Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Cultivate Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells from Children and Reprogram into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: March 10, 2016
Epigenetic mechanisms and the relationship to childhood asthma
1Centre for Paediatrics, Clinic for Paediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625, Hannover, Germany. kabesch.michael@mh-hannover.de
Abstract:
Epigenetic mechanisms mediate genomic adaption to the environment and epigenetic alterations can contribute to the development of disease phenotypes, as can genetic variants. A variety of molecular mechanisms are involved in epigenetic regulation, including post-transcriptional histone modifications, histone variants, ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes, polycomb/trithorax protein complexes, small and other noncoding RNAs (small interfering RNA and micro RNAs) and DNA methylation. Epigenetic mechanisms have been identified in cancer but very little is known about these effects in complex diseases such as asthma. Epigenetic mechanisms have been found to play a primordial role in T-cell differentiation and novel aspects of asthma and allergy development are now investigated by systematic epigenetic studies. Here we give an introduction to epigenetics, review the existing literature in relation to asthma and asthma-related mechanisms and hypothesise on feasible approaches for the study of epigenetics in asthma in the future.
Related Concept Videos
Asthma I: Introduction
Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
Asthma-I: Introduction
Epigenetic Regulation
Epigenetic Regulation
X-chromosome...
