Impact of heat and cold shock on epigenetics and chromatin structure

In this study, we investigated the epigenetic profiles of human cells subjected to hyperthermia and hypothermia, revealing significant variations. Heat shock primarily led to DNA methylation increments and epigenetic modifications associated with gene expression silencing. In contrast, cold shock presented a complex scenario, with both methylation and demethylation levels increasing, indicating different epigenetic responses to the opposite thermal stresses. These temperature-induced alterations in the epigenome, particularly their impact on chromatin structural organization, represent an understudied area that could offer important insights into genome function and potential prospects for therapeutic targets.PMID:38016352 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151373
Source: European Journal of Cell Biology - Category: Cytology Authors: Source Type: research