Neuronal chromatin dynamics of imprinting in development and disease

Epigenetic mechanisms play essential roles in mammalian neurodevelopment and genetic mutations or chromosomal deletions or duplications of epigenetically regulated loci or pathways result in several important human neurodevelopmental disorders. Postnatal mammalian neurons have among the most structu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cellular biochemistry 2011-02, Vol.112 (2), p.365-373
Main Authors: Leung, Karen N., Chamberlain, Stormy J., Lalande, Marc, LaSalle, Janine M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell culture
Chromatin
Chromatin - genetics
chromosome 15
Chromosome deletion
Epigenesis, Genetic - genetics
epigenetic
epigenetics
Gene expression
Genomic Imprinting - genetics
Histones
Humans
Imprinting
Models, Biological
Mutation
Neurodevelopmental disorders
neuronal
Neurons
Neurons - metabolism
noncoding RNA
nucleolar
RNA, Small Nucleolar - genetics
RNA, Untranslated - genetics
snoRNA
Stem cells
Therapeutic applications
Transcription
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Epigenetic mechanisms play essential roles in mammalian neurodevelopment and genetic mutations or chromosomal deletions or duplications of epigenetically regulated loci or pathways result in several important human neurodevelopmental disorders. Postnatal mammalian neurons have among the most structured and dynamic nuclear organization of any cell type. Human chromosome 15q11‐13 is an imprinted locus required for normal neurodevelopment and is regulated by a plethora of epigenetic mechanisms in neurons, including multiple noncoding RNAs, parentally imprinted transcription and histone modifications, large‐scale chromatin decondensation, and homologous pairing in mature neurons of the mammalian brain. Here, we describe the multiple epigenetic layers regulating 15q11‐13 gene expression and chromatin dynamics in neurons and propose a model of how noncoding RNAs may influence the unusual neuronal chromatin structure and dynamics at this locus. We also discuss the need for improved neuronal cell culture systems that model human 15q11‐13 and other neurodevelopmental disorders with epigenetic bases in order to test the mechanisms of chromatin dynamics and nuclear organization in neurons. Induced pluripotent stem cells and other stem cell technologies hold promise for improved understanding of and therapeutic interventions for multiple human neurodevelopmental disorders. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 365–373, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0730-2312
1097-4644
1097-4644
DOI:10.1002/jcb.22958