be dynamic and reversible, allowing cells to respond to environmental signals without altering our genetic code. Understanding histone modification provides us with knowledge in terms of cell differentiation, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets in conditions like cancer, neurological disorders, and now pterygium.
A significant association has been found between histone H3 lysine 9 tri-methylation (H3K9me3) and pterygium. This was discovered after performing genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) to compare H3K9me3 levels between normal conjunctiva and stage 3 pterygium tissue samples.
The findings showed a marked genome-wide elevation of H3K9me3 in individuals with pterygium, with particularly significant increases at the promoter regions of 82 genes involved in the pathophysiologic pathway. Six genes - ANK2, AOAH, CBLN2, CDH8, CNTNAP4, and DPP6 - showed decreased expression which correlated with substantially increased H3K9me3, suggesting their potential as genetic biomarkers for pterygium.
This is the first reported link between histone modification and pterygium development or progression, offering clues into epigenetic mechanisms and potentially opening new doors for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for us in the future.
Go to the article in BMC Ophthalmology HERE.
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