Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
05:22
Electrophoretic Analysis of Replication Through Structure-Prone DNA Repeats Within the SV40-Based Human Episome
Published on: September 13, 2024
The landscape of DNA repeat elements in human heart failure
Genome Biology
|October 5, 2012
Summary
Heart failure is linked to hypomethylation of satellite repeat elements, which are non-coding RNAs. This epigenetic change correlates with increased expression of these elements in cardiomyopathic hearts.
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling has been used to examine heart epigenomes.
- Repetitive elements are heavily methylated in postnatal tissues and show variable methylation in cancer.
- The methylation of repetitive elements in the heart has not been previously studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the methylation profiles of repetitive elements in healthy and cardiomyopathic human hearts.
- To determine if differential methylation of repetitive elements is associated with heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of repetitive elements from all repeat families in human myocardial samples.
- Comparison of DNA methylation patterns between healthy and end-stage cardiomyopathic hearts.
- Correlation analysis between DNA methylation and gene expression of repetitive elements.
Main Results:
- Satellite repeat elements were significantly hypomethylated in end-stage cardiomyopathic hearts compared to healthy controls.
- Hypomethylation of satellite repeats correlated with up to 27-fold upregulation of their transcripts.
- No other repeat family showed differential methylation, except for a modest trend of increased methylation in Alu element SINE1/7SL.
Conclusions:
- Satellite repeat element transcripts, a type of non-coding RNA, may play a role in genomic stability and chromosomal integrity.
- Further research is required to understand the functional role of these non-coding RNAs in heart failure.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
01:29Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy without ventricular dilation. It is more common in men and is typically diagnosed in young, athletic adults.EtiologyHCM is primarily genetic and is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. Researchers have identified over 1400 mutations across at least 11 different genes. Among these, the most frequently occurring mutations are found in the...
01:30Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by ventricular chamber dilation and contractile dysfunction.EtiologyVarious factors can cause DCM, including hypertension and heavy alcohol intake, which contribute to the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle. Viral infections, such as Coxsackievirus B, adenoviruses, and influenza, can lead to DCM by causing inflammation and damage to heart tissue. Certain chemotherapeutic agents, including daunorubicin,...
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
01:29Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is a rare heart muscle disease characterized by impaired ventricular filling due to stiffened ventricular walls, leading to significant diastolic dysfunction.EtiologyRestrictive cardiomyopathy can arise from both inherited and acquired diseases, many of which are systemic. It is categorized into four main types: infiltrative, storage, non-infiltrative, and endomyocardial diseases.Infiltrative diseases, such as amyloidosis, lead to RCM by depositing amyloid...
03:18Non-LTR Retrotransposons
As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...