The management of cardiovascular risk through epigenetic biomarkers

Abstract

Epigenetic sciences study heritable changes in gene expression not related to changes in the genomic DNA sequence. The most important epigeneticmechanisms areDNAmethylation, posttranslational histonemodification, and gene regulation by noncoding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for at least one-third of premature deaths worldwide and represent a heavy burden of healthcare expenditure. We will discuss in this review the most recent findings dealing with epigenetic alterations linked to cardiovascular physiopathology in patients. A particular focus will be put on the way these changes can be translated in the clinic, to develop innovative and groundbreaking biomarkers in CVD field.