[Using molecular genetics to guide the diagnosis and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]

Hypertrophy cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by increased heart mass that occurs without a defined stimulus (such as hypertension or valvular disease). It is commonly recognized through the widespread use of non-invasive imaging. Epidemiological studies indicate that 1 of 500 individuals has unexplained cardiac hypertrophy, an observation that predicts a considerable role for genetics in this enigmatic disorder. Indeed, to date, more than 500 mutations had been identified in more than 12 genes encoding components of the thick and thin filament of the sarcomere and other myofilament-related proteins. Intensive studies of HCM continue to take our understandings about this fascinating disease in new directions. Mechanistic analyses have provided insights into how mutational alterations in these structural proteins may trigger the hypertrophic remodeling processes and other associated clinical features of HCM. Based on these studies, investigations have been initiated to assess whether early pharmacological interventions could prevent or attenuate the development of the disease and its clinical sequelae. By combining pathophysiology with knowledge of genetic cause and molecular responses, HCM has begun to exemplify opportunities for predictive and personalized medicine. With the emergence of newer technologies that enable high-throughput sequencing of DNA, it is timely to review clinical manifestations and genetic causes of this unique disease, and how intertwining these insights can improve contemporary diagnosis and management of HCM and other genetic forms of cardiac hypertrophy.