Genetic variation in the promoter region of the beta(2) bradykinin receptor gene is associated with essential hypertension in a Chinese Han population

The present study examined whether a genetic variant (-58T/C) in the promot er region of the human beta (2) bradykinin receptor gene was genetically in volved in essential hypertension. Chinese hypertensive subjects (n=120) and normotensive controls (n=98; sex- and age-matched with hypertensives) were recruited from the outpatients of Fu Wai hospital. Distribution of the -58 T/C polymorphism was determined in patients and controls by means of PCR, S SCP, cloning and sequencing. The allelic frequencies were 0.56 for the C al lele and 0.44 for the T allele in hypertensive subjects, and 0.46 for the C allele and 0.54 for the T allele in normotensive subjects. The allelic fre quencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Significant differences betwee n hypertensive and normotensive subjects were seen in the genotypes distrib ution (p=0.045) and allelic frequencies (p=0.033). These results suggested that -58C allele of the human beta (2) bradykinin receptor gene may be an i ndependent risk factor for essential hypertension in the Chinese Han popula tion.