Objective
Cold regions exhibit a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, particularly acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which is one of the leading causes of death associated with cardiovascular conditions. Cardiovascular disease is closely linked to the abnormal expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). This study investigates whether circulating levels of lncRNA cardiac conduction regulatory RNA (CCRR) could serve as a biomarker for AMI.
Materials and methods
We measured circulating CCRR from whole blood samples collected from 68 AMI patients and 69 non-AMI subjects. An AMI model was established using C57BL/6 mice. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to assess CCRR expression. Exosomes were isolated from cardiomyocytes, and their characteristics were evaluated using electron microscope and nanoparticle tracking analysis. The exosome inhibitor GW4869 was employed to examine the effect of exosomal CCRR on cardiac function using echocardiography. Protein expression was detected using Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.
Results
The circulating level of CCRR was significantly higher in AMI patients (1.93 ± 0.13) than in non-AMI subjects (1.00 ± 0.05, P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of circulating CCRR was 0.821. Similar changes in circulating CCRR levels were consistently observed in an AMI mouse model. Exosomal CCRR derived from hypoxia-induced cardiomyocytes and cardiac tissue after AMI were increased, a change that was reversed by GW4869. Additionally, CCRR-overexpressing exosomes improved cardiac function in AMI.
Conclusion
Circulating lncRNA CCRR is a potential predictor of AMI. Exosomal CCRR plays a role in the communication between the heart and other organs through circulation.
