Comprehensive Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol. 2024;239:1-30. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-62232-8_1.
The field of epigenetics broadly seeks to define heritable phenotypic modifications that occur within cells without changes to the underlying DNA sequence. These modifications allow for precise control and specificity of function between cell types-ultimately creating complex organ systems that all contain the same DNA but only have access to the genes and sequences necessary for their cell-type-specific functions. The pancreas is an organ that contains varied cellular compartments with functions ranging from highly regulated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in the β-cell to the pancreatic ductal cells that form a tight epithelial lining for the delivery of digestive enzymes. With diabetes cases on the rise worldwide, understanding the epigenetic mechanisms driving β-cell identity, function, and even disease is particularly valuable. In this chapter, we will discuss the known epigenetic modifications in pancreatic islet cells, how they are deposited, and the environmental and metabolic contributions to epigenetic mechanisms. We will also explore how a deeper understanding of epigenetic effectors can be used as a tool for diabetes therapeutic strategies.
表观遗传学领域广泛致力于定义在细胞内发生的、不改变潜在 DNA 序列的可遗传表型修饰。这些修饰允许在细胞类型之间进行精确的控制和功能特异性——最终创造出复杂的器官系统，这些系统都包含相同的 DNA，但只能访问其细胞类型特异性功能所需的基因和序列。胰腺是一种含有多种细胞区室的器官，其功能从β细胞中高度调节的葡萄糖刺激胰岛素分泌到形成紧密的上皮衬里以输送消化酶的胰腺导管细胞不等。随着全球糖尿病病例的增加，了解驱动β细胞特征、功能甚至疾病的表观遗传机制尤其有价值。在本章中，我们将讨论胰岛细胞中已知的表观遗传修饰、它们的沉积方式以及环境和代谢对表观遗传机制的贡献。我们还将探讨如何更深入地了解表观遗传效应物可以作为糖尿病治疗策略的工具。
