Role of EZH2 in atherosusceptible vascular endothelium in diabetes associated atherosclerosis

The earliest atherosclerotic lesions develop where blood flow is turbulent or disturbed with relatively low shear stress typically in locations where vessels branch and bend.1 Mechanical forces associated with disturbed blood flow (DBF) induce endothelial injury. These forces play a key role in diabetes, which is associated with regional haemodynamic abnormalities and accelerated atherosclerosis. EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) changes chromatin structure to regulate gene expression. Methyltransferase activity and expression of EZH2 have recently been shown to be elevated in endothelial cells of blood vessels in areas where blood flow is disturbed and in atherosclerosis. However, EZH2 mediated gene expression changes in atherosusceptible endothelial cells have not been explored in diabetes associated atherosclerosis (DAA) despite diabetes being a major cause of vascular injury