ABSTRACT
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), characterized by localized increased arterial blood pressure in the lungs, is a slow developing long-term disease that can be fatal. PAH is characterized by inflammation, vascular tone imbalance, pathological pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right-sided heart failure. Current treatments for PAH are palliative and development of new therapies is necessary. Recent and relevant studies have demonstrated that epigenetic processes may exert key influences on the pathogenesis of PAH and may be promising therapeutic targets in the prevention and/or cure of this condition. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize the occurrence of epigenetic-based mechanisms in the context of PAH physiopathology, focusing on the roles of DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications and non-coding RNAs. We also discuss the potential of epigenetic-based therapies for PAH.
Subject(s)
DNA Methylation/genetics , Epigenesis, Genetic/genetics , Histone Code/genetics , Hypertension, Pulmonary/genetics , Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology , RNA, Untranslated/genetics , Down-Regulation/genetics , Humans , Hypertension, Pulmonary/therapy , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Pulmonary Artery/pathology , Ubiquitination/genetics , Up-Regulation/geneticsABSTRACT
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), characterized by localized increased arterial blood pressure in the lungs, is a slow developing long-term disease that can be fatal. PAH is characterized by inflammation, vascular tone imbalance, pathological pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right-sided heart failure. Current treatments for PAH are palliative and development of new therapies is necessary. Recent and relevant studies have demonstrated that epigenetic processes may exert key influences on the pathogenesis of PAH and may be promising therapeutic targets in the prevention and/or cure of this condition. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize the occurrence of epigenetic-based mechanisms in the context of PAH physiopathology, focusing on the roles of DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications and non-coding RNAs. We also discuss the potential of epigenetic-based therapies for PAH.
Subject(s)
Humans , DNA Methylation/genetics , RNA, Untranslated/genetics , Epigenesis, Genetic/genetics , Histone Code/genetics , Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology , Hypertension, Pulmonary/genetics , Pulmonary Artery/pathology , Down-Regulation/genetics , Up-Regulation/genetics , Ubiquitination/genetics , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Hypertension, Pulmonary/therapyABSTRACT
This article describes the case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with a typical left hemifacial spasm of 8-month duration. After 2 months, she experienced lacinating and sharp shock-like pain in the left side of her face affecting the V1 and V2 territories and a discrete attenuation of nauseous reflex on the left side. CT angiography and MRI revealed significant compression of left cranial nerves V, VII, VIII, IX and X by a giant and tortuous vertebro-basilar arterial complex. This case illustrates the nonlinearity of the relationship between the presence of the stressor factor and the actual manifestation of the disease.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/complications , Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/pathology , Hemifacial Spasm/etiology , Hemifacial Spasm/pathology , Trigeminal Neuralgia/etiology , Trigeminal Neuralgia/pathology , Aged , Basilar Artery/abnormalities , Basilar Artery/diagnostic imaging , Basilar Artery/pathology , Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/physiopathology , Cranial Nerve Diseases/etiology , Cranial Nerve Diseases/pathology , Cranial Nerve Diseases/physiopathology , Cranial Nerves/pathology , Cranial Nerves/physiopathology , Female , Hemifacial Spasm/physiopathology , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Trigeminal Nerve/pathology , Trigeminal Nerve/physiopathology , Trigeminal Neuralgia/physiopathology , Vertebral Artery/abnormalities , Vertebral Artery/diagnostic imaging , Vertebral Artery/pathology , Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency/complications , Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency/pathology , Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency/physiopathologyABSTRACT
The frequency, morphology, symmetry and asymmetry of the retro-articular process of the human temporal bone are studied in 811 adult skulls, being 386 from whites (301 men and 85 women), 245 from Negroes (137 men and 108 women), 138 from mulattoes (94 men and 44 women) and 42 from Japanese (31 men and 11 women). In 1,591 out of the 1,622 observations there was an evident retro-articular process. It was classified according to its shape as mammillary, pyramidal, tubercular, crest-like or molar. Furthermore, in each one of these above referred types the process showed to be large, middle or small in size. The author states that in 98.4% of the skulls studied an evident retro-articular process could be observed; it was symmetrical in 790 cases, asymmetrical in 713 cases. These results are against the literature on the subject because it has been stated that in the present-day man the retro-articular process is very rare and, when present, usually very small.
