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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Digital PCR for Quantifying Circulating MicroRNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: July 3, 2018
Plasma microRNA 499 as a biomarker of acute myocardial infarction
Taichi Adachi1, Michio Nakanishi, Yoritaka Otsuka
1Department of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Background:
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small RNAs 21-25 nucleotides in length. Recently, we reported that miRNA 208 (miR-208) is produced exclusively in the rat myocardium and that plasma miR-208 is a biomarker of myocardial injury in rats. In the present study, we assessed the hypothesis that plasma concentrations of myocardial-specific miRNAs can be used to diagnose myocardial injury in humans.
Methods:
We used array analysis of miRNA production in various human tissues to identify heart-specific miRNAs. We assessed the plasma concentrations of miR-499 in 14 individuals with acute coronary syndromes, 15 individuals with congestive heart failure, and 10 individuals without cardiovascular diseases. Plasma miR-499 concentrations were measured with a real-time reverse-transcription PCR method that used an artificial small RNA as an internal calibrator.
Results:
The miRNA array analysis of various human tissues indicated that miR-499 was produced almost exclusively in the heart. Plasma miR-499 concentrations were measurably increased in all individuals with acute myocardial infarction but were below the limit of detection for all individuals in the other patient groups.
Conclusions:
The plasma concentration of miR-499 may be a useful biomarker of myocardial infarction in humans.
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