Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to the study of stable, heritable changes in gene activity and expression that do not involve modifications to the DNA nucleotide sequence itself. The three primary epigenetic mechanisms are DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA regulation. DNA methylation typically involves the addition of a methyl group to the cytosine base in CpG dinucleotides, generally resulting in gene silencing. Histone modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination alter chromatin structure and accessibility, thereby modulating transcription. These epigenetic marks are influenced by environmental factors including diet, stress, toxin exposure, and exercise, and can be transmitted across cell divisions and, in some cases, across generations. In peptide research, compounds like GHK-Cu have demonstrated the ability to modulate the expression of over 4,000 human genes, suggesting epigenetic mechanisms may underpin some of their regenerative effects. NAD+ and its role in sirtuin activation also intersects heavily with epigenetic regulation, as sirtuins are histone deacetylases.