A multi-omics glimpse into the biology of arterial stiffness
- Authors: Eales, James , Romaine, Simon , Charchar, Fadi , Tomaszewski, Maciej
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Hypertension Vol. 34, no. 1 (2015), p. 32-35
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- Description: It has long been recognized that the structure of arteries throughout the vascular tree is not uniform. Notably, the media of large proximal (central) vessels contains relatively much greater amounts of elastin and elastic lamellae than smaller, more distal (peripheral) arteries; the converse is true of vascular smooth muscle cells. Under physiological conditions, the greater elasticity of central arteries compared with more muscular peripheral arteries allows conversion of the pulsatile nature of ventricular ejection into a relatively steady flow of blood at the distal end of the arterial system, conferring protection from pulsatile energy [1,2]. Furthermore, these differences in impedance can generate partial wave reflections, which arrive in the aorta during diastole, boosting diastolic blood pressure and augmenting coronary perfusion pressure [3].
Circulating microRNAs and hypertension - From new insights into blood pressure regulation to biomarkers of cardiovascular risk
- Authors: Romaine, Simon , Charchar, Fadi , Samani, Nilesh , Tomaszewski, Maciej
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Current Opinion in Pharmacology Vol. 27, no. (2016), p. 1-7
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1009490
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet the molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of high blood pressure remain incompletely understood. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules approximately 22 nucleotides in length that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. We highlight, through a review of recent literature, that studies on circulating microRNAs have provided novel insights into blood pressure regulation. They have also complemented tissue-based and animal-based experiments in shedding new light on our understanding of established pathways in hypertension, such as the renin-angiotensin system. Despite a number of challenges, we believe microRNAs herald particular potential in becoming effective biomarkers of target-organ damage in hypertension. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Signatures of miR-181a on the renal transcriptome and blood pressure
- Authors: Marques, Francine , Romaine, Simon , Denniff, Matthew , Eales, James , Dormer, John , Garrelds, Ingrid , Wojnar, Lukasz , Musialik, Katarzyna , Duda-Raszewska, Barbara , Kiszka, Bartlomiej , Duda, Magdalena , Morris, Brian , Samani, Nilesh , Jan Danser, Jan , Bogdanski, Pawel , Zukowska-Szczechowska, Ewa , Charchar, Fadi , Tomaszewski, Maciej
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Molecular Medicine Vol. 21, no. (2015), p. 739-748
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: MicroRNA-181a binds to the 3’ untranslated region of messenger RNA (mRNA) for renin, a rate-limiting enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system. Our objective was to determine whether this molecular interaction translates into a clinically meaningful effect on blood pressure and whether circulating miR-181a is a measurable proxy of blood pressure. In 200 human kidneys from the TRANScriptome of renaL humAn TissuE (TRANSLATE) study, renal miR-181a was the sole negative predictor of renin mRNA and a strong correlate of circulating miR-181a. Elevated miR-181a levels correlated positively with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in TRANSLATE, and this association was independent of circulating renin. The association between serum miR-181a and systolic blood pressure was replicated in 199 subjects from the Genetic Regulation of Arterial Pressure of Humans In the Community (GRAPHIC) study. Renal immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization showed that colocalization of miR-181a and renin was most prominent in collecting ducts where renin is not released into the systemic circulation. Analysis of 69 human kidneys characterized by RNA sequencing revealed that miR-181a was associated with downregulation of four mitochondrial pathways and upregulation of 41 signaling cascades of adaptive immunity and inflammation. We conclude that renal miR-181a has pleiotropic effects on pathways relevant to blood pressure regulation and that circulating levels of miR-181a are both a measurable proxy of renal miR-181a expression and a novel biochemical correlate of blood pressure.