GENOMICS AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF LIPID DISORDERS

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Systems Biology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research
• Lipid Metabolism

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant global health burden, with atherosclerosis and hypertension as primary drivers.
• Serum lipid levels, particularly high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, are critical risk factors for atherosclerosis.
• Non-modifiable factors like age, sex, and genetic variations influence CVD susceptibility, including complex lipid traits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of genomics and systems biology approaches in understanding common dyslipidemias.
• To explore the complex genetic architecture and molecular mechanisms underlying polygenic lipid disorders.
• To highlight the need for integrated multi-omics approaches to unravel dynamic changes leading to CVD.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on genomics and systems biology in dyslipidemia research.
• Discussion of polygenic and non-Mendelian forms of dyslipidemias.
• Emphasis on integrating data from genomic, transcriptomic, methylomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and phenomic levels.

Main Results:

• Non-Mendelian dyslipidemias are highly complex, involving hundreds of genes and gene-environment interactions.
• Current understanding of molecular mechanisms and interactions in polygenic lipid disorders is limited.
• Network and systems biology approaches are emerging as essential tools for dissecting this complexity.

Conclusions:

• Genomics and systems biology offer powerful frameworks for studying complex dyslipidemias.
• Further research integrating multi-omics data is needed to elucidate the pathways leading to high serum lipid levels and CVD.
• Elucidating these dynamic changes is key to advancing human cardiovascular health.