REVIEW OF PHARMACOEPIGENETICS: BRIDGING EPIGENETICS AND PERSONALIZED MEDICINE

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 04 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Harshika. D. Kulkarni,

  • Yogesh. B. Rokade,

  • Akash Jain,

  • Dr. Sunil. P. Pawar,

  • Vidhya Jagdale,

  • Chetana Jain,

  1. Student, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India
  2. Assistant Professor, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India
  3. Assistant Professor, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India
  4. Principal, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India
  5. Student, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India
  6. student, P. S. G. V. P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA, MAHARASHTRA, India

Abstract

Pharmacoepigenetics is an emerging field that explores how alterations in gene expression, independent of DNA sequence changes, influence individual responses to drugs. Unlike pharmacogenetics, which focuses primarily on genetic variation, pharmacoepigenetics integrates genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors to explain interindividual differences in drug efficacy, toxicity, and resistance. Key epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs, and RNA methylation play critical roles in regulating drug metabolism and therapeutic outcomes. This review highlights the growing clinical relevance of pharmacoepigenetics in cancer, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders, where epigenetic biomarkers and targeted therapeutics are reshaping treatment strategies. Epigenetic agents such as DNMT, HDAC, and EZH2 inhibitors can restore normal gene expression and enhance drug sensitivity. Despite these advances, challenges remain in biomarker validation, data interpretation, and establishing causal links between epigenetic modifications and treatment response. Integration of CRISPR-based epigenome editing, artificial intelligence, and multi-omics approaches is anticipated to accelerate the clinical translation of pharmacoepigenetic insights, enabling safer, more effective, and truly personalized therapies.

Keywords: Pharmacoepigenetics; DNA Methylation; Non-coding RNA; Epigenetics biomarkers; Personalized medicine.

How to cite this article:
Harshika. D. Kulkarni, Yogesh. B. Rokade, Akash Jain, Dr. Sunil. P. Pawar, Vidhya Jagdale, Chetana Jain. REVIEW OF PHARMACOEPIGENETICS: BRIDGING EPIGENETICS AND PERSONALIZED MEDICINE. International Journal of Molecular Biotechnological Research. 2026; 04(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Harshika. D. Kulkarni, Yogesh. B. Rokade, Akash Jain, Dr. Sunil. P. Pawar, Vidhya Jagdale, Chetana Jain. REVIEW OF PHARMACOEPIGENETICS: BRIDGING EPIGENETICS AND PERSONALIZED MEDICINE. International Journal of Molecular Biotechnological Research. 2026; 04(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijmbr/article=2026/view=239124


References

  1. Dupont C, Armant DR, Brenner CA. Epigenetics: definition, mechanisms and clinical perspective. Semin Reprod Med. 2009;27(5):351-357. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1237423.

 2.  Laufer, B.I., Singh, S.M. Strategies for precision modulation of gene expression by epigenome editing: an overview. Epigenetics & Chromatin 8, 34 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-015-0023-7.

3.  Rasool, M., Malik, A., Naseer, M.I. et al. The role of epigenetics in personalized medicine:challenges and opportunities. BMC Med Genomics 8 (Suppl 1), S5 (2015).https://doi.org/10.1186/1755-8794-8-S1-S5.

4. Smith DA, Sadler MC, Altman RB. Promises and challenges in pharmacoepigenetics. Cambridge Prisms: Precision Medicine. 2023;1:e18. doi:10.1017/pcm.2023.6.

5.  Feehley, T., O’Donnell, C.W., Mendlein, J. et al. Drugging the epigenome in the age of precision medicine. Clin Epigenet 15, 6 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-022-01419-z.

6.  Zhou J, Li M, Wang X, et al. Drug Response-Related DNA Methylation Changes in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Front Neurosci. 2021;15:674273. Published 2021 May 13. doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.674273.

7.  Nicola M (2025) Pharmacoepigenetics: Unlocking the Role of Epigenetics in Drug Response. J Cell Mol Pharmacol 9: 262DOI: 10.4172/jcmp.1000262.

8.  Yaacoub, S., Boudaka, A., AlKhatib, A. et al. The pharmaco-epigenetics of hypertension: a focus on microRNA. Mol Cell Biochem 479, 3255–3271 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-024-04947-9.

9.  Tang, J., Xiong, Y., Zhou, H.-.-H. and Chen, X.-.-P. (2014), DNA methylation and personalized medicine. J Clin Pharm Ther, 39: 621-627. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpt.12206

10.  Rusek M, Krasowska D. Non-Coding RNA in Systemic Sclerosis: A Valuable Tool for Translational and Personalized Medicine. Genes. 2021; 12(9):1296. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12091296

11.  Si, W., Shen, J., Zheng, H. et al. The role and mechanisms of action of microRNAs in cancer drug resistance. Clin Epigenet 11, 25 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-018- 0587-8 P.S.G.V.P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA 11

12.  Liu, Z., Zou, H., Dang, Q. et al. Biological and pharmacological roles of m 6 A modifications in cancer drug resistance. Mol Cancer 21, 220 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-022-01680-z

13.  Fan HH, Wang LQ, Liu WL, et al. Repurposing of clinically approved drugs for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 in a 2019-novel coronavirus-related coronavirus model. Chin Med J (Engl). 2020;133(9):1051-1056. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000000797

