Mechanism of endothelial microparticle generation in hypertension and its pathophysiological roles

Hypertension is closely related to many target organ damage. Endothelial microparticles (EMPs), derived from endothelial cells in response to endothelial cell activation or apoptosis, are complex vesicular structures with a membrane skeleton and express various antigens specific to parental endothelial cells. EMPs circulate in human plasma and show elevated levels in many vascular damage diseases, such as hypertension, atherosclerotic vascular diseases, sepsis and diabetes. Recent studies have shown that EMPs could be a comprehensive index for endothelial homeostasis monitoring, such as vasomotor activity, anti-inflammatory status and so on. Especially, more and more evidence suggests that EMPs play an important role in hypertension. Patients with hypertension show higher circulating levels of EMPs compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, increasing evidence demonstrates that EMPs can induce endothelial dysfunction in vitro and in vivo, and then further promote the development of hypertension and its complications. This review will summarize the progress in the definition and formation mechanisms of EMPs, levels of EMPs and their phenotypes in patients with hypertension, and the pathophysiological roles of EMPs in hypertension.