Vitamin D Status, Cardiovascular Risk Profile, and miRNA-21 Levels in Hypertensive Patients: Results of the HYPODD Study

• Published in: Nutrients 2022-06, Vol.14 (13), p.2683
• Main Authors: Rendina, Domenico, D Elia, Lanfranco, Abate, Veronica, Rebellato, Andrea, Buondonno, Ilaria, Succoio, Mariangela, Martinelli, Fabio, Muscariello, Riccardo, De Filippo, Gianpaolo, D Amelio, Patrizia, Fallo, Francesco, Strazzullo, Pasquale, Faraonio, Raffaella
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Calciferol; Calcitriol; Calcitriol - therapeutic use; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - drug therapy; cholecalciferol; Cholecalciferol - pharmacology; Cholecalciferol - therapeutic use; Cholesterol; clinical trial; Clinical trials; Coronary vessels; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Ethanol; Evaluation; Gene expression; Health risks; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Heart failure; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; hypovitaminosis D; MicroRNAs; miR-21; miRNA; Pathogenesis; Patients; Placebos; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Vein & artery diseases; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - therapeutic use; Vitamin D Deficiency - drug therapy; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamins
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14132683

The vitamin D and microRNA (miR) systems may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disorders, including hypertension. The HYPODD study was a double-blind placebo-controlled trial aiming to assess the effects of cholecalciferol treatment in patients with well-controlled hypertension and hypovitaminosis D (25OHD levels < 50 nmol/L). In addition to this clinical trial, we also evaluated the effects of cholecalciferol and calcitriol treatment on miR-21 expression in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Changes in the cardiovascular risk profiles were evaluated in HYPODD patients treated with cholecalciferol (C-cohort) or with placebo (P-cohort). The miR-21circulating levels were measured in four C-cohort patients and five P-cohort patients. In vitro, the miR-21 levels were measured in HEK-293 cells treated with calcitriol or with ethanol vehicle control. Cholecalciferol treatment increased 25OHD levels and reduced parathormone, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in C-cohort patients, whereas no significant changes in these parameters were observed in P-cohort patients. The miR-21 circulating levels did not change in the C- or the P-cohort patients upon treatment. Calcitriol treatment did not affect miR-21 levels in HEK-293 cells. In conclusion, hypovitaminosis D correction ameliorated the cardiovascular risk profiles in hypertensive patients treated with cholecalciferol but did not influence the miR-21 expression.