Towards the identification of Crohn’s disease-associated epigenetic biomarkers in leukocytes: A potential role in personalized diagnostics and treatment

In this thesis, we focus on the epigenome of various leukocytic populations and its relationship with Crohn’s disease (CD) and its various phenotypes. Specifically, we identify putative CD-associated biomarkers in Part 1 by studying how the DNA methylome in various leukocyte populations is associated with presence of CD, active or remissive CD, and drug-response in CD. In Part 2, we focus primarily on the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages by characterizing of monocyte-derived macrophages, as well as the tolerizability of IFNγ-treated macrophages upon inhibiting HDAC3, and the role of SP140 in inflammatory macrophages.