Rosita Zakeri, Catalina Vallejo-Giraldo, K. Efua Taylor, Virginia M. Miller and Niccole S. Schaible
Regulation of vascular tone is complex due to the presence of redundant mechanisms operating over multiple spatial domains (cell, tissue and organ) and influenced by various confounding factors, such as sex, age and time. As a result, the task of identifying the underlying mechanisms of vascular dysfunction associated with complex cardiovascular diseases, like heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), remains under explored. ‘Omics research strategies are proposed to be an effective way to navigate complicated physiology. In this review an ‘omics approach is applied to the spatial domains of HFpEF using a mechanistic “physiological map” of factors known to be associated with vascular (dys) function. The result is intended to generate hypotheses, foster robust study design, and highlight the necessity for collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to conduct ‘omics research, which in turn is expected to facilitate the development of efficacious therapies for cardiovascular diseases such as HFpEF, where etiologies are unclear and evidence-based therapeutic strategies lacking.