Epigenetics and expression of key genes associated with cardiac fibrosis: and .

Excessive inflammatory signaling and pathological remodeling of the extracellular matrix drive cardiac fibrosis and require changes in gene expression. Using bioinformatics, both tissue-specific expression profiles and epigenomic profiles of some genes critical for cardiac fibrosis were examined, namely, (encodes angiotensin II precursors) and (post-transcriptionally regulates ). In monocytes, neutrophils, fibroblasts, venous cells, liver and brain, enhancers or super-enhancers were found that correlate with high expression of these genes. One enhancer extended into a silent gene neighbor. These enhancers harbored tissue-specific foci of DNA hypomethylation, open chromatin and transcription factor binding. This study identified previously undescribed enhancers containing hypomethylated transcription factor binding subregions that are predicted to regulate expression of these cardiac fibrosis-inducing genes.