Endothelial dysfunction in children with obstructive sleep apnea is associated with epigenetic changes in the eNOS gene.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder that has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity, even in children. However, not all children with OSA manifest alterations in endothelial postocclusive hyperemia, an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-dependent response. Since expression of the eNOS gene is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms and OSA may cause epigenetic modifications such as DNA hypermethylation, we hypothesized that epigenetic modifications in the eNOS gene may underlie the differential vascular phenotypes in pediatric OSA.

Methods

Age-, sex-, ethnicity-, and BMI-matched prepubertal children with polysomnographically confirmed OSA and either normal (OSAn) or abnormal (OSAab) postocclusive hyperemic res

SUBMITTER: Kheirandish-Gozal L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3616686 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature