Role of Epigenetic Modulations and Transcription Factor in Cardiovascular Disease and Coronary Artery Spasm: Mechanisms and Interventions

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, irrespective of sex. About 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, accounting for 32% of global deaths, among which 85% were due to myocardial infarction and stroke. The causes of CVDs such as coronary artery disease, coronary artery spasm (CAS), heart failure, and hypertension are closely related to environmental factors and genetic factors. Several environmental and lifestyle factors can modify epigenetic patterns, such as diet, nutrition, obesity, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, psychological stress, working on night shifts, and air, chemical pollution, and radiation. Epigenetics, a reversible system of gene-environment interactions, are important molecular markers of CVDs because they occur early in the disease and involve key cardiovascular pathologically related pathways. Most importantly, it can be used as CVD biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment response prediction and evaluation. The regulation on gene expression by epigenetics is similar to that by transcription factors (TFs), and the normal execution of biological event is controlled by a combination of epigenetic modifications and TFs. Clinically, some cases are still difficult to cure, and the prevalence increases with age. Because of the reversibility of epigenetic modifications, genes and proteins that control these changes have become new targets for CVD treatment.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide latest cutting edge original research articles, reviews and mini-reviews in the field of epigenetic modulations and transcription factors in CVD and CAS: mechanisms and interventions. In addition, we also collect the mechanisms driving epigenetics-associated CVDs, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and regulation by RNAs.