Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MicroRNA changes in dog mitral valve disease for diagnosis
By Gabriella Guelfi et al.·Published in Veterinary Sciences·2025·Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: MicroRNA Expression Profiling in Canine Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease Highlights Potential Diagnostic Tool and Molecular Pathways
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), a common heart problem, to find better ways to diagnose and understand the disease. Researchers examined heart valve tissues from dogs with varying stages of MMVD and found certain microRNAs (miRNAs) that were more active in dogs with advanced disease. Notably, miR-30b showed promise as an early marker for the disease, while miR-21 and miR-133b were significantly increased in more severe cases. These findings could help veterinarians identify and monitor MMVD more effectively in dogs.
People also search for: dog heart disease symptoms · myxomatous mitral valve disease treatment · early signs of heart problems in dogs
Abstract
Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common acquired cardiac disoder in dogs and a relevant model for human mitral valve disease. However, the molecular drivers of disease progression remain unclear, and reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis still hamper clinical management. This study investigated microRNA (miRNA) expression directly in histologically characterized mitral valve tissues. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were obtained from control dogs (<i>n</i> = 7), low-grade MMVD (<i>n</i> = 8), and high-grade MMVD (<i>n</i> = 5). A bioinformatics workflow identified candidate miRNAs converging on extracellular matrix remodeling and canonical signaling pathways, including TGF-β, PI3K–Akt, and MAPK. Selected candidates, let-7 family, miR-98, miR-21, miR-30b, miR-133b, and miR-103, were validated by qPCR. Results revealed a general upregulation of the panel in MMVD compared with controls, with stage-dependent differences between low- and high-grade lesions. In particular, miR-21, let-7b, and miR-133b were markedly increased in advanced disease, while miR-30b emerged as an early-stage marker with potential prognostic value. These findings provide molecular evidence linking miRNA dysregulation to progressive valvular degeneration. By combining histologically defined tissue analysis with stage-based comparisons, this study identifies miRNAs with potential diagnostic and prognostic utility for canine MMVD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12111029