Use of Chromatin Changes as Biomarkers

The complexity of human disease and individual heterogeneity emphasizes the need for precision medicine. Biomarkers can be utilized for diagnosis, prognosis, and predicting treatment outcomes on a case-by-case basis. Recent advances in genome-wide techniques have led to a rapid expansion in our detection and understanding of epigenetic landscapes. These well-established epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNAs, are essential for normal development and are now intimately linked to disease phenotypes through their involvement in the regulation of gene transcription. Readout of these epigenetic marks provides three new avenues for discovery and implementation of biomarkers. Promising epigenetic targets are emerging as biomarkers of cancer, neurologic disorders, diabetes, and imprinting disorders. Understanding and interpreting the epigenome in human disease is critical for providing patients with individualized medical decisions and treatments. Panels of epigenetic biomarkers coupled with traditional markers are likely the future of noninvasive screens for diagnosis, prognosis, and informing treatment decisions.