title: Association between ghrelin gene variations and blood pressure in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ghrelin is a gut-brain hormone, which stimulates food intake and controls energy balance. Recently, it has been shown that ghrelin may also play a role in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) by acting at the sympathetic nervous system. In the present study we genotyped six variants of the ghrelin gene and its promoter, and tested whether these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with BP levels in participants of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study was a longitudinal study where 522 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance were randomized into either an intervention or control group. DNA was available from 507 subjects (mean body mass index [BMI] 31.2+/-4.5 kg/m2, age 55+/-7 years). All six SNPs were screened by the restriction fragment length polymorphism method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with the most common genotype combination of the following four SNPs, -604G/A, -501A/C, Leu72Met, and Gln90Leu, had the lowest systolic (131+/-11 v 137+/-13 mm Hg, P=.003) and diastolic BP levels (79+/-7 v 83+/-7 mm Hg, P=.004) at the baseline of the study and during 3 years of follow-up compared to all other genotypes. Adjustments for age, gender, antihypertensive medication, BMI, waist circumference, and alcohol intake did not change this association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several ghrelin gene variations were associated with BP levels in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition and Food and Health Research Centre, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. ursula.mager@uku.fi
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mager
authors.forename: Marjukka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolehmainen
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindström
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Timo T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ilanne-Parikka
authors.forename: Sirkka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
authors.forename: Jaakko O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Tuomilehto
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulkkinen
authors.forename: Matti I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D054439:Ghrelin; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones