ncRNAs and polyphenols: new therapeutic strategies for hypertension

Polyphenols have gained significant attention in protecting several chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Accumulating evidence indicates that polyphenols have potential protective roles for various CVDs. Hypertension (HTN) is among the hazardous CVDs accounting for nearly 8.5 million deaths worldwide. HTN is a complex and multifactorial disease and a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors play major roles in its development. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are still elusive. Polyphenols have shown to cause favourable and beneficial effects in the management of HTN. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) as influential mediators in modulating the biological properties of polyphenols, have shown significant footprints in CVDs. ncRNAs control basic functions in virtually all cell types relevant to the cardiovascular system and, thus, a direct link with blood pressure (BP) regulation is highly probable. Recent evidence suggests that a number of ncRNAs, including main small ncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), play crucial roles with respect to the antihypertensive effects of polyphenols. Indeed, targeting lncRNAs by polyphenols will be a novel and promising strategy in the management of HTN. Herein, we reviewed the effects of polyphenols in HTN. Additionally, we emphasized on the potential effects of polyphenols on regulations of main ncRNAs, which imply the role of polyphenols in regulating ncRNAs in order to exert protective effects and thus proposing them as new targets for HTN treatment. Abbreviations : CVD: cardiovascular disease; BP: blood pressure; HTN: hypertension, lncRNAs: long noncoding RNAs; p38-MAPK: p38-mitogenactivated protein kinase; OPCs: oligomeric procyanidins; GTP: guanosine triphosphate; ROS: reactive oxygen species; cGMP: cyclic guanosine monophosphate; SGC: soluble guanylate cyclase; PI3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; cGMP: Cyclic GMP; eNOS: endothelial NO synthase; ERK ½: extracellular signal-regulated kinase ½; L-Arg: L-Arginine; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinases; NO: Nitric oxide; P: Phosphorus; PDK1: Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1; PI3-K: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PIP2: Phosphatidylinositol diphosphate; ncRNAs: non-protein-coding RNA; miRNAs: microRNAs; OPCs: oligomeric procyanidins; RES: resveratrol; GE: grape extract; T2DM: type 2 diabetes mellitus; IL: interleukin; TNF-α: tumour necrosis factor-alpha; NF-κB: nuclear factor NF-kappa-B; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; PARP1: poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1; HIF1a: Hypoxia-inducible-factor 1A; NFATc2: nuclear factor of activated T cells 2; PAD: peripheral artery disease; SHR: spontaneously hypertensive rat; RAAS: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; AT(1)R: angiotensin type-1 receptor; Nox: NADPH oxidase; HO-1: haem oxygenase-1; JAK/STAT: Janus kinase/signal transducers/activators of the transcription; PNS: panax notoginseng saponin; snoRNA: small nucleolar RNA; hnRNA: heterogeneous nuclear RNA; VSMCs: vascular smooth muscle cells; irf7: interferon regulatory factor 7; limo2: LIM only domain 2; GWAS: genome-wide association study; GAS5: Growth arrest-specific 5; Asb3, Ankyrin repeat and SPCS box containing 3; Chac2: cation transport regulator homolog 2; Pex11b: peroxisomal membrane 11B; Sp5: Sp5 transcription factor; EGCG: epigallocatechin gallate; ApoE: Apo lipoprotein E; ERK-MAP kinase: extracellular signal-regulated kinases-mitogen-activated protein kinase; PAH: pulmonary artery hypertension; PAP: pulmonary arterial pressure; HIF1a: hypoxia-inducible-factor 1A; NFATc2: nuclear factor of activated T cells 2; HMEC-1: Human microvascular endothelial cells; stat2: signal transducers and activators of transcription 2; JNK: c-Jun N-terminal kinase; iNOS: inducible NO synthase. SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism; CAD: coronary artery disease