Jiro Uwabo

Association of a Variable Number of Tandem Repeats in the Endothelial Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene With Essential Hypertension in Japanese

An impaired synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by the vascular endothelium has been implicated in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension (EH). The possible association between a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in intron 4 of the endothelial constitutive NO synthase (ecNOS) gene and EH in Japanese subjects was investigated. A total of 123 individuals with EH and 120 normotensive control subjects were studied. The VNTR region of the ecNOS gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction to determine the number of repeats, and the allele frequencies were compared between the hypertensive and normotensive groups. Two alleles, containing four and five repeats, were identified. The overall distributions of allele frequencies differed significantly between the two groups, with the four-repeat allele more frequent in the EH group than in the normotensive group (P = .00027, odds ratio = 4.0). The four-repeat allele of the ecNOS gene was thus associated with EH and may be a genetic marker of this disease in Japanese subjects.

Association analysis of TG repeat polymorphism of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene with essential hypertension

The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) gene is thought to be involved in essential hypertension because nitric oxide is implicated in endothelium‐mediated or nitroxidergic neuron‐mediated vasodilation. Using simple tandem repeat DNA polymorphism of the neuronal constitutive NOS (nNOS) gene, we carried out an association study in patients with essential hypertension. One hundred and thirty‐one patients with essential hypertension and 147 subjects with normal blood pressure were studied. Polymerase chain reaction was applied to amplify the TG repeat site in the nNOS gene, and alleles based on the TG repeat number were determined. Eight alleles were identified in this study of Japanese subjects. Overall distributions of allele frequencies in the two groups were not significantly different. Thus, the genes detected by examination of this microsatellite polymorphism in the nNOS gene are not associated with essential hypertension.

Polymorphism of the promoter region of prostacyclin synthase gene is not related to essential hypertension.

An impaired synthesis of prostacyclin has been implicated in the development of essential hypertension (EH). We therefore investigated whether there is an association between the prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) gene and EH using a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the promoter region that influences transcriptional activity of this gene. A total of 125 patients with EH and 125 age-matched subjects with normal blood pressure were studied. The number of VNTR of the five alleles ranged from 3 to 7 repeats in the 250 unrelated Japanese subjects. The allele frequency distribution in the two groups were not significantly different. Thus, this VNTR polymorphism in the PGIS gene is not associated with EH.

A T1083C Polymorphism in the Human Adenosine A2a Receptor Gene is not Associated With Essential Hypertension

The adenosine A2a receptor (A2aAR) gene is thought to be involved in essential hypertension because adenosine elicits vasodilation and decreases arterial blood pressure via this receptor, and because disruption of the A2aAR gene increases blood pressure in mice. Therefore, using a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the A2aAR gene, we performed an association study in patients with essential hypertension. One hundred forty-two patients with essential hypertension and 142 age-matched subjects with normal blood pressure were studied. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to amplify the T1083C polymorphic site in the A2aAR gene, and restriction analysis of the PCR product was employed to score the T and C alleles. Overall distributions of allele frequencies in the two groups were not significantly different. Thus, the alleles detected by this RFLP polymorphism in the A2aAR gene are not associated with essential hypertension.