title: Lead exposure increases blood pressure by increasing angiotensinogen expression.
abstract: Lead exposure can induce increased blood pressure. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain lead-induced hypertension. Changes in angiotensinogen (AGT) expression levels or gene variants may also influence blood pressure. In this study, we hypothesized that AGT expression levels or gene variants contribute to lead-induced hypertension. A preliminary HEK293 cell model experiment was performed to analyze the association between AGT expression and lead exposure. In a population-based study, serum AGT level was measured in both lead-exposed and control populations. To further detect the influence of AGT gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in lead-induced hypertension, two SNPs (rs699 and rs4762) were genotyped in a case-control study including 219 lead-exposed subjects and 393 controls. Lead exposure caused an increase in AGT expression level in HEK 293 cell models (P < 0.001) compared to lead-free cells, and individuals exposed to lead had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). Lead-exposed individuals had higher serum AGT levels compared to controls (P < 0.001). However, no association was found between AGT gene SNPs (rs699 and rs4762) and lead exposure. Nevertheless, the change in AGT expression level may play an important role in the development of lead-induced hypertension.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Health , Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Wuxi , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Health , Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Wuxi , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Miaomiao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Health , Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Wuxi , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yiqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Health , Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Wuxi , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Health , Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Wuxi , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005838:Genotype; D057809:HEK293 Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000009:adverse effects; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D000808:Angiotensinogen; D007854:Lead
keywords: Angiotensinogen (AGT); hypertension; lead exposure; polymorphism