Recent Advancements in Cardiovascular Gene Therapy and Vascular Biology

Dear Colleagues,

Current conceptual and technical advances in omics approaches (e.g., single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq), and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq)), as well as constant improvements in the development of genetically modified animal models and novel modalities for gene delivery have provided a solid ground for the breakthrough discoveries transforming the vascular biology frontier. Moreover, exploratory high-throughput studies and confirmatory molecular cloning experiments demonstrate a remarkable synergy, together resulting in the development of promising therapeutic options which show an excellent translational potential. For instance, stem cell transplantation has been suggested as a potential treatment of chronic heart failure, while vascular tissue engineering was used to design small-diameter tubular scaffolds exhibiting high patency rates upon the implantation into the circulatory system of large animals. However, an impressive armamentarium of researchers is still insufficiently implemented into cardiovascular medicine. A proper integration between basic scientists, industrial manufacturers, clinicians, and policy-makers represents a major challenge for the biomedical community and requires considerable efforts to improve the outcome of patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.

This Special Issue presents technically sound, novel, and impactful findings that have been obtained by the leading research groups. Under pathological conditions, the molecular portfolio of cardiac, valvular, and vascular cell populations becomes reconfigured for adapting to the biochemical alterations and perturbed microenvironment. Here, we focus on the molecular pathways that are deregulated in heart and vessels in different cardiovascular disorders, and even in asymptomatic patients with various cardiovascular risk factors, and illustrate their importance in frequent clinical settings. Further, we provide examples of pathophysiological scenarios behind the non-canonical cardiovascular risk factors and experimental interventions to correct the respective homeostasis disturbances. As gene delivery supplies physicians with a unique option for non-invasive and targeted treatment, related papers would be given high priority. Ultimately, this collection will contribute to the dissemination of knowledge on the topic and is aimed to conceptualize our understanding of cellular phenotypes in cardiovascular disease. The Issue contains both exemplary original research studies and comprehensive review articles critically discussing the recent discoveries in the field.

Dr. Anton G. Kutikhin
Dr. Anna B. Malashicheva
Guest Editors

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• cardiovascular disease
• cardiovascular pathophysiology
• vascular biology
• vascular tissue engineering
• regenerative medicine
• cell transplantation
• gene delivery, molecular cloning
• viral vectors
• genetically modified animals
• molecular pathways
• biochemical alterations
• drug development targeted therapy
• preclinical research
• clinical trials