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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Quantification of Atherosclerosis in Mice

Quantification of Atherosclerosis in Mice

Published on: June 12, 2019

Epigenetics and atherosclerosis.

Mikko P Turunen¹, Einari Aavik, Seppo Ylä-Herttuala

¹Ark Therapeutics, Kuopio, Finland.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta

|February 24, 2009

Summary

Epigenetic changes like DNA hypomethylation are found in atherosclerosis. These modifications may explain environmental impacts on cardiovascular disease and offer new therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Biology
Epigenetics
Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

Epigenetic mechanisms' role in cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, is not well understood.
Genomic DNA hypomethylation and promoter methylation changes in key atherosclerosis-related genes are observed in human lesions.
Histone modification data in atherosclerotic lesions is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.
To investigate the potential causal relationship between epigenetic changes and atherosclerotic features.
To assess the role of epigenetic modifications in explaining environmental influences on atherogenesis.

Main Methods:

Analysis of DNA methylation patterns in human atherosclerotic lesions.

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A Human Ex Vivo Atherosclerotic Plaque Model to Study Lesion Biology

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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Quantification of Atherosclerosis in Mice

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Published on: June 12, 2019

A Human Ex Vivo Atherosclerotic Plaque Model to Study Lesion Biology

A Human Ex Vivo Atherosclerotic Plaque Model to Study Lesion Biology

Published on: May 6, 2014

Examination of gene promoter methylation (e.g., extracellular superoxide dismutase, estrogen receptor-alpha, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, 15-lipoxygenase).

Review of existing literature on histone modifications and RNAi mechanisms in vascular cells.

Main Results:

Genomic DNA hypomethylation is present in human atherosclerotic lesions.
Specific gene promoter methylation changes are associated with atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
The causal link between epigenetic changes and atherosclerotic features (e.g., smooth muscle cell proliferation, lipid accumulation, immune response modulation) remains unclear.
Epigenetic alterations may partly explain environmental/dietary effects on atherogenesis and population-level coronary heart disease incidence variations.

Conclusions:

Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and potentially histone modifications and RNAi, are implicated in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.
Epigenetic changes may link environmental factors to atherosclerosis development.
Targeting epigenetic modifications in vascular cells presents a potential therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases.