title: Glutathione S-transferase variants as risk factor for essential hypertension in Italian patients.
abstract: Involvement of genetic polymorphisms in arterial hypertension has already been reported, including GST genes, with contrasting results. The present research evaluates the possible association between GST gene polymorphisms and essential hypertension (EH) in an Italian population sample. 193 hypertensive subjects and 210 healthy controls were recruited. Buccal cells were collected from each subject using an oral swab and DNA was extracted using the phenol:chloroform:isoamilic alcohol method. GST SNPs were determined using the PCR-RFLP method, while GST null polymorphisms were determined using a Multiplex PCR. Among GST polymorphisms, only the frequency of the GSTT1 null phenotype was significantly higher in hypertensive patients than in normotensive participants. GSTT1 null individuals were significantly associated with increased risk of hypertension [P < 0.001; adjusted OR 2.24 (1.43-3.50)]. In sex-based analysis, the risk was significantly higher in female hypertensives [P < 0.001; adjusted OR 3.25 (1.78-5.95)] but not in male subjects. This study analyzed all GST gene that, in other research, have been studied in relation to arterial hypertension and the GSTO polymorphisms, showing an association only with GSTT1. The results for the GSTO genes represent the first analysis of this GST class in relation to blood pressure regulation. The association between the GSTT1 null phenotype and EH was confirmed in the overall population and in women, but not in men. These data suggest that GSTT1 could be a sex-specific candidate gene for EH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polimanti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Re
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manfellotto
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuciarelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D005982:Glutathione Transferase