ABSTRACT
The efficacy of immune response depends on the diversity and interplay of immune cells. Immune heterogeneity greatly enhances the immune system’s capacity to confer protection against pathogens. One of the mechanisms which contributes to this is the epigenetic regulation of the immune system. Epigenetics is a collection of mechanisms contributing to gene regulation to regulate various processes including development, differentiation, and metabolism. Recent research on epigenetic changes in the immune system has yielded substantial results. In this chapter epigenetic regulation of the immune system and its implications in vaccine response is discussed. While there are other epigenetic mechanisms, the chapter focuses mostly on covalent modifications of histones and DNA and non-coding RNAs.
