Correlation between serum microRNA expression and vascular endothelial function in patients with essential hypertension

LIU Xiangxiang; XIU Xiaohui; CHEN Qian; SUN Hengchen

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-0126.2026.03.010

Abstract：Objective To analyze the correlation of serum microRNA(miR)-126,miR-18b,miR-29b levels with vascular endothelial function in patients with essential hypertension(EH).Methods A total of 206 EH patients admitted to Second Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of Qingdao Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from June 2022 to January 2025 were enrolled and served as the hypertension group.Based on the classification of hypertension,they were assigned into grade 1(n=89),grade 2(n=70)and grade 3(n=47)subgroups,and according to the presence or absence of vascular endothelial dysfunction,they were assigned into endothelial dysfunction subgroup(n=110)and normal endothelial function subgroup(n=96).Additionally,another 103 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination during the same period were included as the control group.Serum expression levels of miR-126,miR-18b and miR-29b,and endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation(FMD),reactive hyperaemia index(RHI),and serum endothelin-1 were compared between groups and across subgroups.Results The hypertension group exhibited significantly lower miR-126,FMD and RHI levels,and obviously higher miR-18b,miR-29b and endothelin-1 levels compared with the control group(P＜0.01).Obviously lower miR-126,FMD and RHI levels,and higher miR-18b,miR-29b and endothelin-1 levels were observed in the grade 2 and grade 3 subgroups than the grade 1 subgroup(P＜0.05).In the endothelial dysfunction subgroup,the serum miR-126 expression was notably lower,while the miR-18b and miR-29b expression was remarkably higher than those in the normal endothelial function subgroup(P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis revealed that serum miR-126 was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and endothelin-1,and positively with FMD and RHI(P＜0.01);serum miR-18b and miR-29b were positively correlated with SBP,DBP and endothelin-1,and negatively with FMD and RHI(P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that serum miR-18b,miR-29b,and grade of hypertension were risk factors for endothelial dysfunction in EH patients,while serum miR-126 was a protective factor(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUC values of serum miR-126,miR-18b,and miR-29b in predicting endothelial dysfunction in the patients were 0.724,0.703,and 0.742,respectively,with sensitivities of 0.727,0.646,and 0.764,and specificities of 0.698,0.688,and 0.635,separately.Conclusion Serum miR-126,miR-18b,and miR-29b expression is closely associated with vascular endothelial function in EH patients,and can serve as predictors for endothelial dysfunction in these patients.