title: Identification of differentially expressed transcripts and pathways in blood one week and six months following implant of left ventricular assist devices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an established therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. The short- and long-term impact of these devices on peripheral blood gene expression has not been characterized, and may provide insight into the molecular pathways mediated in response to left ventricular remodeling and an improvement in overall systemic circulation. We performed RNA sequencing to identify genes and pathways influenced by these devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  RNA was extracted from blood of 9 heart failure patients (8 male) prior to LVAD implantation, and at 7 and 180 days postoperatively. Libraries were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq2000 and sequences mapped to the human Ensembl GRCh37.67 genome assembly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A specific set of genes involved in regulating cellular immune response, antigen presentation, and T cell activation and survival were down-regulated 7 days after LVAD placement. 6 months following LVAD placement, the expression levels of these genes were significantly increased; yet importantly, remained significantly lower than age and sex-matched samples from healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, this genomic analysis identified a significant decrease in the expression of genes that promote a healthy immune response in patients with heart failure that was partially restored 6 months following LVAD implant.
authors.affiliation: Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America ; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staggs
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamel
authors.forename: Sameh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hozayen
authors.forename: Neeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grindle
authors.forename: Snider
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Desir
authors.forename: Ranjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eckman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger