Genetic variation in the promoter region of the β2 bradykinin receptor gene is associated with essential hypertension in a Chinese Han population

Abstract

The present study examined whether a genetic variant (-58T/C) in the promoter region of the human β2 bradykinin receptor gene was genetically involved in essential hypertension. Chinese hypertensive subjects (n=120) and normotensive controls (n=98; sex- and age-matched with hypertensives) were recruited from the outpatients of Fu Wai hospital. Distribution of the -58T/C polymorphism was determined in patients and controls by means of PCR, SSCP, cloning and sequencing. The allelic frequencies were 0.56 for the C allele and 0.44 for the T allele in hypertensive subjects, and 0.46 for the C allele and 0.54 for the T allele in normotensive subjects. The allelic frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Significant differences between hypertensive and normotensive subjects were seen in the genotypes distribution (p=0.045) and allelic frequencies (p=0.033). These results suggested that -58C allele of the human β2 bradykinin receptor gene may be an independent risk factor for essential hypertension in the Chinese Han population.