研究论文主题投稿邀请：Epigenetics of Metabolism, Immunology and Aging

由 Openbiox 社区成员 Hailuan Zeng & Haitao Wang 以及 Xiaofan Lu，Heng Sun 等研究人员共同发起的研究主题（Research Topic）“代谢、免疫和衰老中的表观遗传学”现向广大科研工作者邀请投稿。

参与期刊：《Frontiers in Genetics》IF 4.599 和《Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology》IF 6.684

关于本研究主题

随着生活水平的提高和生活方式的改变，人类的寿命不断延长，而与代谢有关的疾病（如肥胖、糖脂代谢紊乱、脂肪肝、癌症）和免疫性疾病的发病率却迅速增加。之前的研究表明，表观遗传学与风险因素、代谢和免疫疾病、癌症以及衰老的发展密切相关。表观遗传学可以在不改变 DNA 序列的情况下调节和影响染色质结构以及基因表达等在内的多层次细胞生物学事件，如 DNA 甲基化、组蛋白的翻译后修饰、RNA 介导的生物学过程和染色质重塑。表观遗传途径对于协调代谢重编程和细胞免疫事件以应对细胞外刺激至关重要，从而导致不同的生物学和病理学结果。此外，表观遗传调控是活跃的、动态的，而且可能是可逆的，并可能在疾病的发生、发展和预后中发挥关键作用；这些生物系统模块可以为疾病治疗提供候选靶标。

目前还不清楚表观遗传调控的失调是一个驱动因素，或仅仅是对特定代谢或免疫疾病的反应，表观遗传变化如何影响基因功能和表型的基本机制仍有待进一步研究。对这些机制、交叉关系和因果关系的深入理解将有助于疾病精细化管理和延缓衰老。

本研究主题涉及：

1）收集表观遗传学研究的最新进展，帮助理解表观遗传学在代谢、免疫学、衰老和癌症中的作用。

2）讨论未来的研究前景以及如何在表观遗传学研究成果的基础上促进临床转化。

我们欢迎提交原创研究、综述、小型综述、方法和系统综述，探讨广泛的主题，包括但不限于以下内容：

（1）在人类、动物模型和细胞水平上对代谢、免疫和衰老的发病机制、进展和治疗进展作出贡献的表观遗传网络。

（2）代谢性疾病、免疫性疾病、衰老和癌症与表观遗传学的联系，以及可能的机制。

（3）表观遗传学与代谢或免疫疾病之间的因果关系，以及这种因果关系如何影响各种生物过程，如长期记忆、干细胞分化、衰老和肿瘤发生。

（4）表观遗传学生物标志物的开发和/或代谢或免疫学疾病亚型的鉴定。

（5）表观遗传学相关方法在治疗代谢性疾病、免疫性疾病、衰老和癌症方面的应用。

（6）新技术和/或研究模型促进表观遗传学研究，特别是在代谢、免疫、衰老和癌症领域。

关键词：表观遗传学、代谢、免疫学、衰老、癌症、发病机制、治疗

提交截止日期：

2022年6月24日 摘要

2022年8月23日 正文

About this Research Topic

With the improvement in living standards and changes in lifestyles, human life expectancy has been extended, while the prevalence of metabolic-related diseases (e.g., obesity, disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism, fatty liver, cancers) and immunological diseases has been increasing rapidly. Previous studies showed that epigenetics is tightly associated with risk factors and the development of metabolic and immunological diseases, cancers as well as aging. Epigenetic regulations include multi-level intracellular events that influence chromatin structure and gene expression without altering DNA sequences, such as DNA methylation, post-translational modifications of histones, RNA-mediated processes, and chromatin remodeling. Epigenetic pathways are crucial for coordinating metabolic reprogramming and cellular immunological events in response to extracellular stimuli, leading to varied biological and pathological outcomes. Besides, epigenetic modulations are active, dynamic, and possibly reversible, which may play critical roles in disease onset, development, and prognosis; these biological modules enable providing targets for disease management. It is still unclear whether disruption of epigenetic regulation is a driver or a response to a specific metabolic or immunological disease, and the underlying mechanisms of how epigenetic changes affect gene function and phenotypes remain to be further investigated. A better understanding of the mechanisms, cross-talks, and causal relationships will aid in disease management and healthy aging. The aims of this Research Topic are: 1) To collect the most recent advances in epigenetic studies that help understand the role of epigenetics in metabolism, immunology, aging, and cancer. 2) To discuss future research perspectives and how to facilitate clinical transformations based on epigenetic research findings. We welcome submissions of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, and Systematic Reviews that explore a wide range of themes, including, but not limited to the following: (1) Epigenetic networks that contribute to the pathogenesis, progression, and therapy advances of metabolism, immunology and aging at the human population, animal models, and cellular level. (2) Epigenetic cross-talks among metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer, and the possible mechanisms. (3) Causal relationships between epigenetics and metabolic or immunological diseases, and how this causality influence various biological processes, such as long-term memory, stem cell differentiation, aging and tumorigenesis. (4) Development of epigenetic biomarkers and/or identifications of the subtypes of metabolic or immunological diseases. (5) Applications of epigenetic-related approaches for the treatment of metabolic diseases, immunological diseases, aging, and cancer. (6) Novel technologies and/or research models facilitate epigenetics study, especially in the metabolism, immunity, aging, and cancer field. Keywords: epigenetics, metabolism, immunology, aging, cancer, pathogenesis, therapy Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.