Serum microRNA profiles in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of heart diseases of humans and rodents, as well as their diagnostic potential, has recently received much attention, but comparable studies for spontaneous disease models in the domestic cat are missing. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. The pathology is largely unknown, but is suspected to be influenced by genetic background. In this study, we examined the miRNA profiles in the serum of cats with stable congestive heart failure caused by HCM (n = 11) and healthy control cats (n = 12) using miRNA arrays. 965 out of 2026 miRNAs could be detected in at least six samples of either of the groups. Eleven mammalian miRNAs were differentially expressed between the groups with a fold change >= 1.6. Hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in distinct separation of the two groups. After correction for multiple testing (adjusted p < 0.05), a higher expression of miR-381-3p, miR-486-3p, miR-4751, miR-476c-3p, miR-5700, miR-513a-3p, and miR-320e in the HCM group was confirmed. Additionally, miR-1246 was found to be upregulated 3-fold in the HCM group using quantitative RT-PCR. Software analysis of the significantly regulated miRNAs revealed 49 mRNA targets involved in cardiac hypertrophy. Cats with primary HCM show a distinct miRNA profile that includes miRNAs that have already been shown to be differentially regulated in human patients and rodent models for cardiac disease. Studying HCM as a spontaneous cardiac disease of the cat may help to reveal additional pathophysiologic pathways.