Molecular genetics of hypertension in the human

Abstract

In the general population blood pressure varies along a continuum and is regulated via multiple mechanisms involving many genetic loci and environmental factors. Epidemiological studies suggest that blood pressure variance is attributable to both genetic factors and environmental factors to the same magnitude. The molecular basis for three forms of sever hypertension transmitted on an autosomal basis has been recently elucidated: a) the glucocorticoid-suppressible aldosteronism (GSA), b) the Liddle's syndrome and c) the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME). GSA is due to expression of a chimeric gene produced by fusion of the 11 beta-hydroxylase promoter with the region encoding the enzyme aldosterone-synthase. Expression of this chimeric gene occurs in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex, under the control of ACTH, and can be suppressed by administration of glucocorticoids. Liddle's syndrome is due to mutations in the beta or gamma chain of the epithelial sodium channel in distal renal tubule cells. The hyperactivity of this channel caused by the mutations results in increased sodium reabsorption, which can be suppressed by administration of amiloride or triamterene. AME is caused by mutations of the 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 enzyme, an enzyme that metabolises cortisol into its receptor inactive keto-form cortisone, thus protecting the mineralocorticoid receptor from occupation by glucocorticoids. Apart from these rare genetic defects of the extended renin-angiotensin system, there are many susceptibility genes that might increase the risk of hypertension in a given environment. Several studies have demonstrated a link between the angiotensinogen gene and familial hypertension. One variant of angiotensinogen gene is associated with elevated plasma angiotensinogen levels and is more prevalent among hypertensive than among normotensive. This observation shows the relationship between the angiotensinogen genotype, the intermediate phenotype (i.e., plasma angiotensinogen elevation), and the distant phenotype (i.e., blood pressure elevation). The identification of these genes as well as other informative genetic markers distributed along the genome could be used in the search for genetic links between arterial hypertension and a chromosomal locus.