title: Epigenetic mechanisms in heart development and disease.
abstract: Suboptimal intrauterine development has been linked to predisposition to cardiovascular disease in adulthood, a concept termed 'developmental origins of health and disease'. Although the exact mechanisms underlying this developmental programming are unknown, a growing body of evidence supports the involvement of epigenetic regulation. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and micro-RNA confer added levels of gene regulation without altering DNA sequences. These modifications are relatively stable signals, offering possible insight into the mechanisms underlying developmental origins of health and disease. This review will discuss the role of epigenetic mechanisms in heart development as well as aberrant epigenetic regulation contributing to cardiovascular disease. Additionally, we will address recent advances targeting epigenetic mechanisms as potential therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
authors.forename: Shannalee R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
authors.forename: Maresha S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA. Electronic address: lzhang@llu.edu.
authors.forename: Lubo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D005819:Genetic Markers; D035683:MicroRNAs