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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

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06:02

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Published on: November 2, 2020

Epigenetic and chromatin remodeling mechanisms across cardiomyopathies: a comprehensive review

Prabin Upadhyaya1,2

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy. prabin.upadhyaya@unimib.it.

Epigenetics & Chromatin
|June 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Chromatin remodeling alterations significantly contribute to cardiomyopathies, a leading cause of heart failure. Understanding these epigenetic changes offers new therapeutic avenues beyond genetic interventions for heart muscle diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cardiomyopathies are major causes of heart failure and death globally.
  • Genetic factors are known, but genotype-phenotype links are unclear.
  • Chromatin remodeling's role in cardiac gene regulation needs further exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review chromatin remodeling complexes' roles in cardiac gene regulation.
  • To examine disease-specific chromatin remodeling in various cardiomyopathies.
  • To highlight therapeutic potential of targeting epigenetic modifications.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing current knowledge.
  • Analysis of chromatin remodeling patterns in dilated, hypertrophic, arrhythmogenic, and restrictive cardiomyopathies.
  • Examination of interactions between chromatin remodelers, DNA methylation, histone modifiers, and transcription factors.

Main Results:

  • Chromatin remodeling alterations are key in cardiomyopathy pathogenesis across subtypes.
  • Specific remodeling patterns differ between cardiomyopathy types.
  • Epigenetic modifications are reversible, offering therapeutic potential.
  • Chromatin remodelers (e.g., SWI/SNF, NuRD, Polycomb) influence disease progression and variability.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms are crucial in cardiomyopathy development and progression.
  • Reversible epigenetic changes present novel therapeutic targets.
  • Targeting the chromatin regulatory apparatus may reverse pathological transcriptional programs.
  • Future therapies may involve HDAC inhibitors, EZH2 antagonists, or CRISPR-based epigenetic editing.

Keywords:
BAF complexCardiomyopathyChromatin remodelingEpigeneticsHistone modificationsNuRD complexPolycombSWI/SNF

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