(Science Daily) In a study published this month in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers from Osaka University have shown that a previously unknown mutation can lead to a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, which is one of the main causes of heart failure.
Heart failure is an incurable condition where the heart is no longer able to meet the body’s demands in terms of blood supply. It is one of the most common causes of death and it affects almost 40 million people worldwide, representing a huge public health problem. One of the main factors leading to heart failure is a disease called dilated cardiomyopathy (or DCM). DCM is characterized by dilation of the heart’s chambers and a pumping disfunction. Previous research has shown that DCM is often inherited and has a genetic basis. However, for up to 80% of the familial DCM cases, we still don’t know the genetic mutation causing the disease. (…)