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Study finds high blood pressure genes

measuring blood pressure

Researchers found a single change in the DNA of 90% of the volunteers is linked to an 18% increased risk of hypertension (Source: iStockphoto)

Scientists have identified the first common gene variants associated with an elevated risk of hypertension, a disease that affects around a billion people worldwide and can cause stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

The variants are located on two genes called NPPA and NPPB, which control proteins that relax blood vessels and help the excretion of dietary sodium, according to a study in the journal Nature Genetics.

The team sifted through the DNA of nearly 30,000 people, looking for telltale single changes in the genetic code in the NPPA and NPPB regions.

They found 13 of these single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which despite their minute presence, can have a lasting impact on how the genes work.

One SNP, found in almost 90% of the volunteers, was linked to a reduction of 20% in one of the key proteins, and to an 18% increased risk of hypertension.

"It's well known that hypertension can run in families, and a few rare genetic syndromes that raise blood pressure have been identified," says Dr Christopher Newton-Cheh of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Human Genetic Research.

"But the common genetic basis for the type of hypertension that affects a billion individuals around the world has been very difficult to establish."

Protein signal

NPPA and NPPB play a role in producing so-called atrial and B-type natriuretic peptides.

These proteins are be produced by the heart when it is stressed and in fact are used as a diagnostic tool. High levels of these proteins are typically an indicator of heart failure.

Many more genes are likely to be found that contribute to higher blood pressure, but the new findings throw up new roads of exploration for drugs to block the action of the faulty genes, say the investigators.

"Someday it may be possible to treat natriuretic-peptide-deficient individuals with therapies that restore normal levels and reduce risk," says co-author Dr Thomas Wang of the hospital's cardiology division.

Tags: hypertension, genetics, genetic-disorders