The mechanism of super-enhancer regulation of gene expression and research progress in neurodegenerative diseases

Super-enhancers (SEs) play a key role in cell fate determination by regulating the transcription of cell-specific target genes and may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Targeted inhibition of the activity of SEs or knockout of SEs fragments may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. This article mainly outlines the discovery, structure, and identification methods of SEs; lists the current SE database platforms; summarizes the main regulatory mechanisms of SEs and strategies to acquire disease-specific SEs; and reviews recent research advances on SEs in neurodegenerative diseases. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms and development of treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.