Transcriptomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics in Atrial Fibrillation: A Descriptive Review

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia with an estimated five million cases globally. This condition increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular complications such as thromboembolic events, with a fivefold increase in risk of both heart failure and stroke. Contempo-rary challenges include better understanding AF pathophysiology, and optimizing therapeutical options, due to current lack of efficacy and adverse effects of anti-arrhythmic drug therapy. Hence, the identification of novel biomarkers in biological samples would greatly impact the diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities offered to AF patients. Long non-coding RNAs, micro RNAs, circular RNAs and genes involved in heart cell differentiation are particularly relevant to understanding gene regulatory effects on AF pathophysiology. Proteomic remodelling may also play an important role in the structural, electrical, ion channel and interactome dysfunctions associate with AF patho-genesis. Different devices for processing RNA and proteomic samples vary from RNA sequencing, microarray to a wide range of mass spectrometry techniques such as Orbitrap, Quadrupole, LC-MS and hybrid systems. Since AF atrial tissue samples require a more invasive approach to be retrieved and analysed, blood plasma biomarkers were also considered. A range of different sample pre-processing techniques and bioinformatic methods across studies were examined. The objective of this descriptive review is to examine the most recent developments of transcriptomics, proteomics and bioinformatics in Atrial Fibrillation.