title: The α(2C)-Del322-325 adrenoceptor polymorphism and the occurrence of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sympathetic activation has a role in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The presynaptic α(2C)-adrenoceptor inhibits the release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerve terminals in the heart. A deletion polymorphism in the α(2C)-adrenoceptor (α(2C)Del322-325) generates a hypofunctional α(2C)-adrenoceptor, which may result in chronic adrenergic signalling. This study aimed to investigate whether the α(2C)Del322-325 polymorphism was associated with an increased prevalence of LVH in patients with systemic hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Left ventricular mass was measured in 205 patients with systemic hypertension and 60 normal volunteers using a 1.5-T Philips MRI system. Genotyping was performed using a restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was observed between the distribution of the α(2C)Del322-325 genotypes in hypertensive patients with LVH compared with those without LVH. Adjusting for confounding variables the odds ratio (OR) of being ins/del for the α(2C)Del322-325 and having LVH was 0.49 (95% CI 0.14-1.69, p = 0.256).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations suggest that there is little evidence for an association between α(2C)Del322-325 polymorphism and an increased prevalence of LVH in patients with systemic hypertension.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular and Neuronal Remodelling, Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Savva
authors: Khaled
authors: K
authors: Alfakih
authors: Stacey L
authors: SL
authors: Galloway
authors: Alistair S
authors: AS
authors: Hall
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: West
authors: Stephen G
authors: SG
authors: Ball
authors: Anthony J
authors: AJ
authors: Balmforth
authors: Azhar
authors: A
authors: Maqbool
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2