Therapeutic Delivery of miR-148a Suppresses Ventricular Dilation in Heart Failure

In this study, group de Windt demonstrated that miR-148a expression changes dynamically in distinct subtypes of heart failure: while it is elevated in concentric hypertrophy, it decreased in dilated cardiomyopathy. The findings in this study provide evidence for the existence of separate molecular programs inducing distinct forms of myocardial remodeling.

Heart failure is preceded by ventricular remodeling, changes in left ventricular mass, and myocardial volume after alterations in loading conditions. Concentric hypertrophy arises after pressure overload, involves wall thickening, and forms a substrate for diastolic dysfunction. Eccentric hypertrophy develops in volume overload conditions and leads wall thinning, chamber dilation, and reduced ejection fraction. The molecular events underlying these distinct forms of cardiac remodeling are poorly understood.

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