Investigation of Antihypertensive Properties of Chios Mastic via Monitoring microRNA-21 Expression Levels in the Plasma of Well-Controlled Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

Hypertension is a chronic, multifactorial disease, leading to high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality globally. Despite the advantages of pharmaceutical treatments, natural products have gained scientific interest due to their emerging phytotherapeutic properties. Chios mastic is a natural Greek product, consisting of bioactive compounds which modify microRNAs' (small, expression-regulating molecules) expression. In this study, we investigated the antihypertensive properties of Chios mastic through the assessment of miR-21 levels. Herein, plasma samples of 57 individuals with hypertension, recruited for the purposes of the HYPER-MASTIC study, were analyzed. This was a clinical trial with Chios mastic supplements in which the patients were divided into groups receiving high and low mastic doses and placebo supplements, respectively. miR-21 was significantly upregulated in patients compared to normotensive individuals. Mean changes in miR-21 levels were statistically significant, after adjusting for sex and age, between the placebo and low-dose group and between the low- and high-dose group. Post-intervention miR-21 levels were positively associated with night-time systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and central systolic mean arterial pressure and negatively associated with night-time pulse wave velocity in the low-dose group. Our findings suggest a potential implication of miR-21 in the association of Chios mastic with night-time blood pressure measurements.

Keywords: Chios mastic; biomarker; epigenetics; hypertension; microRNA-21.

Figure 1

miR-21 levels in the plasma of individuals with normal blood pressure and hypertension. NBP: normal blood pressure; HPT: hypertension. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. * significantly different p-value ≤ 0.05.

Figure 2

Multilinear regression analysis of miR-21 levels visualizing night-time blood pressure parameters, post-intervention, in the low-dose of mastic group. Panel axes represent miR-21 levels, age, and a response variable. (a) Night-time systolic blood pressure; (b) night-time pulse pressure; (c) night-time central systolic mean arterial pressure; (d) night-time pulse wave velocity. The color of the plane is depicted according to the variable’s value. Pink and blue dots represent female and male individuals, accordingly. Figures were designed using the “Plotly” package from R.

Figure 2

Multilinear regression analysis of miR-21 levels visualizing night-time blood pressure parameters, post-intervention, in the low-dose of mastic group. Panel axes represent miR-21 levels, age, and a response variable. (a) Night-time systolic blood pressure; (b) night-time pulse pressure; (c) night-time central systolic mean arterial pressure; (d) night-time pulse wave velocity. The color of the plane is depicted according to the variable’s value. Pink and blue dots represent female and male individuals, accordingly. Figures were designed using the “Plotly” package from R.