Concordance of murine quantitative trait loci for salt-induced hypertension with rat and human loci

To investigate the genetic control of salt-induced hypertension, we perform ed a quantitative trait locus analysis on male mice from a reciprocal backc ross between the salt-sensitive C57BL/6J and the normotensive A/J inbred mo use strains after they were provided with water containing 1% salt for 2 we eks. Genome-wide scans performed on these mice and analyzed with a combinat ion of conventional marker-based regressions and a novel simultaneous searc h for pairs revealed six significant quantitative trait loci associated wit h salt-induced blood pressure, two of which were interacting loci. These si x loci, named Bpq1-6 for blood pressure quantitative trait loci, mapped to D1Mit334, D1Mit14, D4Mit164, D5Mit31, D6Mit15, and D15Mit13. Furthermore, f ive of these six loci were concordant with hypertension loci in rats, and f our were concordant with hypertension loci in humans, suggesting that quant itative trait loci mapping in model organisms can be used to guide the sear ch for human blood pressure genes. (C) 2001 Academic Press.