Transcriptional profiling of cardiac fibroblasts from humans with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy).

We measured total transcription by RNA-sequencing in cardiac fibroblasts isolated from children with dilated cardiomyopathy to identify significant molecular alterations in the gene expression signature. We found activation of follistatin-like 3, Fstl3, and induction of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, Comp. The pediatric DCM cardiac fibroblast activated Myozenin II (Myoz2) and induced expression of the immune receptor Prss12. We demonstrate here that a requisite element of the DCM gene expression signature in children with dilated cardiomyopathy was activation of Tnnt2.