title: Circulating progenitor cells in hypertensive subjects: Effectiveness of a treatment with olmesartan in improving cell number and miR profile in addition to expected pharmacological effects.
abstract: CD34+ circulating progenitor cells (CD34+CPCs) are a population of multipotent cells which can delay the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in conditions of increased CV risk. MicroRNAs (miRs) 221 and 222 modulate different genes regulating angiogenesis and inflammation; moreover, miR221/22 have beenshown to participate in differentiation and proliferation of CD34+CPCs, inhibiting cell migration and homing. miR221/222 in CD34+CPCs from hypertensive subjects are also increased and associated with CD34+cell number and reactive oxygen species (ROS). We evaluated CD34+CPC number, intracellular miR221/222 and ROS levels, arterial stiffness (AS)and echocardiography indices at baseline (T0).Then, after a six-month treatment with olmesartan, 20 mg/day (T1), in 57 hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and with no additional risk factor for CVD, and in 29 healthy controls (baseline),fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose and lipid profiles were also evaluated.At T1, blood pressure values, CRP and fibrinogen levels, ROS and miR221/222 were significantly decreased (all p <0.001), as were AS indices and LV mass index (p<0.001), while cell number was increased (p<0.001). Olmesartan is effective in reducing miR and ROS levels in CD34+CPCs from hypertensive subjects, as well as in increasing CD34+CPC number, providing multilevel CV protection, in addition to its expected pharmacological effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0272-2237
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mandraffino
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina Oriana
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cairo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical, Physiological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scuruchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Gullo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical, Physiological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Ascola
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical, Physiological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loddo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quartuccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and of Morphologic and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Enricomaria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mormina
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Egidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imbalzano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D035683:MicroRNAs; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013777:Tetrazoles; C437965:olmesartan