Expression of the miR-155, miR-326 and IL-17/IL-23 axis in patients with essential hypertension ‒ a case-control study

Introduction and aim. Essential hypertension (EH) is a major cardiovascular risk factor worldwide. The interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 axis is a key driver of Th17-mediated immune response; however, the involvement of microRNAs in modulating this axis in patients with essential hypertension remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate expression profiles of miR-155 and miR-326 together with the serum of IL-17A and IL-23 in patients with EH. Material and methods. This case-control study enrolled 100 participants (50 patients with essential hypertension and 50 healthy controls). The expression of miR-155 and miR-326 was determined by (RT-qPCR), whereas serum IL-17A and IL-23 concentrations were measured using (ELISA). Results. IL-17A and IL-23 levels were significantly elevated in patients with essential hypertension compared to healthy controls (p<0.001). Additionally, miR-155 was significantly overexpressed, whereas miR-326 was significantly downregulated in patients with essential hypertension (P<0.001 for both). Exploratory receiver operating characteristic analysis showed preliminary discriminatory performance for miR-155, miR-326, IL-17A and IL-23 with AUC values of 0.988, 0.927, 0.974 and 0.946, respectively. No direct correlation between miRNA expression and cytokine levels was identified. Conclusion. Patients with essential hypertension exhibit dysregulation of miR-155 and miR-326, IL-17A, and IL-23. Lack of significant correlations suggests that these biomarkers may reflect distinct aspects of hypertension-associated inflammation. Further prospective and longitudinal investigations are needed to validate these findings and clarify underlying mechanisms.