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Digital PCR for Quantifying Circulating MicroRNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: July 3, 2018
Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of Chagas cardiomyopathy
Laura Antonietti1,2, Javier Mariani1,2, María Jose Martínez1
1Department of Cardiology, El Cruce Hospital, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Insights
Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can help predict Chagas cardiomyopathy (CHCM) and differentiate it from other heart conditions. Specific miRNAs, like miR-95-3p and miR-130b-3p, show promise as biomarkers for CHCM.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Molecular Biology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Chagas cardiomyopathy (CHCM) is the primary clinical outcome of Chagas disease.
- Cardiac microRNAs (miRNAs) may aid in predicting CHCM progression and diagnosing cardiomyopathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify circulating miRNAs associated with CHCM.
- To differentiate CHCM from other cardiomyopathies and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 104 participants across four groups: healthy controls, Chagas non-cardiomyopathy controls, CHCM cases, and ischemic cardiomyopathy controls.
- Clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory evaluations were performed.
- Circulating miRNA profiling in serum samples using deep sequencing.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in clinical variables and miRNA expression were observed between groups.
- CHCM patients exhibited 4 over-expressed and 6 under-expressed miRNAs compared to healthy controls.
- miR-95-3p and miR-130b-3p were upregulated in CHCM, suggesting they are potential CHCM biomarkers. Gene target analysis indicated involvement in arrhythmia, cardiomegaly, and hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
- Circulating miRNA expression profiles identified by deep sequencing are associated with distinct cardiac phenotypes in CHCM.
- These miRNAs may serve as diagnostic or prognostic markers for CHCM.
Background:
Chagas cardiomyopathy (CHCM) is the most important clinical manifestation of Chagas disease. The analysis of cardiac miRNAs may contribute to predicting the progression to CHCM in Chagas indeterminate phase and/or to the differential diagnosis for cardiomyopathy.
Methods:
We carried out a case-control study to identify circulating miRNAs associated with CHCM. We assigned 104 participants to four groups: healthy controls (HC), Chagas non-cardiomyopathy controls, CHCM cases, and ischemic cardiomyopathy controls. We performed a clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory evaluation and profiled circulating miRNA in the serum samples.
Results:
Differences between groups were observed in clinical variables and in the analysis of miRNAs. Compared to HC, CHCM participants had 4 over-expressed and 6 under-expressed miRNAs; miR-95-3p and miR-130b-3p were upregulated in CHCM compared with controls, Chagas non-cardiomyopathy and ischemic cardiomyopathy participants, suggesting that might be a hallmark of CHCM. Analysis of gene targets associated with cardiac injury yielded results of genes involved in arrhythmia generation, cardiomegaly, and hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that the expression of circulating miRNAs identified by deep sequencing in CHCM could be associated with different cardiac phenotypes in CHCM subjects, compared with Chagas non-CHCM, ischemic cardiomyopathy controls, and healthy controls.
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