title: Gap junction protein locus on chromosome 18 cosegregates with body weight in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
abstract: To detect genetic predisposing factors for hypertension, we screened the genome of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). We determined the genotypes of all F2 rats at polymorphic sites between the two strains, using the DNA of F2 rats derived from mating of SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Cosegregation analysis was conducted to assess whether the genotypes of polymorphic markers associate with any phenotypic parameters such as directly measured blood pressure, heart rate or body weight. All measurements in F2 rats were performed at 15 weeks of age. Two polymorphic markers on chromosome 18 cosegregated with body weight. Gap junction protein (heart connexin 43) gene showed the most significant association with body weight as a recessive trait, but no association was noted with other parameters. We conclude that the gap junction protein locus is a new candidate for the determinant gene of body weight in SHR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsuya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takami
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Serikawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogihara
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; D005819:Genetic Markers