Epigenetic mechanisms in diabetic vascular complications

There has been a rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes as well the associated vascular complications. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in these pathologies. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic factors play a key role in the complex interplay between genes an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cardiovascular research 2011-06, Vol.90 (3), p.421-429
Main Authors: Reddy, Marpadga A, Natarajan, Rama
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Diabetic Angiopathies - etiology
Diabetic Angiopathies - genetics
Diabetic Angiopathies - metabolism
DNA Methylation
Epigenesis, Genetic
Humans
MicroRNAs - genetics
MicroRNAs - metabolism
Models, Genetic
Protein Processing, Post-Translational
Reviews: Focus on Epigenetics and the Histone Code in Vascular Biology
Transcription, Genetic
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Summary:There has been a rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes as well the associated vascular complications. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in these pathologies. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic factors play a key role in the complex interplay between genes and the environment. Actions of major pathological mediators of diabetes and its complications such as hyperglycaemia, oxidant stress, and inflammatory factors can lead to dysregulated epigenetic mechanisms that affect chromatin structure and gene expression. Furthermore, persistence of this altered state of the epigenome may be the underlying mechanism contributing to a 'metabolic memory' that results in chronic inflammation and vascular dysfunction in diabetes even after achieving glycaemic control. Further examination of epigenetic mechanisms by also taking advantage of recently developed next-generation sequencing technologies can provide novel insights into the pathology of diabetes and its complications and lead to the discovery of much needed new drug targets for these diseases. In this review, we highlight the role of epigenetics in diabetes and its vascular complications, and recent technological advances that have significantly accelerated the field.
ISSN:0008-6363
1755-3245
DOI:10.1093/cvr/cvr024