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Published on: February 20, 2019
Recent Updates on Epigenetic-Based Pharmacotherapy for Atherosclerosis
Eko Fuji Ariyanto1, Ibnu Wijaya2, Zaky Alif Pradian2
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia.
Insights
Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation and non-coding RNAs play key roles in atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular disease. This review explores new drugs targeting these epigenetic changes for treating atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Molecular Medicine
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of global mortality, involves arterial cholesterol accumulation and chronic inflammation.
- It underlies serious cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
- Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are increasingly recognized as critical regulators in atherogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in developing novel atherosclerosis therapeutics.
- To focus on drugs targeting epigenetic modifications involved in the disease process.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on epigenetic modulation in atherosclerosis.
- Analysis of therapeutic strategies targeting DNA methylation, histone modifications, and ncRNAs.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic dysregulation significantly contributes to the development and progression of atherosclerosis.
- Emerging therapeutic strategies aim to reverse or counteract these epigenetic changes.
- Drug development focuses on modulating specific epigenetic pathways to combat cardiovascular disease.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic modifications represent promising targets for novel atherosclerosis treatments.
- Targeting DNA methylation, histone modifications, and ncRNAs offers potential for innovative CVD therapies.
- Further research into these epigenetic mechanisms could lead to more effective interventions against atherosclerosis.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is one of the most dominant pathological processes responsible in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) caused by cholesterol accumulation accompanied by inflammation in the arteries which will subsequently lead to further complications, including myocardial infarction and stroke. Although the incidence of atherosclerosis is decreasing in some countries, it is still considered the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is a vascular pathological process that is chronically inflammatory and is characterized by the invasion of inflammatory cells and cytokines. Many reports have unraveled the pivotal roles of epigenetics such as DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in atherogenesis, which regulate the expression of numerous genes related to various responsible pathways. Many studies have been conducted to develop new therapeutical approaches based on epigenetic changes for combating atherosclerosis. This review elaborates on recent updates on the development of new atherosclerosis drugs whose mechanism of action is associated with the modulation of DNA methylation, posttranslational histone modifications, and ncRNA-based gene regulation.
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