Differential gene expression in cardiac hypertrophy

A method of screening a compound for effects on cardiac muscle, comprising:

• (a) administering a test compound to a test animal;
• (b) obtaining a sample of heart tissue from said animal;
• and
• (c) determining the level of expression of a gene selected from the group consisting of cofilin, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 (p27kip1), smooth muscle 20 (SM-20), alpha cardiac myosin heavy chain (MYH6), mitochondrial long-chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase (SERCA-2), and cyclin G;
• where decreased expression of said gene in the test animal, compared to expression that would occur in a control animal, indicates said compound induces cardiac hypertrophy.

A method of diagnosing cardiac hypertrophy in an animal, comprising:

• (a) obtaining a sample of heart tissue from said animal;
• and
• (b) determining at least one of the following:
• (i) whether the level of expression of a gene selected from the group consisting of cofilin, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 (p27kip1), smooth muscle 20 (SM-20), alpha cardiac myosin heavy chain (MYH6), mitochondrial long-chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase (SERCA-2), and cyclin G is decreased compared to normal levels of expression;
• (ii) whether the level of expression of a gene selected from the group consisting of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), cytosolic malic enzyme, and atrial natriuretic factor (ANP) is increased compared to normal levels of expression;
• (iii) whether the level of expression of a gene selected from the group consisting of nerve growth factor-induced-B (NGFI-B), D-binding protein, Thyrotroph Embryonic Factor (TEF), beta beta enolase, nocturnin, and deubiquitinating enzyme (UBP45) is increased compared to normal levels of expression;
• where increased expression of a gene of (I) or decreased expression of a gene of (ii) indicate that the hypertrophy is pathologic, and increased expression of a gene of (iii) indicate that the hypertrophy is physiologic.