14.  Ocaña-Paredes B, Rivera-Orellana S, Ramírez-Sánchez D, et al. The pharmacoepigenetic paradigm in cancer treatment. Front Pharmacol. 2024;15:1381168. Published 2024 Apr 24. doi:10.3389/fphar.2024.1381168

15.  Smith DA, Sadler MC, Altman RB. Promises and challenges in pharmacoepigenetics. Camb Prism Precis Med. 2023;1:e18. Published 2023 Feb 9. doi:10.1017/pcm.2023.6

16.  Roberts, C.-T., Arezoumand, K.S., Kadar Shahib, A., Davie, J.R., & Rastegar, M. (2024). Epigenetics in rare neurological diseases. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 12:1413248.

17.  Grezenko, H., etc. (2023). Epigenetics in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders. PMC Article.

18.  Grech, A., West, S., & Tonna, R. (2020). Clinical relevance of pharmacoepigenetics. The Synapse : the Medical Professionals’ Network, 19(3), 12-15.

19.  Napoli C, Grimaldi V, De Pascale MR, Sommese L, Infante T, Soricelli A. Novel epigenetic-based therapies useful in cardiovascular medicine. World J Cardiol. 2016;8(2):211-219. doi:10.4330/wjc.v8.i2.211

20.  Nalejska E, Mączyńska E, Lewandowska MA. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers: tools in personalized oncology. Mol Diagn Ther. 2014;18(3):273-284. doi:10.1007/s40291-013-0077-9

21.  Hsueh, CT., Liu, D. & Wang, H. Novel biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, targeted therapy and clinical trials. Biomark Res 1, 1 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-7771-1-1

22.  FDA-NIH Biomarker Working Group. BEST (Biomarkers, EndpointS, and other Tools) Resource [Internet]. Silver Spring (MD): Food and Drug Administration (US); 2016-. Predictive Biomarker. 2016 Dec 22. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK402283/ Co-published by National Institutes of Health (US), Bethesda (MD).

23.  Jørgensen, J. T., & Westergaard, N. (2022). Predictive biomarkers and personalized pharmacotherapy. Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, 22(10), 919–922. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737159.2022.2139602

24.  Nalejska E, Mączyńska E, Lewandowska MA. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers: tools in personalized oncology. Mol Diagn Ther. 2014;18(3):273-284. doi:10.1007/s40291-013-0077-9

25.  Majchrzak-Celińska A, Warych A, Szoszkiewicz M. Novel Approaches to Epigenetic Therapies: From Drug Combinations to Epigenetic Editing. Genes (Basel). 2021;12(2):208. Published 2021 Jan 31. doi:10.3390/genes12020208 P.S.G.V.P. MANDAL’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, SHAHADA 12

26.  Mottamal M, Zheng S, Huang TL, Wang G. Histone deacetylase inhibitors in clinical studies as templates for new anticancer agents. Molecules. 2015;20(3):3898-3941. Published 2015 Mar 2. doi:10.3390/molecules20033898

27.  Marks PA, Xu WS. Histone deacetylase inhibitors: Potential in cancer therapy. J Cell Biochem. 2009;107(4):600-608. doi:10.1002/jcb.22185

28.  Nepali, K., Liou, JP. Recent developments in epigenetic cancer therapeutics: clinical advancement and emerging trends. J Biomed Sci 28, 27 (2021).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-021-00721-x

29.  Straining R, Eighmy W. Tazemetostat: EZH2 Inhibitor. J Adv Pract Oncol.2022;13(2):158-163. doi:10.6004/jadpro.2022.13.2.7

30.  Bell JT, Spector TD. DNA methylation studies using twins: what are they telling us?. Genome Biol. 2012;13(10):172. Published 2012 Oct 18. doi:10.1186/gb-2012-13-10-172

31.  Molla G, Bitew M. Revolutionizing Personalized Medicine: Synergy with Multi-Omics Data Generation, Main Hurdles, and Future Perspectives. Biomedicines. 2024;12(12):2750. Published 2024 Nov 30. doi:10.3390/biomedicines12122750

32.  Wang, C., Lye, X., Kaalia, R. et al. Deep learning and multi-omics approach to predict drug responses in cancer. BMC Bioinformatics 22 (Suppl 10), 632 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12859-022-04964-9

33.  Johnson KB, Wei WQ, Weeraratne D, et al. Precision Medicine, AI, and the Future of Personalized Health Care. Clin Transl Sci. 2021;14(1):86-93. doi:10.1111/cts.12884

34.  Syding LA, Nickl P, Kasparek P, Sedlacek R. CRISPR/Cas9 Epigenome Editing Potential for Rare Imprinting Diseases: A Review. Cells. 2020; 9(4):993. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9040993

35.  Chehelgerdi, M., Chehelgerdi, M., Khorramian-Ghahfarokhi, M. et al. Comprehensive review of CRISPR-based gene editing: mechanisms, challenges, and applications in cancer therapy. Mol Cancer 23, 9 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-023-01925-5

Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 04
01
Received 08/01/2026
Accepted 18/03/2026
Published 25/03/2026
Publication Time 76 Days
60

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics