Title:Epigenetics in Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Jayasree Nair* Akhil Maheshwari
Affiliation:
- Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY,United States
Keywords:
Necrotizing enterocolitis, epigenetics, methylation, histone modification, gut inflammation, nutrigenomics.
Abstract: Epigenetic alterations in our genetic material can lead to heritable changes in the risk,
clinical manifestations, course, and outcomes of many diseases. Understanding these epigenetic
mechanisms can help in identifying potential therapeutic targets. This is especially important in necrotizing
enterocolitis (NEC), where prenatal as well as postnatal factors impact susceptibility to
this devastating condition, but our therapeutic options are limited. Developmental factors affecting
intestinal structure and function, our immune system, gut microbiome, and postnatal enteral nutrition
are all thought to play a prominent role in this disease. In this manuscript, we have reviewed
the epigenetic mechanisms involved in NEC. These include key developmental changes in DNA
methylation in the immature intestine, the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in maintaining
intestinal barrier function, epigenetic influences of prenatal inflammation on immunological pathways
in NEC pathogenesis such as Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) and epigenetic changes associated
with enteral feeding causing upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes. We have assimilated research
findings from our own laboratory with an extensive review of the literature utilizing key
terms in multiple databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Science Direct.
