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  4. Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026

Mechanisms of Protein Acetylation Modification in Chronic Heart Failure and Research Progress on Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention

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DOI: 10.23977/medcm.2026.080111 | Downloads: 0 | Views: 7

Author(s)

Su Chang 1, Hu Zhixi 1

Affiliation(s)

1 Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China

Corresponding Author

Hu Zhixi

ABSTRACT

Protein acetylation is a widely prevalent and highly dynamic post-translational modification that regulates chromatin structure, gene transcription, metabolic enzyme activity, and protein stability by reversibly adding acetyl groups to lysine residues. Acetylation is "written" by lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) and "erased" by histone deacetylases (HDACs) and the NAD⁺-dependent Sirtuin family, with its dynamic equilibrium closely coupled to the metabolic state of intracellular acetyl-CoA. Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients exhibit significant protein acetylation abnormalities in myocardial tissue, particularly excessive acetylation of mitochondrial proteins, leading to impaired fatty acid oxidation, energy metabolism disorders, and myocardial remodeling. In this review, we systematically elucidate the molecular mechanisms of histone and non-histone acetylation, explore the multi-level regulatory roles of acetylation modifications in myocardial energy metabolism, contractile function, fibrosis, and inflammatory responses, and outline the pathological mechanisms by which acetylation dysregulation drives heart failure progression. Building on this, we discuss therapeutic strategies targeting acetylation, including preclinical evidence for HDAC inhibitors and the direct regulatory effects of active components in traditional Chinese medicine on acetyltransferase activity.

KEYWORDS

Heart failure, Protein acetylation, Epigenetic regulation, Histone deacetylase, Traditional Chinese Medicine

CITE THIS PAPER

Su Chang, Hu Zhixi. Mechanisms of Protein Acetylation Modification in Chronic Heart Failure and Research Progress on Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention. MEDS Chinese Medicine (2026). Vol. 8, No. 1, 91-102. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/medcm.2026.080111.

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