title: Non-coding RNAs as direct and indirect modulators of epigenetic mechanism regulation of cardiac fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac fibroblast activation is a pivotal cellular event in cardiac fibrosis. Numerous studies have indicated that epigenetic modifications control cardiac fibroblast activation. Greater knowledge of the role of epigenetic modifications could improve understanding of the cardiac fibrosis pathogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this review is to describe the present knowledge about the important role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts in epigenetic gene regulation in cardiac fibrosis and looks ahead on new perspectives of epigenetic modification research. Furthermore, we will discuss examples of ncRNAs that interact with histone modification or DNA methylation to regulate gene expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) modulate several important aspects of function. Recently, some studies continue to find novel pathways, including the important role of ncRNA transcripts in epigenetic gene regulation. Targeting the miRNAs and lncRNAs can be a promising direction in cardiac fibrosis treatment. We discuss new perspectives of ncRNAs that interact with histone modification or DNA methylation to regulate gene expression, others that are targets of these epigenetic mechanisms. The emerging recognition of the diverse functions of ncRNAs in regulating gene expression by epigenetic mechanisms suggests that they may represent new targets for therapeutic intervention.
authors: The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , Fu Rong Road, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province , China +86 551 63869531 ; +86 551 63869531 ; ayskh3@hotmail.com.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Tao
authors: Jing-Jing
authors: JJ
authors: Yang
authors: Kai-Hu
authors: KH
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: DNA methylation; cardiac fibrosis; epigenetic; histone modification; long non-coding RNA; microRNA