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Connecting the Dots Between Fatty Acids, Mitochondrial Function, and DNA Methylation in Atherosclerosis

  • Genetics and Genomics (A Marian, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The quest for factors and mechanisms responsible for aberrant DNA methylation in human disease—including atherosclerosis—is a promising area of research. This review focuses on the role of fatty acids (FAs) as modulators of DNA methylation—in particular the role of mitochondrial beta-oxidation in FA-induced changes in DNA methylation during the progression of atherosclerosis.

Recent Findings

Recent publications have advanced the knowledge in all areas touched by this review: the causal role of lipids in shaping the DNA methylome, the associations between chronic degenerative disease and mitochondrial function, the lipid composition of the atheroma, and the relevance of DNA hypermethylation in atherosclerosis.

Summary

Evidence is beginning to emerge, linking the dynamics of FA type abundance, mitochondrial function, and DNA methylation in the atheroma and systemically. In particular, this review highlights mitochondrial beta-oxidation as an important regulator of DNA methylation in metabolic disease. Despite the many questions still unanswered, this area of research promises to identify mechanisms and molecular factors that establish a pathological gene expression pattern in atherosclerosis.

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Acknowledgements

GL and SZ have received funding from the Kellogg’s Institute for Nutrition and Health, “Research Projects in Nutrition 2016” grant no. 100. Due to the extent of available literature and the multidisciplinary nature of this review, readers are in some instances referred to review articles. We apologize to all authors whose work was not directly cited.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, León Campus, University of Guanajuato, 20 de Enero no. 929, Col. Obregón, 37320, León, GTO, Mexico

    Silvio Zaina

  2. Department of Genetic Engineering, CINVESTAV Irapuato Unit, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821, Irapuato, GTO, Mexico

    Gertrud Lund

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  1. Silvio Zaina
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Correspondence to Silvio Zaina or Gertrud Lund.

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Gertrud Lund and Silvio Zaina each declare no conflicts of interest.

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Zaina, S., Lund, G. Connecting the Dots Between Fatty Acids, Mitochondrial Function, and DNA Methylation in Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 19, 36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0673-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0673-y

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