title: Chromogranin A in human hypertension. Influence of heredity.
abstract: Multiple heritable traits are associated with essential (genetic) hypertension in humans. Because chromogranin A is increased in both human and rodent genetic hypertension, we examined the influence of heredity and blood pressure on chromogranin A in humans. In estimates derived from among- and within-pair variance in monozygotic versus dizygotic twins, plasma chromogranin A displayed significant (F15,18 = 2.93, P = .016) genetic variance (sigma 2 g), and its broad-sense heritability was high (h2B = 0.983). Plasma chromogranin A was increased in essential hypertension (99.9 +/- 6.7 versus 62.8 +/- 4.7 ng/mL, P < .001) but was influenced little by genetic risk for (family history of) hypertension (in normotensive or hypertensive subjects), by race, or by several antihypertensive therapies (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, diuretic, or beta-adrenergic antagonist). In normotensive subjects at genetic risk for essential hypertension, neither basal nor sympathoadrenal stress-evoked chromogranin A differed from values found in subjects not at risk. In established essential hypertension, plasma chromogranin A responses to adrenal medullary (insulin-evoked hypoglycemia) or sympathetic neuronal (dynamic exercise) activation were exaggerated, whereas responses to sympathoadrenal suppression (ganglionic blockade) were diminished, suggesting increased vesicular stores of chromogranin A and an adrenergic origin of the augmented chromogranin A expression in this disorder. We conclude that plasma chromogranin A displays substantial heritability and is increased in established essential hypertension. Its elevation in established hypertension is associated with evidence of increased vesicular stores of the protein and with adrenergic hyperactivity but is influenced little by customary antihypertensive therapies. However, the chromogranin A elevation is not evident early in the course of genetic hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Takiyyuddin
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Parmer
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kailasam
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cervenka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Grim
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012307:Risk Factors; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins