表观遗传学在支气管哮喘气道重塑中的研究进展

Research progress of the role of epigenetics in airway remodeling in bronchial asthma

支气管哮喘(以下简称哮喘)是严重影响人类健康的以气道炎症、气道高反应性、气道重塑为特征的异质性气道炎症性疾病,气道重塑是哮喘难以根治的根本原因。近年来研究表明哮喘气道重塑与表观遗传变化有关,主要包括DNA甲基化(DNA methylation,DNAm)、组蛋白翻译后修饰(乙酰化与去乙酰化为主)和微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA)变化、核小体定位、染色质重塑等。文章对几个方面的表观遗传变化在哮喘气道重塑中的研究进展进行综述,为哮喘精确诊断与靶向治疗提供方向。

Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneously inflammatory disease which seriously affects human health.It is characterized by airway inflammation,airway hyperresponsiveness,and airway remodeling,which is the root cause of the difficult-to-treat asthma.Recent studies have shown that epigenetic modifications may be involved in airway remodeling in asthma,including DNA methylation(DNAm),histone post-translational modification(mainly acetylation and deacetylation),microRNA(microRNA,miRNA)changes,nucleosome positioning,chromatin remodeling,etc.This article reviews the research progress of the role of epigenetic modifications in airway remodeling in asthma and represents directions for accurate diagnosis and targeted therapy in asthma.