title: Association of a mast cell chymase gene variant with HDL cholesterol, but not with blood pressure in the Ohasama study.
abstract: Two enzymes, chymase and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), are involved in the production of angiotensin II. Our previous study revealed the male-specific effect of the ACE DD genotype on the risk for hypertension, but the genetic role of chymase remains unclear. In the present study, we report the results of an association study involving 1,046 subjects recruited from a general population in Ohasama, a rural community in the northern part of Japan. In addition to casual blood pressure (casual BP) measurement, home BP measurements were obtained from all participants. There were no differences in either home or casual BP values according to G3255A polymorphism of the mast cell chymase gene (MCC). HDL cholesterol level was significantly higher among carriers of the A3255 allele (p<0.04). After adjustment for confounding factors, the A3255 allele was still shown to have an effect on HDL cholesterol metabolism (p<0.03). Multiple regression analysis showed that MCC polymorphism was significantly and independently related to serum HDL cholesterol level. In conclusion, G3255A polymorphism of MCC is not directly associated with blood pressure but may modulate the prevalence of hypertensive complications via alteration of lipid metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohkubo
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsuya
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hozawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Mitsunobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Jitsuo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higaki
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hisamichi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogihara
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D053818:Chymases; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053818:Chymases