The novel role of epigenetics in primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

A great deal of evidences indicate that impaired fetal growth and in utero exposure to risk factors, especially maternal hypercholesterolemia, may be relevant for human pathophysiological signs of atherosclerosis and subsequent development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) during different life stages. Despite the underlying mechanisms of fetal programming are still unknown, epigenetics has been suggested as one of the possible explanations for the associations between intrauterine risk factors and CVD development. Indeed, a lot of translational studies support the hypothesis that epigenetic changes are related to increased CVD risk although it is still not possible to establish a direct causality in humans. Notably, epigenetic modifications can be reversible through therapeutic approaches employing histone deacetylase inhibitors, histone acetyltransferase inhibitors and commonly used drugs like statins. Thus, the whole comprehension of these mechanisms will provide in the next future the rationale for the development of novel tools to be used in the primary prevention and therapy of CVD.

Keywords

• epigenetics, cardiovascular disease, primary prevention, hypercholesterolemia, novel risk factors.