Sex differences in the rewiring of brainstem miRNA regulatory networks driving hypertension development

In this study, we elucidated the role of miRNA dysregulation in brainstem autnomic circuits as hypertension develops. Female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive wistar kyoto rats were sacrified at 8, 10, 12, 16, and 24 weeks of age. 8 weeks is considered prior to the onset of hypertension while 10 and 12 weeks correspond to the age of onset. At 16 weeks hypertension has developed and at 24 weeks is considered chronic persistent hypertension. Three autonomic nuclei in the brainstem were collected, the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM), and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). NanoString rat miRNA panel was used to obtain miRNA expression profiles from all collected samples. miRNA expression was profiled in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in the brainstems of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive wistar-kyoto (WKY) at 8, 10, 12, 16, and 24 weeks of age throughout the development of hypertension.