Single-cell multiomics and chromatin structure reveal gene-regulatory dynamics in heart failure

Y Yang Xie (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) L Luca Tucciarone (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) E Elie N. Farah (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) L Lei Chang (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) Q Qian Yang T Thirupura S. Shankar (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) W Weston Elison (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) S Shaina Tran (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) J Jovina Djulamsah (Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) A Audrey Lie (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) T Timothy Loe (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) A Alyssa R. Holman (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) S Sierra Corban (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) J Justin Buchanan (Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) S Sainath Mamde (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.) H Haowen Zhou (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) R Ruth M. Elgamal (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) E Eleni Tseliou (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) V Vincent Huang (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) Z Zhaoning Wang (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) J Jeffrey Huey-Chuan Chiu (Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) R Rebecca Melton (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) E Emily Griffin (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) Q Qingquan Zhang J Jacinta Lucero (Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) S Sutip Navankasattusas (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) D Daofeng Li C Chanrung Seng (Department of Genetics, The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.) E Eugin Destici (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) C Craig H. Selzman (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) A Agnieszka D’Antonio-Chronowska (Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) T Ting Wang (Department of Radiation Oncology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital Zhengzhou China) A Allen Wang (Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) S Stavros G. Drakos (Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.) K Kyle J. Gaulton (Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.) B Bing Ren N Neil C. Chi

Abstract

Heart failure is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, yet gene-regulatory mechanisms driving cell type–specific pathologic responses remain undefined. Here, we present the cell type–resolved transcriptomes, chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and chromatin organization of 13 nonfailing and 23 failing human hearts across all cardiac chambers. Integrative analyses revealed dynamic changes in cell type composition, gene-regulatory programs, and chromatin organization, particularly in cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Mapping cell type–specific enhancer-gene interactions from these analyses enabled the illumination of likely causal genetic contributors to heart failure from genetic association data. Together, these findings provide multimodal gene-regulatory maps of the human heart in health and disease, offering a framework for designing precise, cell type–targeted therapies for treating heart failure.

Article Details

Journal Science
Volume / Issue Vol. 393, Issue 6809
Published July 23, 2026
ISSN 0036-8075
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science

Journal Info

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

ISSN: 0036-8075 Social Sciences

Authors (37)

Y

Yang Xie

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

L

Luca Tucciarone

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

E

Elie N. Farah

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

L

Lei Chang

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Q

Qian Yang

T

Thirupura S. Shankar

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

W

Weston Elison

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

S

Shaina Tran

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

J

Jovina Djulamsah

Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

A

Audrey Lie

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

T

Timothy Loe

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

A

Alyssa R. Holman

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

S

Sierra Corban

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

J

Justin Buchanan

Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

S

Sainath Mamde

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

H

Haowen Zhou

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

R

Ruth M. Elgamal

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

E

Eleni Tseliou

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

V

Vincent Huang

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Z

Zhaoning Wang

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

J

Jeffrey Huey-Chuan Chiu

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

R

Rebecca Melton

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

E

Emily Griffin

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Q

Qingquan Zhang

J

Jacinta Lucero

Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

S

Sutip Navankasattusas

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

D

Daofeng Li

C

Chanrung Seng

Department of Genetics, The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.

E

Eugin Destici

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

C

Craig H. Selzman

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

A

Agnieszka D’Antonio-Chronowska

Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

T

Ting Wang

Department of Radiation Oncology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital Zhengzhou China

A

Allen Wang

Center for Epigenomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

S

Stavros G. Drakos

Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

K

Kyle J. Gaulton

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

B

Bing Ren

N

Neil C. Chi