Linkage analysis of glucocorticoid and beta(2)-adrenergic receptor genes with blood pressure and body mass index

Glucocorticoids and catecholamines exert important effects on cardiovascula r physiology and metabolism Variants of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (G RL) and the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) have been associated w ith high blood pressure and obesity. These genes are close on human chromos ome 5q31-5q32, and we undertook a linkage analysis of this region in 264 fa milies from the general population in relation to systolic and diastolic bl ood pressure, body mass index, weight, height, and pulse rate. All family m embers were genotyped at four microsatellite loci (D5S207, D5S210, D5S519, and D5S119) located on chromosome 5q31-5q33.3. Using quantitative identity- by-descent sibling pair linkage analysis, we found that at no loci was gene tic similarity associated with phenotypic similarity for systolic and diast olic blood pressure, body mass index, weight, height, or pulse rate. Althou gh it is not possible to exclude the influence of specific combinations of certain GRL and ADRB2 polymorphisms, the absence of significant linkage in our population argues against a role for GRL or ADRB2 in physiological vari ation of blood pressure and body mass index.