Further studies confirmed that NEIL3 was expressed at elevated levels in the myocardial tissue of patients with heart failure and MI, especially in the fibroblast population, as NEIL3 could finely regulate fibroblast proliferation through DNA methylation, thereby fine-tuning matrix degradation and fibrillogenesis within the myocardium and ultimately forming stable scarring, which may help prevent cardiac rupture [99]. Here, NEIL3 is linked to myocardial infarction.