Plasma microRNA 499 as a biomarker of acute myocardial infarction.
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.
Adachi
Taichi
T
Department of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Nakanishi
Michio
M
Otsuka
Yoritaka
Y
Nishimura
Kunihiro
K
Hirokawa
Gou
G
Goto
Yoichi
Y
Nonogi
Hiroshi
H
Iwai
Naoharu
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; C548683:MIRN499 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs