Statins and atherosclerosis: the role of epigenetics.

Atherosclerosis is an immune-inflammatory disease, in which pathophysiological mechanisms include inflammation patterns and epigenetic changes that alter gene expression of several inflammatory and non-inflammatory mediators. Epigenetics is offering explanations on how diet, environmental factors and lifestyle can influence the onset and progression of the disease, and how these alterations can be transmitted to the following generations without any changes in DNA sequences. Statins, through their pleiotropic effects, provide a useful tool in controlling the progression of plaques and their subsequent impact.