Protocol for adeno-associated virus-mediated miRNA delivery in a rat heart failure model

Delivering microRNA (miRNA) to treat cardiac disease is a significant challenge, and selecting an efficient delivery method to target the affected organ is critical for therapeutic success. Here, we present a protocol for delivering miRNA to the heart of rats with heart failure using adeno-associated virus (AAV9) coupled with a hydrodynamic transfusion strategy. We describe steps for inducing heart failure, echocardiography, and AAV9 application. Further, we provide a comprehensive procedure to detect miRNA expression in cardiac tissues using stem-loop RT-qPCR. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Mushtaq et al.¹.