Association of genetic variants in the adiponectin gene with adiponectin level and hypertension in Hong Kong Chinese.
OBJECTIVE
Low plasma adiponectin level can predict the development of hypertension after 5 years in our population. We therefore investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the adiponectin gene influenced plasma adiponectin level and whether they were associated with hypertension.


METHODS
We genotyped 14 tagging SNPs in 1616 subjects with persistent normotensive or hypertensive status during a 6.4-year follow-up period in the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study-2 (CRISPS-2). Plasma adiponectin level was measured in 1385 subjects using in-house sandwich ELISA.


RESULTS
The minor G allele of the SNP rs266729 was significantly associated with higher odds of hypertension (odds ratio (95% confidence interval)=1.49 (1.13-1.95), P=0.0044) after adjusting for covariates. In stepwise multiple logistic regression, this SNP (P=0.006) was a significant independent factor of hypertension, together with age (P<0.001), body mass index (P<0.001), triglycerides (P=0.021), and insulin resistance index (P<0.001). Among the 14 SNPs, rs266729 (beta=-0.067, P=0.0037), -10677C>T (beta=0.069, P=0.0027), rs182052 (beta=-0.097, P<0.0001), and rs12495941 (beta=0.103, P<0.0001) were significantly associated with adiponectin level after adjusting for covariates. No significant sex interaction was found for the associations of SNPs with hypertension and adiponectin level. Similar results were obtained in haplotype analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
In our population, genetic variants in the adiponectin gene influenced plasma adiponectin levels, and one of them was associated with hypertension. This study has provided further evidence for a role of adiponectin in the development of hypertension.
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Kwok Leung
KL
Ong
Mingfang
M
Li
Annette W K
AW
Tso
Aimin
A
Xu
Stacey S
SS
Cherny
Pak Chung
PC
Sham
Hung Fat
HF
Tse
Tai Hing
TH
Lam
Bernard M Y
BM
Cheung
Karen S L
KS
Lam
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D052242:Adiponectin