Heart failure (HF) is one of the most frequent and disabling diseases, affecting around 3% of the general population. It's particularly feared as a complication of chronic and acute ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, complicated aortic stenosis, and especially diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, with the increasing number of patients undergoing chemotherapy, the incidence of cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction is on a steady rise. It's important to emphasize that these conditions often arise during aging, which per se, can contribute to HF development. Traditionally, two distinct phenotypes have been identified based on the ejection fraction (EF): HFpEF and HFrEF. These phenotypes are characterized by unique clinical features and require different therapy.
Epigenetic changes can also be attributed to environmental and lifestyle factors (such as physical activity and smoking) and are involved in the aetiology and development of HF. Moreover, alterations in DNA methylation and RNA expression can be considered consequences of the diseases rather than just factors contributing to their development, thus identifying potential biomarkers for disease progression.
Epigenetic variations can be associated with altered gene expression related to inflammation and atherosclerosis development, contributing to pathological cardiac remodelling and cardiomyocyte dysfunction. More recently, the use of omics, which takes a holistic approach to genomics, combined with their bioinformatic interpretation, including the use of artificial intelligence systems, has provided new insights into the impact of epigenetics in the physiopathology of HF. These insights deserve serious consideration, especially concerning potential therapeutic implications.
Indeed, the possibility of identifying and targeting erasers, writers, and readers offers the significant advantage of acting on multiple metabolic pathways rather than just a single protein or pathway, thereby expanding the possibilities for therapeutic success.
Given all these new research possibilities, this Collection will gladly consider Original Research, Short Communications, Mini-reviews, and Review articles that address heart failure and epigenetics topics.
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