Epigenetic mechanisms of importance for drug treatment

Maxim Ivanov; Isabel Barragan; Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg

doi:10.1016/j.tips.2014.05.004

Epigenetic mechanisms of importance for drug treatment

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2014 Aug;35(8):384-96. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2014.05.004. Epub 2014 Jul 1.

Authors

Maxim Ivanov¹, Isabel Barragan¹, Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg²

Affiliations

¹ Pharmacogenetics Section, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
² Pharmacogenetics Section, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: magnus.ingelman-sundberg@ki.se.

PMID: 24993164
DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2014.05.004

Abstract

There are pronounced interindividual variations in drug metabolism, drug responses, and the incidence of adverse drug reactions. To a certain extent such variability can be explained by genetic factors, but epigenetic modifications, which are relatively scarcely described so far, also contribute. It is known that a novel class of drugs termed epidrugs intervene in the epigenetic control of gene expression, and many of these are now in clinical trials for disease treatment. In addition, disease prognosis and drug treatment success can be monitored using epigenetic biomarkers. Here we review these novel aspects in pharmacology and address intriguing future opportunities for gene-specific epigenetic editing.

Keywords: 5-hydroxymethylcytosine; DNA methylation; epidrugs; epigenetic editing; histone modifications; pharmacoepigenetics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Drug Therapy
Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects
Epigenesis, Genetic / physiology
Humans
Pharmacogenetics*