Cardiovascular calcification is one of the most severe outcomes associated with cardiovascular disease and often results in significant morbidity and mortality. Previous reports indicated that epigenomic regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) might play important roles in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification. Here, we identified potential key miRNAs involved in vascular calcification in vivo and investigated the role of miR-32-5p (miR-32). According to microarray analysis, we observed increased expression of miR-125b, miR-30a, and miR-32 and decreased expression of miR-29a, miR-210, and miR-320 during the progression of vascularcalcification. Additionally, gain- and loss-of-function studies of miR-32 confirmed promotion of VSMC calcification in mice through the enhanced expression of bonemorphogenetic protein-2, runt-related transcription factor-2(RUNX2), osteopontin, and the bone-specific phosphoprotein matrix GLA protein in vitro. Moreover, miR-32 modulated vascularcalcification progression by activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)signaling and increasing RUNX2 expression and phosphorylation by targeting the 3′-untranslated region of phosphatase and tensin homolog Mrna (PTEN) in mouse VSMCs. Furthermore, we detected higher miR-32 levels in plasmafrom patients with coronary artery disease with coronary artery calcification (CAC) as compared with levels observed in non-CAC patients (P = 0.016), further confirming miR-32 as a critical modulator and potential diagnostic marker for CAC.

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The β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) gene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension. However, the results have been conflicting. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the associations of 46A/G and 79C/G polymorphisms in β2-AR gene with hypertension risk in Han Chinese population. Published literature from PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Embase databases, CNKI, CBM and Wanfang Data were retrieved. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) was calculated using fixed- or random-effects model. Eleven studies (2,058 cases and 1,459 controls) for 46A/G polymorphism and eight studies (2,219 cases and 1,495 controls) for 79C/G polymorphism were identified. The results suggested that 46A/G polymorphism G allele might increase the risk of hypertension (GG vs. AA: OR = 1.47, 95 % CI 1.20-1.82). However, no significant association was observed for 79C/G polymorphism (GG vs. CC: OR = 1.05, 95 % CI 0.61-1.79). The results indicated that 46A/G polymorphism in the β2-AR gene was associated with hypertension susceptibility in Han Chinese population.

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Background: Non-HDL-C has been associated with the prognosis and long-term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction, but the association between non-HDL-C and the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in the Chinese population remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore whether non-HDL-C is related to the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in the Chinese, and to further explore its relationship with the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in subjects with diabetes.Methods and Results: We reviewed the medical records of patients who visited the Department of Cardiology at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China from May 1, 2012 to September 30, 2020. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 6558 subjects were included in the non-AMI group and 3386 subjects were included in the AMI group. In the entire population, non-HDL-C was associated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, regardless of adjustment for confounding factors. In non-diabetic patients, non-HDL-C, HDL-C, LDL-C was found to be associated with the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction. In subjects with diabetes, non-HDL-C was associated with AMI without adjusting for confounding factors (Model 1) (OR: 1.268, 95%CI 1.035-1.547, P=0.022), and LDL-C was not associated with AMI (OR: 1.129, 95%CI 0.904 -- 1.411, P=0.286), HDL-C was negatively correlated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (OR: 0.577, 95%CI 0.418 -- 0.796, P < 0.001). After adjusting for age and sex (Model 2), non-HDL-C was positively correlated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (OR: 1.371, 95%CI 1.103-1.704, P=0.004), while the correlation between HDL-C and LDL-C and acute myocardial infarction was not observed. After adjusting for age, sex, hypertension/smoking, and BMI (Model 3), non-HDL-C was positively correlated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (OR: 1.381, 95%CI 1.103-1.728, P=0.005), and no correlation was observed between HDL-C and LDL-C and acute myocardial infarction.Conclusions：In subjects with diabetes, after adjusting for confounders associated with coronary heart disease, non-HDL-C was found to be associated with AMI, whereas HDL-C and LDL-C were not associated with AMI. In addition, non-HDL-C can also be found to be related to the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in patients without diabetes.