Abstract P231: Inhibition of Mir-762 Prevents and Reverses Ang II Induced Aortic Stiffening

We and others have shown that hypertension (HTN) is linked with striking fibrosis in the aortic adventitia. This leads to aortic stiffening, leading to organ damage. Through a screen of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the aorta, we found that miR-762 is the most upregulated miRNA in Ang II hypertensive mice. qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-762 is upregulated 6.35±1.22 (p=0.03) fold in Ang II-infused mice compared to controls. To study the role of miR-762 in HTN, we administered a locked nucleic acid inhibitor of miR-762. MiR-762 inhibition normalized stress-strain relationships and aortic systolic energy storage (ASE) (Table). Moreover, miR-762 inhibition in the last 2 weeks of Ang II infusion reversed aortic stiffness in mice treated with 4 wk of Ang II (ASE, 4 wk Ang II [51±5.18 kPa] vs 4wk Ang II + LNA-762 (last 2 wk) [20±1.76 kPa], p