Multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions exist in cardiomyocytes of patients with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy.

Genetic impairment was revealed in idiopathic cardiomyopathy and the responsible DNA locus was estimated. Mitochondrial DNA were amplified from autopsied cardiac specimens from three patients who died from hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). By using two novel methods for PCR gene amplification, the pleioplasmic existence of multiple populations of differently deleted mitochondrial DNA in all specimens from the patients was confirmed. Mitochondrial DNA with a 7,436 bp deletion which commonly existed among the specimens was sequenced and the direct repeat at each edge of deletion was identified as (CATCAACAACCG) which was located in ATPase 6 gene and in the D-loop region. From our results mitochondrial DNA mutations could also be an important contributory factor to cardiomyopathy.