PM 2.5 -induced ADRB2 hypermethylation contributed to cardiac dysfunction through cardiomyocytes apoptosis via PI3K/Akt pathway.

•This study with in vitro and in vivo design demonstrated the PM2.5-induced cardiac epigenetic effect, cardiomyocytes apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction.•This is the first-ever study to identify crucial role of ADRB2 hypermethylation as a modulator of PM2.5-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis contributes to cardiac dysfunction via PI3K/Akt pathway.•The activation of β2AR/over-expression ADRB2 protected cardiomyocytes from PM2.5-induced apoptosis results in the opposite effects.