Brian Stauffer

microRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding single-stranded RNAs that regulate gene expression. We previously evaluated expression of miRs in the cardiac tissue of children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) using miRNA-seq. However, a comparative analysis of serum and cardiac miRs has not been performed in this population. The current study aimed to evaluate miR levels in the serum of pediatric DCM patients compared to healthy non-failing (NF) donor controls and investigate the association between miR levels in tissue and sera from the same pediatric DCM patients. Defining the relationship between serum and tissue miRs may allow the use of circulating miRs as surrogate markers of cardiac miRs. miR levels were investigated through miR-array in sera [n = 10 NF, n = 12 DCM] and miR-seq in tissue (n = 10 NF, n = 12 DCM). Pathway analysis was investigated using the miR enrichment analysis and annotation tool (miEAA) for the five miRs commonly dysregulated in the sera and tissue of pediatric DCM patients. Functional analysis of miRs commonly dysregulated in the sera and tissue of pediatric DCM patients suggests altered pathways related to cell growth, differentiation and proliferation, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and metabolism. These findings suggest that circulating miRs could reflect altered levels of cardiac tissue miRs.