Therapeutics: MicroRNA-31 (miR-31); neuronal nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1; nNOS)

Cell culture and goat studies suggest inhibiting miR-31 could help treat atrial fibrillation (AF). miR-31 levels were higher in atrial myocytes from AF patients and in the left ventricle of a goat model of AF than in atrial myocytes from healthy volunteers and left ventricles of normal goats. In the atrial myocytes from patients, an anti-miR-31 oligonucleotide decreased nNOS levels and other markers of disease progression and increased rate and duration of action potentials compared with a scrambled oligo. Next steps include testing miR-31 inhibitors in large animal models of AF. ...