Project description:Background – Epigenetic alterations are stable modifications to chromatin structure that occur in response to environmental cues such as hypoxia or altered nutrient delivery. DNA methylation is a well-established and dynamic DNA modification that contributes to the regulation of gene expression. In the current study, we test the hypothesize that ischemic heart failure is defined by a distinct signature of DNA methylation that corresponds with altered expression of genes involved in cardiac ventricular dysfunction. Methods and Results – Using a methylation array, we quantified genome-wide DNA methylation of endomyocardial samples acquired from patients with ischemic (n = 6) or non-ischemic (n = 5) heart failure. RNA-sequencing analysis was performed in the same samples to identify transcriptomic changes (Fold Change > 1.5, Q < 0.05, FPKM > 2) associated with differential methylation (|Percent Change| > 5%, p < 0.05). Of the promoter-associated CpG Islands, which are well-established regions of negative transcriptional regulation, we identified a signature of robust hypermethylation. The methylation changes linked to significantly decreased transcripts included key fatty acid metabolic regulators (e.g. KLF15, AGPAT9, APOA1, and MXD4). Among the few hypomethylated and induced genes was PFKFB3, which encodes for the rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis. Gene set enrichment analysis identified TGFβ as a nodal upstream regulator of the methylation changes, potentially supporting a role of DNA methylation in the increased fibrosis and apoptosis that accompanies ischemic heart failure. Conclusions – Our data identify that the DNA methylation signature recapitulates the pathologic hallmarks of ischemic heart failure. Furthermore, we show that differential DNA methylation of CpG islands within the promoter depict alterations in metabolic substrate utilization known to occur in ischemic heart failure, and may govern a return to the fetal-like metabolic program.

Dataset Information

Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Encodes Cardiac Transcriptional Reprogramming in Human Ischemic Heart Failure [DNA Methylation]

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