Biomaterial Database

Epigenetic principles underlying epileptogenesis and epilepsy syndromes. 2021

Karen Conboy, and David C Henshall, and Gary P Brennan

Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland; FutureNeuro, the SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.

Epilepsy is a network disorder driven by fundamental changes in the function of the cells which compose these networks. Driving this aberrant cellular function are large scale changes in gene expression and gene expression regulation. Recent studies have revealed rapid and persistent changes in epigenetic control of gene expression as a critical regulator of the epileptic transcriptome. Epigenetic-mediated gene output regulates many aspects of cellular physiology including neuronal structure, neurotransmitter assembly and abundance, protein abundance of ion channels and other critical neuronal processes. Thus, understanding the contribution of epigenetic-mediated gene regulation could illuminate novel regulatory mechanisms which may form the basis of novel therapeutic approaches to treat epilepsy. In this review we discuss the effects of epileptogenic brain insults on epigenetic regulation of gene expression, recent efforts to target epigenetic processes to block epileptogenesis and the prospects of an epigenetic-based therapy for epilepsy, and finally we discuss technological advancements which have facilitated the interrogation of the epigenome.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000073376	Epileptic Syndromes	EPILEPTIC SEIZURES that are of similar type and age of onset and have other similar features (e.g., clinical course, EEG findings, genetic association and neuropathology).	Epilepsy Syndromes,Familial Epilepsies,Syndromic Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Familial,Epilepsies, Syndromic,Epilepsy Syndrome,Epilepsy, Familial,Epilepsy, Syndromic,Epileptic Syndrome,Familial Epilepsy,Syndromic Epilepsy
D044127	Epigenesis, Genetic	A genetic process by which the adult organism is realized via mechanisms that lead to the restriction in the possible fates of cells, eventually leading to their differentiated state. Mechanisms involved cause heritable changes to cells without changes to DNA sequence such as DNA METHYLATION; HISTONE modification; DNA REPLICATION TIMING; NUCLEOSOME positioning; and heterochromatization which result in selective gene expression or repression.	Epigenetic Processes,Epigenetic Process,Epigenetics Processes,Genetic Epigenesis,Process, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetics