design: "Circulating microRNAs were profilled by RNA sequencing in platelet-poor plasma of normotensive subjects and patients with HTN complicated or not by metabolic syndrome or chronic kidney disease (n=15 each group). Six ml plasma mixed thoroughly by inversion and centrifuged at 10,000 g at 4oC for 3 min to remove remaining debris. Circulating RNA was isolated with the QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid kit. About 4-20 ng of RNA was used for small RNA library preparation with TruSeq small RNA sample preparation kit."