COMPLEX SETS OF MIRNAS AS NON-INVASIVE BIOMARKERS FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

1 . A method for differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, comprising the steps:

(a) determining the level of at least one microRNA selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9, a fragment thereof, or a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity thereto, in a blood cell test sample from said subject

(b) comparing the level of said miRNAs of (a) with the reference level of said at least one miRNA

(c) determining the level of cardiac troponin in a serum or plasma test sample from a subject, particularly a human subject,

(d) comparing the level of cardiac troponin of (c) in with the reference level of cardiac troponin

wherein the reference level of (b) is determined from subjects not suffering from acute myocardial infarction and wherein the comparison of step (b) together with the comparison of step (d) allows for differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and wherein the expression levels of said miRNAs are determined by qRT-PCR comprising the steps:

(i.) extracting the total RNA from said blood cell samples

(ii.) transcribing the total RNA into cDNA

(iii.) amplifying the cDNA and thereby detecting said miRNA levels

2 . (canceled)

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cardiac troponin level being above 14 pg/ml and the level of at least one of said miRNAs being not decreased by a factor of at least 1.5 results in a diagnosis of diseases that give rise to a cardiac troponin level which are not acute myocardial infarction

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said diseases are selected from heart failure, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis or pulmonary embolism

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the differential diagnosis allows for exclusion of diseases that give rise to a cardiac troponin level which are not acute myocardial infarction

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the differential diagnosis allows for exclusion of heart failure, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis or pulmonary embolism

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cardiac troponin level being above 14 pg/ml and the level of at least one of said miRNAs being decreased by a factor of 1.5 results in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cardiac troponin level being not above the 99th percentile value of a reference population, preferably not above 50 pg/ml, more preferably not above 14 pg/ml and the level of at least one of said miRNAs being decreased by a factor of 1.5 results in diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least 2 miRNAs are selected from one or more sets listed in FIG. 7

10 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . A kit for early diagnosis of and/or differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in a test sample from a subject comprising means for determining the expression level of at least one miRNA in a blood cell test sample and means for determining the level of cardiac troponin in a serum or plasma test sample of the subject

wherein the nucleotide sequence of the at least one miRNA is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9.

15 . The kit of claim 14 , wherein the kit further comprises:

(i) means for collecting the blood test sample(s) and/or

(ii) means for stabilizing the RNA-fraction in the blood cell test sample and/or

(iii) a data carrier

16 . The kit of claim 15 , wherein said data carrier is an electronical or a non-electronical data carrier which contains information about use and/or analysis of the kit for early diagnosis and/or differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

17 . A method for early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, comprising the steps:

(a) determining the level of at least one microRNA selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9, a fragment thereof, or a sequence have at least 90% sequence identity thereto, in a blood cell test sample from a subject, particularly a human subject,

(b) comparing the level of said miRNA of step (a) with the reference level of said at least one miRNA

wherein the reference level is determined from subjects not suffering from acute myocardial infarction and wherein a decrease of the level of said at least one miRNA in the test sample in comparison to the reference level allows for early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and wherein the expression levels of said miRNAs are determined by qRT-PCR comprising the steps:

(i.) extracting the total RNA from said blood cell samples

(ii.) transcribing the total RNA into cDNA

(iii.) amplifying the cDNA and thereby detecting said miRNA levels

18 . (canceled)

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the expression level in the test sample is determined within 4 hours after onset of symptoms of chest pain

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the expression level in the test sample is determined within 2 hours after onset of symptoms of chest pain

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the expression level in the test sample is determined before the level of cardiac Troponin has reached a level of 50 pg/ml

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the expression level in the test sample is determined before the level of cardiac Troponin has reached a level of 14 pg/ml

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the level of the at least one miRNA is down-regulated by a factor of at least 1.3

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the level of the at least one miRNA is down-regulated by a factor of at least 1.5

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the electrocardiogram of the subject shows a ST-elevation

26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein at least 2 miRNAs are selected from one or more sets listed in FIG. 7 .