ASSOCIATION OF THE RENIN GENE POLYMORPHISM WITH ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION IN A CHINESE POPULATION

To study the association of renin gene polymorphism with essential hyp ertension in the Chinese population, 86 hypertensive and 107 normotens ive subjects were enrolled from an epidemiologic survey. Leukocyte DNA was extracted and digested with Hind III and Bgl I restriction enzyme s. Southern hybridization was done with digoxigenin-incorporated renin gene probes generated by polymerase chain reaction. The restriction f ragments were detected by anti-digoxigenin antibody and enzyme methods . Two Hind III polymorphysms of the renin gene (8.7 kb and 6.2 kb) wer e identified. The allele frequences were 129(75%) and 43(25%), respect ively, in hypertensives; they were 139(65%) and 75(35%), respectively, in normotensives (chi(2)=4.074, p=0.044). The genotypes of 8.7/8.7,8. 7/6.2 and 6.2/6.2 were significantly different between hypertensives a nd normotensives, being 45(52%), 39(45%), 2(3%) and 48(45%), 43(40%), and 16(15%), respectively (chi(2) = 9.002, p = 0.011). The Bgl I polym orphism did not show a difference between hypertensives and normotensi ves. Thus, we conclude that the renin gene Hind III polymorphysm is as sociated with hypertension in this Chinese population.