Rare independent mutations in renal salt handling genes contribute to blood pressure variation.
The effects of alleles in many genes are believed to contribute to common complex diseases such as hypertension. Whether risk alleles comprise a small number of common variants or many rare independent mutations at trait loci is largely unknown. We screened members of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) for variation in three genes-SLC12A3 (NCCT), SLC12A1 (NKCC2) and KCNJ1 (ROMK)-causing rare recessive diseases featuring large reductions in blood pressure. Using comparative genomics, genetics and biochemistry, we identified subjects with mutations proven or inferred to be functional. These mutations, all heterozygous and rare, produce clinically significant blood pressure reduction and protect from development of hypertension. Our findings implicate many rare alleles that alter renal salt handling in blood pressure variation in the general population, and identify alleles with health benefit that are nonetheless under purifying selection. These findings have implications for the genetic architecture of hypertension and other common complex traits.
Ji
Weizhen
W
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Foo
Jia Nee
JN
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
O'Roak
Brian J
BJ
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Zhao
Hongyu
H
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Larson
Martin G
MG
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA.|Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA.
Simon
David B
DB
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Newton-Cheh
Christopher
C
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA.
State
Matthew W
MW
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Levy
Daniel
D
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA.|National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD.
Lifton
Richard P
RP
Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000235:genetics*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters / Q000235:genetics*; D064466:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 1; D064486:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 3; D027981:Symporters / Q000235:genetics*
C086989:KCNJ1 protein, human; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011955:Receptors, Drug; C578714:SLC12A1 protein, human; C578874:SLC12A3 protein, human; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters; D064466:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 1; D064486:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 3; D027981:Symporters; D012965:Sodium Chloride