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Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Digital PCR for Quantifying Circulating MicroRNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: July 3, 2018
A Novel Circulating MicroRNA for the Detection of Acute Myocarditis
Rafael Blanco-Domínguez1, Raquel Sánchez-Díaz1, Hortensia de la Fuente1
1From the Vascular Pathophysiology Area (R.B.-D., R.S.-D., A.M.-M., M. Relaño, R.J.-A., B.L.-P., K.T., D.A.P.-F., V.F., F.S.-M., P.M.) and the Myocardial Pathophysiology Area (L.A.-H., M. Ricote, H.B., L.F.-F., B.I.), Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), the Department of Immunology (H.F., F.S.-M.), the Department of Cardiology (L.J.J.-B., M.M.G.-G., F.A.), the Department of Dermatology (E.D.), and the Department of Rheumatology (I.G.-A.), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Fundación Jiménez Díaz (M.L.M.-M., B.I.), the Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (G.M., R.M.-A., H.B.), the Department of Immunology, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (L.M.V.-G.), HM Hospitales-Centro Integral de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (L.F.-F.), and CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (R.S.-D., H.F., L.J.J.-B., F.A., D.A.P.-F., B.I., F.S.-M., P.M.), Madrid, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo (A.M.-L.), and the Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia (D.A.P.-F.) - all in Spain; the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL (K.A.B., D.F.); the Cardiovascular Division and Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.M.S.-G., S.A.M., N.E.I., J.L.J., S.D.); Kanntonsspital St. Gallen Klinik für Anesthesiologie und Intensivmedizin, St. Gallen, Switzerland (J.K.); Cardiology (S.I., A.B., A.L.P.C.) and the Cardiovascular Pathology Unit (C.B.), the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, the Department of Laboratory Medicine (M.P., M.S.), and the Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology (R.M.), University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin (B.H.); Imperial College and Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital, London (T.F.L.); and the Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (V.F.).
Researchers identified a new microRNA, hsa-miR-Chr8:96, for diagnosing acute myocarditis. This biomarker effectively distinguishes myocarditis from myocardial infarction, offering a less invasive diagnostic approach.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Current acute myocarditis diagnosis relies on invasive endomyocardial biopsy or less accessible cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.
- There is a need for alternative, reliable diagnostic methods for acute myocarditis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify a novel microRNA (miRNA) for the specific diagnosis of acute myocarditis.
- To evaluate the diagnostic potential of this novel miRNA in distinguishing myocarditis from myocardial infarction.
Main Methods:
- MicroRNA expression profiling using microarray and quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (qPCR) in mouse models of myocarditis and myocardial infarction.
- Analysis of sorted CD4+ T cells and type 17 helper T (Th17) cells.
- Identification and validation of the human miRNA homologue (hsa-miR-Chr8:96) in patient plasma cohorts.
Main Results:
- Th17 cells, producing interleukin-17, are key in acute myocarditis myocardial injury.
- A specific miRNA, mmu-miR-721 (human homologue hsa-miR-Chr8:96), was synthesized by Th17 cells and detected in plasma of mice with myocarditis.
- hsa-miR-Chr8:96 demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.927) in distinguishing acute myocarditis from myocardial infarction in human cohorts, independent of clinical factors.
Conclusions:
- A novel microRNA, hsa-miR-Chr8:96, has been identified as a potential biomarker for acute myocarditis.
- This miRNA effectively differentiates acute myocarditis from myocardial infarction, suggesting its utility as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.
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