title: Overexpression of microRNA-145 in atherosclerotic plaques from hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, non-coding, short, single-stranded RNAs and represent a new class of gene regulators. Recent evidence supports a role for miRNAs in cardiovascular pathophysiology and atherosclerosis development. We have previously demonstrated that miR-145 is widely expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions and its downregulation has been correlated with vascular smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation, a cardinal step in the development of atherosclerosis. However, no evidences are available at this time about modulation of miR-145 in the setting of hypertension. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of miR-145 in complicated hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Atherosclerotic plaques were obtained from 22 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis. Plaques were subdivided into hypertension (n = 15) and control (n = 7) groups according to the presence or absence of hypertension (as defined by blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg or current antihypertensive treatment). In study plaques, miR-145 values were evaluated using real-time PCR. The level of induction has been tested by using ΔΔ cycle threshold method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that miR-145 was significantly more expressed in atherosclerotic plaques of hypertensive patients than in control plaques (1.201 ± 0.260 vs 0.483 ± 0.148 fold induction ± SE; p = 0.026). Moreover, a post-hoc analysis showed that treatment with angiotensin receptor blockers may be associated with the maximum increase in miR-145 levels, although these data did not show any statistical significance probably due to the limited sample size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first demonstration that hypertension may upregulate miR-145 expression in human atherosclerotic plaques. Future investigations will be necessary to establish the molecular readout of miR-145 upregulation in atherosclerotic lesions in hypertension.
authors: G. d'Annunzio University, European Center of Excellence on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and Dyslipidemia, and Clinical Research Center, Center of Excellence on Aging (CeSI), Via dei Vestini, 66, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Donato
authors: D
authors: Santovito
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Mandolini
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Marcantonio
authors: Velia
authors: V
authors: De Nardis
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Bucci
authors: Camilla
authors: C
authors: Paganelli
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Magnacca
authors: Sante
authors: S
authors: Ucchino
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Mastroiacovo
authors: Giovambattista
authors: G
authors: Desideri
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Mezzetti
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Cipollone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C541010:MIRN145 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs