Authors:
Syn G, Blackwell JM, Jamieson SE.
Authors notes:
Chapter 19. Epigenetic Biomarkers and Diagnostics 2015.
Keywords:
Bacteria, DNA methylation, Histone modifications, Host epigenome, MicroRNA, Parasites, Viruses
Abstract:
Viruses, bacteria, and parasites have developed strategies to invade and establish long-term infections in their hosts.
They have been shown to manipulate their hosts' processes such as the prevention of apoptosis and suppression of the immune response in order to successfully colonize their hosts.
Recently, there is increasing interest in the study of epigenetics during an infection, particularly the changes induced in the hosts' DNA methylome, histone marks, and microRNA profiles.
In this chapter, we summarize the literature published about viral-, bacterial-, and parasite-induced changes in the host epigenome.
We also discuss some pathogens and the potential of the changes they induce in the host epigenome as epigenetic biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes of infection, such as pathogen-induced cancers, or to differentiate between active or latent infection.
This might provide the basis to develop more efficient treatments or complement the diagnostic assays currently used clinically.