Clonal hematopoiesis and circulating biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Hematology
• Genetics

Background:

• Clonal hematopoiesis, the expansion of mutated hematopoietic stem cell clones with age, is increasingly linked to cardiovascular disease.
• Mutations like JAK2 in clonal hematopoiesis elevate risks for vascular and cardiac complications, even at low variant allele frequencies.
• Mutant hematopoietic cells drive inflammation and pathological remodeling, contributing to conditions like pulmonary hypertension and aortic aneurysm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current evidence linking clonal hematopoiesis and circulating biomarkers to cardiovascular diseases.
• To explore the role of mutant hematopoietic cells in cardiovascular pathology.
• To highlight the utility of biomarkers in assessing cardiovascular conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of experimental models and clinical studies on clonal hematopoiesis and cardiovascular disease.
• Analysis of research on circulating biomarkers, including cell-free DNA and CTHRC1.
• Synthesis of evidence on the contribution of clonal hematopoiesis to cardiovascular disorders.

Main Results:

• Clonal hematopoiesis, particularly with JAK2 mutations, is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular complications.
• Mutant hematopoietic cells promote inflammation and remodeling, underlying cardiovascular pathologies.
• Circulating biomarkers (cell-free DNA, CTHRC1) offer less invasive methods for assessing cardiac damage and fibrosis.

Conclusions:

• Clonal hematopoiesis is an emerging contributor to cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.
• Circulating biomarkers show promise for enhanced cardiovascular risk stratification and mechanistic insights.
• Integrating clonal hematopoiesis and biomarker data can improve understanding and management of cardiovascular pathology.