Micro-biopsy for detection of gene expression changes in ischemic swine myocardium: A pilot study

PLoS One. 2021 Apr 28;16(4):e0250582. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250582. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Micro-endomyocardial biopsy (micro-EMB) is a novel catheter-based biopsy technique, aiming to increase flexibility and safety compared to conventional EMB. The technique was developed and evaluated in healthy swine. Therefore, the ability to detect disease related tissue changes could not be evaluated. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the ability to detect disease related gene expression changes using micro-EMB. Myocardial infarction was induced in three swine by coronary artery balloon occlusion. Micro-EMB samples (n = 164) were collected before, during, and after occlusion. RNA-sequencing was performed on 85 samples, and 53 of these were selected for bioinformatic analysis. A large number of responding genes was detected from the infarcted area (n = 1911). The early responding genes (n = 1268) were mostly related to apoptosis and inflammation. There were fewer responding genes two days after infarction (n = 6), which were related to extra-cellular matrix changes, and none after 14 days. In contrast to the infarcted area, samples harvested from a non-infarcted myocardial region showed considerably fewer regulated genes (n = 33). Deconvolution analysis, to estimate the proportion of different cell types, revealed a higher proportion of fibroblasts and a reduced proportion of cardiomyocytes two days after occlusion compared to baseline (p < 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively. S5 File). In conclusion, this pilot study demonstrates the capabilities of micro-EMB to detect local gene expression responses at an early stage after ischemia, but not at later timepoints.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Biopsy*
  • Cardiac Catheterization
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / diagnosis
  • Inflammation / genetics*
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis*
  • Myocardial Infarction / genetics
  • Myocardial Infarction / pathology
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / pathology
  • Pilot Projects
  • Swine

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Karolinska Institutet (https://www.torstensoderbergsstiftelse.se/), the Stockholm Regional Council (https://www.sll.se), the Söderberg Foundation (https://ragnar.soderbergs.org/), the Erling-Persson Family Foundation (https://familjenerlingperssonsstiftelse.se/en/), all SH. JL was funded by MedTechLabs (https://www.medtechlabs.se/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.