Revealing the molecular basis of aging has been one of the most challenging aspects of medical science, and now the epigenetics of aging is in a Renaissance phase. This seminal work covers the fascinating role of epigenetics in aging, ranging from basic epigenetic processes of aging to epigenetic drugs that may intervene in allow aging and age-related diseases.

Recent studies have indicated that epigenetic processes may play a major role in both cellular and organismal aging. These epigenetic processes include not only DNA methylation and histone modifications, but also extend to many other epigenetic mediators such as the polycomb group proteins, chromosomal position effects, and noncoding RNA. The topics of this book range from fundamental changes in DNA methylation in aging to the most recent research on intervention into epigenetic modifications to modulate the aging process. The major topics of epigenetics and aging covered in this book are: 1) DNA methylation and histone modifications in aging; 2) Other epigenetic processes and aging; 3) Impact of epigenetics on aging; 4) Epigenetics of age-related diseases; 5) Epigenetic interventions and aging: and 6) Future directions in epigenetic aging research.The most studied of epigenetic processes, DNA methylation, has been associated with cellular aging and aging of organisms for many years. It is now apparent that both global and gene-specific alterations occur not only in DNA methylation during aging, but also in several histone alterations. Many epigenetic alterations can have an impact on aging processes such as stem cell aging, control of telomerase, modifications of telomeres, and epigenetic drift can impact the aging process as evident in the recent studies of aging monozygotic twins.Numerous age-related diseases are affected by epigenetic mechanisms. For example, recent studies have shown that DNA methylation is altered in Alzheimer's disease and autoimmunity. Other prevalent diseases that have been associated with age-related epigenetic changes include cancer and diabetes. Paternal age and epigenetic changes appear to have an effect on schizophrenia and epigenetic silencing has been associated with several of the progeroid syndromes of premature aging. Moreover, the impact of dietary or drug intervention into epigenetic processes as they affect normal aging or age-related diseases is becoming increasingly feasible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Epigenetics and the Aging ProcessTrygve O. TollefsbolPART I: DNA Methylation and Histone Modifications in Aging2. Age-related Genomic HypomethylationIgor P. Pogribny and Boris F. Vanyushin3. Gene-specific Hypermethylation in AgingAdebayo D. Akintola and Alan K. Parrish4. Aging and Non-sirtuin Histone ModificationsInga Kadish5. Sirtuins and AgingYuqing Dong and Sige Zou6. Chromatin in Senescent Cells: a Conduit for the Anti-aging effects of Wnt-signaling?Gowrishankar Banumathy and Peter D. Adams7. S-AdenosylMethionine: Simple Agent of Methylation and Secret to Aging and Metabolism?Wil A.M. LoenenPART II: Other Epigenetic Processes and Aging8. Polycomb Group of Genes and the Epigenetics of AgingKrishnaveni Mishra and Rakesh K. Mishra9. Chromosomal Position Effect and AgingEric Gilson and Frederique Magdinier10. Noncoding RNA for Pre-symptomatic Diagnosis of Age-dependent DiseaseEugenia WangPART III: Impact of Epigenetics on Aging11. Telomerase Control by Epigenetic Processes in Cellular SenescenceHuaping Chen and Trygve O. Tollefsbol12. Telomeres, Epigenetics and AgingJ. Arturo Londono-Vallejo13. Contributions of Tumor Suppressors to the Epigenetic Regulation of Aging CellsPinaki Base, Amudha Ganapathy, and Karl Riabowol14. Epigenetic Drift and AgingEster Lara, Vincenzo Calvanese, and Mario F. Fraga15. Role of Epigenetics in Age-related Long-term Memory LossJ. Tyson DeAngelis and Trygve O. TollefsbolPART IV: Epigenetics of Age-related Diseases16. The Epigenetics of Age-related CancersKristen H. Taylor, Lynda B. Bennett, Gerald L. Arthur, Huidong Shi, and Charles W. Caldwell17. DNA Methylation and Alzheimer's DiseaseThomas van Groen18. DNA Methylation, Age-related Immune Defects, and AutoimmunityJorg J. Goronzy, Guangjin Li, and Cornelia M. Weyand19. Epigenetic Silencing of Progeroid SyndromesRuben Agrelo20. DNA Methylation and OsteoarthritisHelmtrud I. RoachPART V: Epigenetic Interventions and Aging21. Histone Modifying Drugs in AgingUlrich Mahlknecht and Barbara Zschoernig22. Dietary Effect on Epigenetics During the Aging ProcessYuanyuan Li and Trygve O. Tollefsbol23. Environmental Effects on Age-related EpigeneticsSabita N. Saldanha, Ashley McCollum, and Trygve O. TollefsbolPART VI: Future Directions/Perspectives24. Future Directions in Research on the Epigenetics of AgingHuidong Shi and Charles W. Caldwell25. Perspectives in Aging and EpigeneticsRobin Holliday