Ricerc@Sapienza

During the past decades, several discoveries have established the role of epigenetic modifications and cellularmicroenvironment in tumor growth and progression. One of the main representatives concerning epigenetic modification is the polycomb group (PcG). It is composed of different highly conserved epigenetic effector proteins preserving, through several post-translational modifications of histones, the silenced state of the genes implicated in a wide range of central biological events such as development, stem cell formation, and tumor progression.

This work highlights recent studies in epigenetic mechanisms that play a role in alcoholism, which is a complex multifactorial disorder. There is a large body of evidence showing that alcohol can modify gene expression through epigenetic processes, namely DNA methylation and nucleosomal remodeling via histone modifications. In that regard, chronic exposure to ethanol modifies DNA and histone methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA expression. The alcohol-mediated chromatin remodeling in the brain promotes the transition from use to abuse and addiction.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance that develops in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. GDM can lead to short-term and long-term complications both in the mother and in the offspring. Diagnosing and treating this condition is therefore of great importance to avoid poor pregnancy outcomes. There is increasing interest in finding new markers with potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic utility in GDM.