Epigenetic Mechanism and Therapeutic Implications of Atrial Fibrillation

Dan Li; Jiali Nie; Yu Han; Li Ni

doi:10.3389/fcvm.2021.763824

Epigenetic Mechanism and Therapeutic Implications of Atrial Fibrillation

Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jan 21:8:763824. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.763824. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Dan Li¹, Jiali Nie¹, Yu Han¹, Li Ni¹

Affiliation

¹ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia attacking 1. 5-2.0% of general population worldwide. It has a significant impact on morbidity and mortality globally and its prevalence increases exponentially with age. Therapies like catheter ablation or conventional antiarrhythmic drugs have not provided effective solution to the recurrence for AF over the past decades. Over 100 genetic loci have been discovered to be associated with AF by Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) but none has led to a therapy. Recently potential involvement of epigenetics (DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs) in the initiation and maintenance of AF has partly emerged as proof-of-concept in the mechanism and management of AF. Here we reviewed the epigenetic features involved in AF pathophysiology and provided an update of their implications in AF therapy.

Keywords: DNA methylation; atrial fibrillation; epigenetic regulation; histone modification; non-coding RNAs.

Publication types

Review