Beta-adrenergic receptor genes are associated with arterial stiffness in black and white adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study.
BACKGROUND
Sympathetic nervous activity, which is regulated by the beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR), is an important determinant of the arterial wall-stiffening process. This study examines the genetic influence of beta-AR gene polymorphisms (beta(1)-AR Arg389Gly, beta(2)-AR Arg16Gly, and beta(3)-AR Trp64Arg) on arterial stiffness in black and white young adults.


METHODS
The study cohort included 366 black and 891 white adults, aged 19 to 44 years, enrolled in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Aorta-femoral pulse-wave velocity (af-PWV) was measured by echo-Doppler in a subsample (n = 614).


RESULTS
Pulse pressure and heart rate were significantly associated with af-PWV in both races, but not with the three polymorphisms. The af-PWV values differed significantly among the beta(1)-AR Arg389Gly genotype groups in whites (P = .007) and in the total sample (P = .005), with those who were homozygous for Gly389 showing higher values than those who were homozygous for Arg389, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. The beta(3)-AR Arg64 allele was associated with higher af-PWV values in blacks (P = .022) and in the total sample (P = .015). The beta(2)-AR Arg16 allele was associated with af-PWV only in blacks (P = .020). In multivariate regression analysis for the total sample, age, pulse pressure, heart rate, beta(1)-AR Arg389Gly, beta(3)-AR trp64Gly, and smoking status were, in descending order, associated with af-PWV. Furthermore, af-PWV values significantly increased with the increasing number of beta(1)-AR Gly389, beta(2)-AR Arg16, and beta(3)-AR Arg64 alleles (P for trend = .0003).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the beta-AR gene polymorphisms influence arterial stiffness in black and white young adults in an additive manner.
Tulane Center for Cardiovascular Health, Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
Wei
W
Chen
Sathanur R
SR
Srinivasan
Eric
E
Boerwinkle
Gerald S
GS
Berenson
D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D001741:Black or African American
D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta