Researching Hypertension? Try a Multi-Biomarker Approach
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the most common chronic conditions worldwide—affecting over 1.28 billion people according to the World Health Organization. In the United States alone, nearly half of all adults are diagnosed with high blood pressure, contributing to an estimated $219 billion in annual healthcare costs. Despite its prevalence, hypertension remains a complex and often misunderstood condition. Its effects are not limited to elevated blood pressure readings; it is also closely linked to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction.
Understanding the biological underpinnings of hypertension is key to developing better diagnostics and more effective treatments. That’s why researchers are increasingly turning to biomarker analysis to gain a more comprehensive picture of how hypertension develops and progresses.
At Arbor Assays, we provide validated, high-sensitivity assay kits that enable scientists to profile multiple biomarkers at once. Let’s explore how our inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormone-focused kits can be used together to support a systems-level understanding of hypertension and its impact on human health.
The Biology of Hypertension
While hypertension is typically diagnosed through elevated systolic or diastolic blood pressure, the underlying biology tells a much richer story. At its core, hypertension is a multifactorial disorder driven by dysregulation across several physiological systems. These systems include endocrine signaling, vascular tone, immune activation, and redox balance.
Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Hormonal Control
Key hormones, such as aldosterone, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), play balancing roles in regulating blood volume and vascular resistance. Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and elevated levels of vasoconstrictors like ET-1 contribute to persistent high pressure within blood vessels. Meanwhile, compensatory hormones like ANP work to promote vasodilation and sodium excretion, but are often overwhelmed in chronic hypertension.
Simultaneously, inflammation and oxidative stress escalate the damage. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels indicate chronic low-grade inflammation, which contributes to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Oxidative imbalance, driven by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced antioxidant defenses like superoxide dismutase (SOD), damages vascular tissues and promotes further dysregulation.
By measuring biomarkers from each of these systems, researchers can track how they interact to drive disease progression. A multi-marker approach not only provides greater insight but also opens doors for non-invasive sampling and therapeutic development.
Arbor Assays Kits: Your Toolbox for Hypertension Research
Hypertension research requires tools that can capture the complexity of the condition, encompassing fluid retention, vascular tone, oxidative damage, and immune activation. Arbor Assays offers a suite of high-performance, research use only assay kits designed to quantify key biomarkers across these domains. When used together, these kits provide a powerful lens into the multifaceted biology of high blood pressure.
Hormonal Regulators of Blood Pressure
- Aldosterone: Aldosterone is a key hormone in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which regulates sodium retention, potassium excretion, and blood volume. Elevated aldosterone levels contribute to fluid overload and vascular stiffness in hypertensive individuals.
In the literature: A study using Arbor Assays’ DetectX® Aldosterone ELISA Kit (K052-H) found that offspring of protein-restricted hypertensive rats exhibited elevated plasma aldosterone levels and salt-sensitive hypertension, alongside renal epigenetic changes that suggest a long-term programming effect on blood pressure regulation.
With the Aldosterone ELISA Kit, the researchers were able to:
- Accurately measure low plasma aldosterone levels in a small rodent model.
- Support reproducible comparisons across multiple dietary and salt-loading conditions.
- Gain reliable data for correlation with DNA methylation and gene expression results.
- Endothelin-1 (ET-1): ET-1 is one of the most potent vasoconstrictors known and plays a significant role in vascular dysfunction associated with hypertension and kidney disease. ET-1 is also upregulated in response to oxidative stress and inflammation. Arbor Assays’ DetectX® Endothelin-1 Kit (K045-H) offers high specificity and reproducibility, making it ideal for quantifying circulating ET-1 in serum or plasma.
Reviews emphasize the significance of the endothelin system in the management of chronic hypertension. It has a high potential as a therapeutic target, especially in patients with comorbid kidney disease.
Leveraging the ET‑1 ELISA Kit, researchers benefit from:
- High sensitivity (0.579 pg/mL detection limit) that enables precise quantification of low-level ET‑1 in biological samples.
- Broad species compatibility and validated use with serum, plasma, and tissue culture media, allowing versatile applications across diverse research models.
- An efficient and validated 2.5-hour sandwich ELISA protocol, supporting reproducible studies.
- Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP): As a natural counterbalance to RAAS activation, ANP promotes vasodilation and natriuresis to reduce blood volume and pressure. Measuring ANP provides insights into the body’s compensatory mechanisms during hypertension.
