ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS OF RESTRICTION-FRAGMENT-LENGTH-POLYMORPHISM FOR ALPHA(2)-ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR GENES IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION IN JAPAN

Recently, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of ct,adrene rgic receptor gene (alpha(2)-C10) digested with Bsu36I restriction enz yme has been reported in US populations. Therefore, we examined the as sociation of this RFLP with essential hypertension by comparing the fr equency of specific alleles for this gene in Japanese populations. The distribution of this RFLP was compared with that in US populations. S ubjects were hypertensive patients with a family history of essential hypertension (n=56) and normotensive subjects whose parents had no his tory of essential hypertension (n=46). DNA was prepared from leukocyte s. RFLP was determined by use of Southern blot analysis with an alpha( 2)-C10 probe and Bsu36I. The frequencies of the major (12-kb) and mino r (5.8-kb) alleles were 0.30 and 0.70 in hypertensive patients and 0.3 8 and 0.62 in normotensive subjects, respectively. The difference betw een observed alleles in all subjects in each group was not significant (chi(2)=1.33, P>.1). The difference between the overall allelic frequ ency in Japan and that reported in US populations was significant. Thi s study found no evidence for an association between alpha(2)-adrenerg ic receptor gene/BsuS6I RFLP and essential hypertension in Japan. Howe ver, the findings showed that the allele frequency in Japan differed f rom that reported in US populations.