Epigenetic Research
Epigenetic Research
Epigenetic Control of Fibrosis
The NFRG have discovered the fundamental role of DNA methylation and histone modifications in the fibrotic process.
This work has led to the development of a possible epigenetic blood test for diagnosis of liver fibrosis and proof-of-concept for epigenetic therapy in chronic liver disease.
Epigenetic Influences on Inherited Susceptibility to Fibrosis
Under the leadership of Prof Jelena Mann the NFRG made the remarkable discovery that liver damage leads to stable epigenetic modifications in sperm that can be inherited across at least two generations through the male line. This ‘memory’ of liver damage appears to protect future generations from developing fibrosis when the liver is injured.
Ongoing work is aimed at understanding the molecular nature of this epigenetic ‘memory’.
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Our major publications on epigenetic research
A Proof-of-Concept for Epigenetic Therapy of Tissue Fibrosis: Inhibition of Liver Fibrosis Progression by 3-Deazaneplanocin A View > - Plasma DNA methylation: a potential biomarker for stratification of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease View >
- Hepatic stellate cell transdifferentiation involves genome-wide remodeling of the DNA methylation landscape View >
- Multigenerational epigenetic adaptation of the hepatic wound-healing response View >
- Alcohol directly stimulates epigenetic modifications in hepatic stellate cells View >