Postpartum profiling of cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease associated microRNAs in women and children with a history of pregnancy-related complications – novel biomarkers of cardiovascular risk

INTRODUCTION:

Epigenetic changes characteristic for cardiovascular diseases are present in women and children with a history of pregnancy-related complications. Screening of cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease associated microRNAs may be used to identify women and children at a higher risk of later development of cardiovascular diseases.

TECHNOLOGY (INVENTION) DESCRIPTION:

The expression profile of microRNAs was assessed using real-time RT-PCR in whole peripheral blood of 275 women and 309 children 3 to 11 years postpartum/postnatally, compared between groups with a history of gestational hypertension (GH), preeclampsia (PE), and fetal growth restriction (FGR) and controls, and correlated with the severity of the disease with respect to clinical signs, delivery date, and Doppler parameters. In addition, in children the expression profile of microRNAs was analysed in relation to the current presence of cardiovascular risk factors (overweight/obesity and/or prehypertension/hypertension) and cardiovascular complications (valve problems and heart defects).

ADVANTAGES OVER EXISTING SOLUTIONS:

Both individual cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease associated microRNAs and combined screening of microRNA biomarkers showed the highest accuracy for identification of women and children at a higher risk of later development of cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases. At 90.0 % specificity particular microRNAs were able to identify as much as 33.33% of women and 47.83 % of children at a higher risk of later development of cardiovascular diseases, which might benefit from implementation of early primary prevention strategies, if identified on time.

DEVELOPMENT STATUS (STAGE):

Method may be directly utilized by health care providers or alternatively diagnostic kit may be developed.

PUBLICATIONS:

International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2019 (accepted for publication on 30.1.2019)

IP PROTECTION STATUS:

Two patent applications filed at the Czech Industrial Property Office.

TECHNOLOGY / IP OWNERS :

Charles University