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Role of Histone Acetylation and Methylation in Obesity

  • Epigenetics (ATY Lau, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review gives an overview of the roles of histone acetylation and methylation in obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Recent Findings

Nutrition can change gene expression via epigenetics such as DNA methylation and post-translational modifications of histones. A growing number of both experimental and clinical studies suggested that histone modifications are very sensitive to changes in nutritional availability and potentially impact the development and progression of metabolic disorders. Recent advances in proteomic studies provided evidence linking histone modifications to over-nutrition and metabolic dysregulation. In this review, we will summarize the recent findings on two classical histone modifications, i.e., acetylation and methylation and the related findings from clinical studies and potential applications.

Summary

The involvement of histone modifications in the progression of metabolic diseases is now widely appreciated. Over the recent years, mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches discovered and mapped different kind of histone modifications linking obesity and metabolic diseases. The list of these modifications is evergrowing; however, their functions and roles in obesity are not well understood. Same as for the most well studied histone modifications, namely acetylation and methylation. Although much has been learnt from these two modifications, their contributions in regulation of metabolism are still largely unknown. It will be necessary to carry out more studies to further dissect the importance of the availability of substrates and activities of the enzymes for histone acetylation and methylation in the metabolic tissues.

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Funding

This work was supported by funding from HMRF (03143966) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Internal grant 1.55XX.99ZK and SFHMRF1819) (to C.M.W).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Lu Xu & Chi-Ming Wong

  2. Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Martin Ho Yin Yeung & Chi-Ming Wong

  3. School of Medical and Health Sciences, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China

    Mabel Yin Chun Yau

  4. Headquarter, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, China

    Pauline Po Yee Lui

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  1. Lu Xu
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  2. Martin Ho Yin Yeung
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  3. Mabel Yin Chun Yau
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Correspondence to Pauline Po Yee Lui or Chi-Ming Wong.

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Xu, L., Yeung, M.H.Y., Yau, M.Y.C. et al. Role of Histone Acetylation and Methylation in Obesity. Curr Pharmacol Rep 5, 196–203 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40495-019-00176-7

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