Identification of circulating hub long noncoding RNAs associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using weighted correlation network analysis

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most commonly inherited heart diseases and the leading cause of sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young adults. Circulating long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have demonstrated potential as diagnostic and therapeutic targets in several cardiovascular diseases. However, the circulating extracellular lncRNA expression profile of patients with HCM remains unclear. Plasma lncRNA expression was evaluated in patients with HCM and healthy controls using a human lncRNA microarray. A weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and linear models for microarray data (Limma) were used. GSE68316 data from cardiac tissue in the Gene Expression Omnibus database were analysed for further validation. Using WGCNA, two modules (referred to as the magenta and the light-yellow module) were identified that were positively associated with HCM. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that lncRNAs in the magenta module targeted ‘heart growth’. Using Limma, a total of 290 lncRNAs were differentially expressed (210 upregulated and 80 downregulated) in the plasma of HCM patients, compared with controls. Moreover, combined WGCNA and Limma analysis demonstrated that 27 hub lncRNAs in the magenta module and 13 hub lncRNAs in the light-yellow module were significantly upregulated, compared with the controls. Moreover, of the 40 differentially expressed hub lncRNAs identified in the two modules, three circulating lncRNAs (lnc-P2RY6-1:1, ENST00000488040 and ENST00000588047) were also significantly upregulated in the HCM cardiac tissue validation dataset. These lncRNAs may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for precise diagnosis and treatment of HCM.