This is to our knowledge, the first study that comprehensively investigated the genetics of DCM in a large-scale cohort and across a broad gene panel of the known DCM genes. Our results underline the high analytical quality and feasibility of Next-Generation Sequencing in clinical genetic diagnostics and provide a sound database of the genetic causes of DCM.

The heart muscle diseases hypertrophic (HCM) and dilated (DCM) cardiomyopathies are leading causes of sudden death and heart failure in young otherwise healthy individuals. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and multi-trait analyses in HCM (1,733 cases), DCM (5,521 cases), and nine left ventricular (LV) traits in 19,260 UK Biobank participants with structurally normal hearts. We identified 16 loci associated with HCM, 13 with DCM, and 23 with LV traits. We show strong genetic correlations between LV traits and cardiomyopathies, with opposing effects in HCM and DCM. Two-sample Mendelian randomization supports a causal association linking increased contractility with HCM risk. A polygenic risk score (PRS) explains a significant portion of phenotypic variability in carriers of HCM-causing rare variants. Our findings thus provide evidence that PRS may account for variability in Mendelian diseases. More broadly, we provide insights into how genetic pathways may lead to distinct disorders through opposing genetic effects.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of adaptive and maladaptive responses in cardiovascular diseases and hence are considered to be potential therapeutical targets. However, their role as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases still needs to be systematically evaluated. We assessed here for the first time whole-genome miRNA expression in peripheral total blood samples of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We identified 121 miRNAs, which are significantly dysregulated in AMI patients in comparison to healthy controls. Among these, miR-1291 and miR-663b show the highest sensitivity and specificity for the discrimination of cases from controls. Using a novel self-learning pattern recognition algorithm, we identified a unique signature of 20 miRNAs that predicts AMI with even higher power (specificity 96%, sensitivity 90%, and accuracy 93%). In addition, we show that miR-30c and miR-145 levels correlate with infarct sizes estimated by Troponin T release. The here presented study shows that single miRNAs and especially miRNA signatures derived from peripheral blood, could be valuable novel biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases.

Dilated cardiomyopathies (DCM) show remarkable variability in their age of onset, phenotypic presentation, and clinical course. Hence, disease mechanisms must exist that modify the occurrence and progression of DCM, either by genetic or epigenetic factors that may interact with environmental stimuli. In the present study, we examined genome-wide cardiac DNA methylation in patients with idiopathic DCM and controls. We detected methylation differences in pathways related to heart disease, but also in genes with yet unknown function in DCM or heart failure, namely Lymphocyte antigen 75 (LY75), Tyrosine kinase-type cell surface receptor HER3 (ERBB3), Homeobox B13 (HOXB13) and Adenosine receptor A2A (ADORA2A). Mass-spectrometric analysis and bisulphite-sequencing enabled confirmation of the observed DNA methylation changes in independent cohorts. Aberrant DNA methylation in DCM patients was associated with significant changes in LY75 and ADORA2A mRNA expression, but not in ERBB3 and HOXB13. In vivo studies of orthologous ly75 and adora2a in zebrafish demonstrate a functional role of these genes in adaptive or maladaptive pathways in heart failure.

A pooled analysis of available genotype-phenotype data shows a higher prevalence of sudden cardiac death (SCD), cardiac transplantation, or ventricular arrhythmias in LMNA and PLN mutation carriers compared to sarcomeric gene mutations. This study will further support the clinical interpretation of genetic findings.

Our data demonstrate that the clinical course of symptomatic LVNC can be severe. The identified pathogenic variants and distribution of disease genes-a titin-related pathomechanism is found in every fourth patient-should be considered in genetic counselling of patients. Pathogenic variants in the nuclear proteins Lamin A/C and RBM20 were associated with worse outcome.

The present study provides to our knowledge the first epigenome-wide association study in living patients with heart failure using a multi-omics approach.

BackgroundAn accident or a catastrophic disease may occasionally lead to brain death (BD) during pregnancy. Management of brain-dead pregnant patients needs to follow special strategies to support the mother in a way that she can deliver a viable and healthy child and, whenever possible, also be an organ donor. This review discusses the management of brain-dead mothers and gives an overview of recommendations concerning the organ supporting therapy.MethodsTo obtain information on brain-dead pregnant women, we performed a systematic review of Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The collected data included the age of the mother, the cause of brain death, maternal medical complications, gestational age at BD, duration of extended life support, gestational age at delivery, indication of delivery, neonatal outcome, organ donation of the mothers and patient and graft outcome.ResultsIn our search of the literature, we found 30 cases reported between1982 and 2010. A nontraumatic brain injury was the cause of BD in 26 of 30 mothers. The maternal mean age at the time of BD was 26.5 years. The mean gestational age at the time of BD and the mean gestational age at delivery were 22 and 29.5 weeks, respectively. Twelve viable infants were born and survived the neonatal period.ConclusionThe management of a brain-dead pregnant woman requires a multidisciplinary team which should follow available standards, guidelines and recommendations both for a nontraumatic therapy of the fetus and for an organ-preserving treatment of the potential donor.