Epigenetic mechanisms in cardiovascular complications of diabetes: towards future therapies

TL;DR

This paper reviews how epigenetic changes may contribute to cardiovascular complications in diabetes and explores potential future therapies targeting these mechanisms.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge on epigenetic mechanisms in diabetes-related cardiovascular complications and highlights promising therapeutic approaches.

Findings

Epigenetic changes like DNA methylation and histone modifications are linked to diabetes complications.

Epidrugs show promise but face challenges before becoming viable treatments.

Targeting epigenetic mechanisms could help prevent or slow diabetes complications.

Abstract

The pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and microvascular complications in diabetes have been extensively studied, but effective methods of prevention and treatment are still lacking. In recent years, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs have arisen as possible mechanisms involved in the development, maintenance, and progression of micro- and macro-vascular complications of diabetes. Epigenetic changes have the characteristic of being heritable or deletable. For this reason, they are now being studied as a therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes and the prevention or for slowing down its complications, aiming to alleviate the personal and social burden of the disease.

This review addresses current knowledge of the pathophysiological links between diabetes and cardiovascular complications, focusing on the role of epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone modifications. In addition, although the treatment of complications of diabetes with “epidrugs” is still far from being a reality and faces several challenges, we present the most promising molecules and approaches in this field.

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