Genetic Animal Models of Cardiovascular Pathologies

TL;DR

This paper reviews how genetic animal models are advancing cardiovascular disease research and enabling more precise studies of heart conditions.

Contribution

The paper highlights the use of emerging genetic technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 and AAV-mediated gene delivery to improve cardiovascular disease modeling.

Findings

Genetic models like transgenic rats and rabbits have enhanced understanding of hypertension and atherosclerosis.

New tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 and chemogenetics allow precise cardiac gene manipulation for disease study.

Persistent challenges include off-target effects and variability in transgene expression across models.

Abstract

This review critically examines the evolving landscape of genetic animal models for investigating cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We analyze established models, including spontaneously hypertensive rats, Watanabe hyperlipidemic rabbits, etc., and transgenic models that have advanced our understanding of essential and secondary hypertension, atherosclerosis, and non-ischemic diseases of the heart. This review systematically evaluates the translational strengths and physiological limitations of these approaches across species barriers. Particular attention is paid to emerging technologies—AAV-mediated gene delivery, CRISPR-Cas9 editing, and chemogenetic tools—that enable unprecedented precision in manipulating cardiac-specific gene expression to study pathophysiological mechanisms. We address persistent challenges including off-target effects and transgene expression variability, while highlighting innovations in synthetic vectors and tissue-specific targeting strategies. This synthesis underscores how evolving genetic technologies are revolutionizing cardiovascular research paradigms, offering refined disease models and optimized therapeutic interventions that pave the way toward personalized medicine approaches for the world’s leading cause of mortality.

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