Genetic influences on blood pressure within the Stanislas Cohort.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of 21 polymorphisms within 13 genes, APOE, APOB, APOC3, CETP, LPL, PON1, MTHFR, FGB, F5, GPIIIa, SELE, ACE and AGT, with inter-individual blood pressure (BP) variation.

PARTICIPANTS

Seven hundred and seventy-six men and 836 women, free of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications, were selected from the Stanislas Cohort.

RESULTS

ANOVA on blood pressure values after adjustment for covariates [age, body mass index (BMI), contraceptive pill, tobacco and alcohol] showed that lipoprotein lipase (LPL) Ser447Ter and glycoprotein IIIA (GpIIIa) Pl polymorphisms were significantly associated with BP in women (0.01 < or = P < or = 0.05), whereas BP levels in men were significantly different according to apolipoprotein CIII (APOC3) 3206T/G and -482C/T polymorphisms (P < or = 0.05). In women, compared to the most common allele, the GpIIIa Pl allele was associated with increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) (P < 0.05) and pulse pressure (PP) (P < 0.001), and the LPL 447Ter allele was associated with decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) and PP levels (0.001 < or = P < or = 0.05). These two polymorphisms appeared to act independently. In men, the APOC3 3206GG genotype was related to decreased diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and MAP levels (P < or = 0.01), and the APOC3 -482T allele with decreased PP levels (P < or = 0.05). The presence of both the -482C allele and the 3206GG genotype was related to decreased DBP, suggesting that specific haplotypes might be involved.

CONCLUSION

The APOC3, LPL and GpIIIa genes were found to be associated with BP levels. The contributions of these genes, although modest, are consistent with the polygenic nature of BP levels.