In the literature: In a study examining blood pressure regulation in prostacyclin receptor–deficient mice, researchers used Arbor Assays’ DetectX® ANP ELISA Kit (K071-H) to demonstrate that ANP levels increased in a sex-dependent manner. This shift helped maintain blood pressure homeostasis in female knockout mice, highlighting ANP’s compensatory role when vasodilatory pathways are disrupted.
With the ANP ELISA Kit, the researchers were able to:
- Detect sex-specific differences in circulating ANP concentrations.
- Evaluate hormonal compensation in a genetically modified hypertension model.
- Quantify ANP accurately in small-volume murine plasma samples.
Inflammation in Hypertension
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP): CRP is a well-established marker of systemic inflammation and is frequently elevated in individuals with hypertension. This is especially true for those with vascular complications. In fact, circulating CRP has been associated with microRNA-505 expression in hypertensive individuals, pointing to a mechanistic link between inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and hypertension progression.
Arbor Assays’ DetectX® C-Reactive Protein Human ELISA Kit (K069-H) enables quantitative detection of CRP, providing a reliable readout of chronic inflammation.
With the CRP ELISA Kit, researchers benefit from:
- High-sensitivity detection down to 0.616 ng/mL, enabling accurate measurement of low-level inflammation.
- Compatibility with standard serum and plasma samples, allowing easy integration into existing study workflows.
- A streamlined 2.5-hour protocol with all reagents included, supporting efficient and reproducible sample processing.
Oxidative Stress and Vascular Health
- Superoxide Dismutase (SOD): SOD is a critical enzyme that neutralizes superoxide radicals. Superoxide radicals are one of the primary reactive oxygen species that contribute to oxidative stress. Researchers have observed impaired SOD activity in aging populations and hypertensive models.
In the literature: Researchers investigating age-related blood pressure regulation used Arbor Assays’ DetectX® Superoxide Dismutase Activity Kit (K028-H). They assess antioxidant enzyme activity in the brainstem of estrogen-treated hypertensive rats. The study revealed significant age- and hormone-dependent differences in SOD activity. This suggests that oxidative stress regulation plays a critical role in neurogenic hypertension.
Using the SOD Activity Kit, the researchers were able to:
- Quantify SOD activity in discrete brain regions relevant to blood pressure control.
- Detect age- and treatment-dependent shifts in oxidative stress response.
- Link antioxidant enzyme dynamics to hormonal influences in hypertension models.
The Power of a Multi-Biomarker Approach
Understanding hypertension requires more than a single marker or pathway. It’s a disease shaped by a dynamic interplay of endocrine, inflammatory, and oxidative processes—each influencing how the body maintains vascular tone, fluid balance, and immune surveillance. That’s why measuring multiple biomarkers together is essential.
By combining Arbor Assays’ kits for aldosterone, endothelin-1, ANP, CRP, and SOD, researchers can capture a detailed snapshot of the biological landscape driving high blood pressure. When interpreted together, these data points provide deeper insights into disease phenotypes, sex-specific responses, and potential options for effective treatment.
Design Smarter Studies with a Multi-Kit Strategy
Whether you’re designing a study on hypertensive models, testing therapeutic interventions, or exploring cardiovascular comorbidities, Arbor Assays kits provide the precision and flexibility needed to move your research forward.
Explore our comprehensive catalog of kits or contact our technical customer service team to build a custom biomarker bundle tailored to your investigation.
Featured Products
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In StockAldosterone ELISA Kit
$440.00 – $1,756.00The DetectX® Aldosterone ELISA Kits measure Aldosterone present in extracted serum and plasma, or in urine, saliva, extracted dried fecal samples, and tissue culture media samples.
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In StockEndothelin-1 (ET-1) ELISA Kit
$667.00The DetectX® Endothelin-1 (ET-1) ELISA Kit provides a simplified ET-1 measurement in variety samples and tissue culture media.
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Limited AvailabilityC-Reactive Protein (CRP) Human ELISA Kit
$520.00 – $2,076.00
The DetectX® C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Human ELISA Kits quantitatively measure CRP present in a variety of samples.
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In Stock
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Activity Kit
$506.00The DetectX® Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Activity Kit is designed to quantitatively measure SOD activity in a variety of samples. The assay measures all types of SOD activity, including Cu/Zn, Mn, and FeSOD types.
