Epigenetic regulation in alcoholic liver disease

Figure 1 Epigenetic regulation of gene expression via histone modification. Under normal conditions, activation of histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibits acetylation (Ac) of histones, which results in chromatin packaging, restriction of DNA accessibility for transcription, and controlled target gene expression. During alcohol exposure, histone modifications mediated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) influence elevated transcription of target genes, due to chromatin accessibility, which leads to increased DNA occupancy of transcription factors such as nuclear factor-κB (p50/p65), co-activators and transcriptional complexes, and elevated target gene expression.