Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Chemotherapy-induced Vascular Toxicity - Real-time In vivo Imaging of Vessel Impairment
04:48

Chemotherapy-induced Vascular Toxicity - Real-time In vivo Imaging of Vessel Impairment

Published on: January 7, 2015

7.6K

Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in the Cardiovascular Toxicity of Anticancer Drugs

Panagiota Papazoglou1, Luying Peng2,3, Agapios Sachinidis4,5

  • 1School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|May 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Anticancer drugs like anthracyclines can cause heart failure. This study identifies cardiotoxicity mechanisms, including epigenetic changes, and discusses mitigation strategies for safer cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Oncology
  • Toxicology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Cardiovascular toxicity is a significant concern with anticancer drugs, potentially leading to heart failure.
  • Anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin, mitoxantrone) are known for their cardiotoxic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify cardiotoxicity mechanisms induced by anticancer drugs.
  • To explore the role of epigenetic modifications in drug-induced cardiotoxicity.
  • To discuss strategies for mitigating anticancer drug cardiotoxicity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.
  • Employed "Omic" technologies for pathway and mechanism identification.
  • Focused on reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial pathways.

Main Results:

  • Identified multiple mechanisms and signal transduction pathways contributing to cardiotoxicity.
  • Demonstrated that anticancer drugs induce cardiovascular toxicity via epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Highlighted the role of reactive oxygen species and mitochondria in cardiotoxic epigenetic modifications.

Conclusions:

  • Anticancer drug cardiotoxicity involves complex mechanisms, including epigenetic alterations.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing safer cancer therapies.
  • Pharmaceutical interventions can potentially mitigate the cardiotoxic effects of these drugs.
Keywords:
anthracyclinesanticancer therapycardiotoxicityepigenetic mechanismsgenomics biomarkersheart failurehiPSCsinduced pluripotent stem cells

More Related Videos

A Doxorubicin-induced Cardiomyopathy Model in Adult Zebrafish08:09

A Doxorubicin-induced Cardiomyopathy Model in Adult Zebrafish

Published on: June 7, 2018

10.0K
A Doxorubicin-Induced Murine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy In Vivo05:14

A Doxorubicin-Induced Murine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy In Vivo

Published on: May 16, 2020

5.0K

Related Concept Videos

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.1K
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
3.3K
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
31.8K
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity01:25

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...
1.6K
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II01:46

Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is the main energy generation system in the eukaryotic cells. However, mitochondria also produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the large electron flow during oxidative phosphorylation. While Complex I is one of the primary sources of superoxide radicals, ROS production by Complex II is uncommon and may only be observed in cancer cells with mutated complexes.
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
16.3K
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
7.2K