Epigenetic Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Gene Expression

Abstract

Epigenetics refers to chromatin-based pathways important in the regulation of gene expression and includes 3 distinct, but highly interrelated, mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone density and posttranslational modifications, and RNA-based mechanisms. Together, they offer a newer perspective on transcriptional control paradigms in vascular endothelial cells and provide a molecular basis for how the environment impacts the genome to modify disease susceptibility. This review provides an introduction to epigenetic concepts for vascular biologists. Using endothelial nitric oxide synthase ( NOS3 ) as an example, we examine the growing body of evidence implicating epigenetic pathways in the control of vascular endothelial gene expression in health and disease.