Mitochondrial biomarkers for airborne particulate matter-associated cardiovascular diseases

Airborne particulate matter pollution has become a significant global health concern due to its detrimental effects on human health, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Mitochon-drial epigenetics hold enormous potential for developing bio-markers that discern the effects of air pollution-associated CVDs risk and emergence. A reliable approach to characterize mtDNA is essential as omics-based tools to profile cell-free circulating mtDNA copy number, heteroplasmic mutations, and methylation. Investigating regulatory mechanisms for methyl-ated mtDNA in CVDs patients requires unique molecular epidemiological insights. With a focus on the negative effects of PM exposure on mitochondrial dynamics, protein expres-sion, and metabolomic profiles that underlie the molecular mechanisms, this article aims to provide an in-depth assess-ment of the current knowledge on mitochondrial biomarkers as potential indicators of PM-associated CVDs. Furthermore, we examine the potential of cell-free circulating mtDNA and cellular entities detected in circulation as a predictive biomarker to mitigate the more severe effects of ambient air pollution on cardiovascular disorders.