Epigenetic dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases and potential treatment

Abstract

Epigenetics holds significant relevance in the contemporary neuroscience and has been associated with the pathogenesis of different neurodegenerative disorders. Epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation and histone acetylation have been widely studied in context of transcriptional regulation and dysregulation. In Alzheimer’s disease, presenilin 1 expression is significantly increased from DNA hypomethylation, thereby increasing the amyloid β peptide deposition. In Parkinson’s disease, decreased methylation increases the expression of α-synuclein and leads to SNCA protein accumulation. In Huntington’s disease, mutant Huntingtin reduces the functioning of histone acetyltransferases, resulting in the transcriptional dysregulations. In this literature review, the role of epigenetic deregulation in the development of neurodegenerative disorders was discussed followed by an insight on the potential of epigenetics-based treatment for these neurodegenerative disorders.