An 'Omics' Perspective on Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure.

Pathological enlargement of the heart, represented by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), occurs in response to many genetic and non-genetic factors. The clinical course of cardiac hypertrophy is remarkably variable, ranging from lifelong absence of symptoms to rapidly declining heart function and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Unbiased omics studies have begun to provide a glimpse into the molecular framework underpinning altered mechanotransduction, mitochondrial energetics, oxidative stress, and extracellular matrix in the heart undergoing physiological and pathological hypertrophy. Omics analyses indicate that post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression plays an overriding role in the normal and diseased heart. Studies to date highlight a need for more effective bioinformatics to better integrate patient omics data with their comprehensive clinical histories.