Biomarkers and treatments for heart failure

Abstract

The invention features methods to predict the response to a cardiac therapy in a patient suffering from a cardiac disease, e.g., heart failure. The invention features measurement expression of biomarkers that help in this prediction. The invention also features methods for treatment of cardiac diseases. These methods include cardiac resynchronization therapy and miRNA based therapeutics.

1 . A method for predicting response to a cardiac therapy in a patient suffering from a cardiac disease, said method comprising:
 i) collecting a sample from a patient;   ii) determining if the level of expression of a biomarker having at least 85% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 27, or 33 in said sample is changed relative to a control sample; and   iii) predicting a response to said cardiac therapy in said patient, based on the level of expression of said biomarker.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an increase in the level of expression of said biomarker is predictive of a positive response to said cardiac therapy in said patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said method further comprises administering a cardiac therapy to said patient based on a prediction of a positive response to said cardiac therapy. 
     
     
         5 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A method for treatment of a cardiac disease in a patient, said method comprising:
 i) collecting a sample from a patient;   ii) determining if the level of expression of a biomarker having at least 85% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 27, or 33 in said sample is changed relative to a control sample;   iii) predicting a response to said cardiac therapy in said patient based on the level of expression of said biomarker; and   iv) administering a cardiac therapy to said patient based on a prediction of a positive response to said cardiac therapy.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the level of expression of said biomarker is increased relative to a control sample and is predictive of a positive response to said cardiac therapy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a cardiac therapy is administered to said patient upon a prediction of a positive response to said cardiac therapy based on increased biomarker expression of said biomarker. 
     
     
         12 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A kit, comprising a reagent for measuring an expression level of one or more biomarkers, wherein the one or more biomarkers comprises a sequence at least 85% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 27 and/or 33, or a sequence at least 90% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 2, 30 and/or 34. 
     
     
         42 . A kit, comprising:
 (1) a first reagent for collecting nucleic acid molecules from a sample from a subject;   (2) a second reagent for amplifying the nucleic acid molecules to produce an amplified sample; and/or   (3) a third reagent for measuring an expression level of one or more biomarkers, the one or more biomarkers comprising: at least 85% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 27, and/or 33; or at least 90% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 30 and/or 34.   
     
     
         43 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a sequence with at least 85% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1. 
     
     
         44 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a sequence with at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 2. 
     
     
         45 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO:27, or a sequence with at least 85% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 27. 
     
     
         46 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO:30, or a sequence with at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 30. 
     
     
         47 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO:33, or a sequence with at least 85% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 33. 
     
     
         48 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise the sequence of SEQ ID NO:34, or a sequence with at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34. 
     
     
         49 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein measuring the expression level of the one or more biomarkers is based on polymerase chain reaction. 
     
     
         50 . The kit of  claim 42 , comprising instructions for predicting response to a cardiac therapy based on the expression level of the one or more biomarkers. 
     
     
         51 . The kit of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions comprise comprising comparing the expression level of the one or more biomarkers with a control sample to predict the response to the cardiac therapy in the subject. 
     
     
         52 . The kit of  claim 51 , wherein an increase in the expression level of the one or more biomarkers in the subject relative to the control sample is predictive of a positive response to the cardiac therapy in the subject. 
     
     
         53 . The kit of  claim 42 , wherein the sample is a plasma sample or a blood sample. 
     
     
         54 . The kit of  claim 50 , wherein the cardiac therapy is cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or a miRNA based therapy.