Cardio Diagnostics Publishes Research Highlighting the Reversibility of Epigenetic Signatures of Coronary Heart Disease

The study represents a significant breakthrough in understanding the potential for reversing and measuring epigenetic changes associated with coronary heart disease after therapeutic intervention

Cardio Diagnostics Holdings, a pioneer of artificial intelligence-driven precision cardiovascular medicine tests, announced the publication of groundbreaking research in the journal Genes. The study titled “The Reversion of the Epigenetic Signature of Coronary Heart Disease in Response to Smoking Cessation” sheds light on the potential of reversing epigenetic changes associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) through smoking cessation.

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“Our research represents a substantial advancement in the field of coronary heart disease management. By establishing a link between alterations in the epigenetic signatures of CHD and smoking cessation, we’re forging a path towards a more personalized, effective, and adaptable method for treating CHD.”

Coronary heart disease, a leading cause of death worldwide, has long been linked to smoking. However, until now, the possibility of reversing its adverse effects at the epigenetic level through smoking cessation has remained unexplored. This new study represents a breakthrough in understanding the potential for reversing epigenetic changes associated with coronary heart disease.

The study examined the impact of smoking cessation on the six DNA methylation sites assessed by Cardio Diagnostics’ PrecisionCHD test. Data from 39 research participants who enrolled in a 90-day program of monitored smoking cessation were leveraged. PrecisionCHD, an AI-driven integrated epigenetic-genetic test for diagnosing CHD, utilizes a machine learning model to interpret the signals of six methylation-sensitive digital PCR (MSdPCR) assays and ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine CHD status. This novel approach offers two significant advantages. Firstly, it provides personalized insights into potentially modifiable lifestyle or physiological factors. Secondly, as DNA methylation is dynamic, the test serves as a mechanism to evaluate the success and efficacy of CHD therapy, enabling real-time monitoring of therapeutic interventions.

Robert Philibert, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Cardio Diagnostics and the study’s lead author, explained the study’s methodology and significance: “We meticulously examined a cohort of individuals who quit smoking. Using proprietary methylation sensitive digital PCR techniques, we observed an interesting phenomenon—the epigenetic signatures associated with CHD began to revert after only three months of smoking cessation.”

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Notably, the study found that participants who quit smoking had increased methylation at five of the six PrecisionCHD methylation sites as compared to those who continued to smoke over a 90-day period. Increased methylation at these five sites is associated with more normal regulation of these disease-related genes. The changes in methylation occurred in genes involved in immune response, lipid metabolism, and diabetes, indicating that reversing smoking-related DNA methylation changes has a beneficial effect in a number of CHD-related processes. This discovery further suggests that methylation-based approaches could become a scalable method for evaluating the clinical effectiveness of this and other CHD interventions.

Meesha Dogan, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Cardio Diagnostics and one of the study’s authors, remarked, “Our research represents a substantial advancement in the field of coronary heart disease management. By establishing a link between alterations in the epigenetic signatures of CHD and smoking cessation, we’re forging a path towards a more personalized, effective, and adaptable method for treating CHD.” She also mentioned that “Given that one of the six loci we included in our test has been demonstrated to respond to statin therapy, it’s plausible that PrecisionCHD could assess the efficacy of a wide range of CHD treatments without the risk of side effects like ionizing radiation or kidney damage typically associated with other CHD evaluation methods.”

The authors highlight the need for scalable methods to assess CHD therapy outcomes, similar to the transformative impact of the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) metric for diabetes. The results suggest that PrecisionCHD could be a game-changer in providing a direct and more precise assessment of CHD status and treatment effectiveness. This groundbreaking research marks a significant advancement in understanding and managing coronary heart disease and showcases the potential of integrating AI-driven diagnostics in precision cardiovascular medicine.

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