ANGIOTENSIN-II TYPE-1 RECEPTOR GENE POLYMORPHISM IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASE OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR MASS BUT NOT WITH HYPERTENSION

A genetic epidemiologic approach is useful to elucidate the genes resp onsible for hypertension. Genetic analyses of the components of the re nin-angiotensin system have succeeded in showing an association betwee n their polymorphism and hypertension. Recently, two types of angioten sin II receptor were cloned and characterized. To examine the genetic contribution of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)) and type 2 rece ptor (AT(2)) genes in human essential hypertension, a case-control stu dy was performed in Japanese subjects. The study comprised 321 subject s with hypertension who satisfied the criteria for essential hypertens ion, together with 215 age and sex matched controls. The significance of the differences in genotype distribution between hypertensive and n ormotensive subjects was examined by chi(2) analysis. Neither AT(1) no r AT(2) gene variants were associated with human essential hypertensio n in the Japanese subjects. However, the AT(1) receptor gene polymorph ism was associated with left ventricular mass index in normotensive su bjects. The study results suggest that gene polymorphisms of both angi otensin II receptors are not directly involved in the increase of gene tic risk for hypertension, but that the AT(1) receptor gene might cont ribute genetically to the increase of left ventricular mass. (C) 1998 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.