Diagnostic Value of Let-7a-5p in Essential Hypertension

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the role of let-7a-5p in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension (EH) and its correlation with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) biomarkers. Ninety-eight EH patients and 24 healthy controls (HC) enrolled in the study were assayed for the relative expression of let-7a-5p in plasma by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR), and biomarkers of the RAAS system, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), Ang (1-7), MAS1, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II (Ang II), and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) The expression levels of the biomarkers of RAAS system were determined. The results showed that the expression levels of let-7a-5p in the plasma of EH patients were remarkably higher than those of HC. The prediction model of combined let-7a-5p showed high accuracy by constructing a subject operating characteristic (ROC) curve with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.885, and the reliability of the model was further verified by the Hosmer–Lemeshow (H–L) goodness-of-fit test, the Model Calibration Curve, and the Decision Curve Analysis. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the expression of let-7a-5p was positively correlated with ACE (r = 0.352, p < 0.001), and mediation analysis indicated that ACE partially mediated between let-7a-5p and the development of hypertension. The present study concludes with the potential of let-7a-5p as a companion diagnostic biomarker for EH. It suggests that there may be a complex regulatory mechanism between it and specific RAAS biomarkers, which provides a new perspective on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of EH.