[Association of beta-adrenoceptor gene polymorphism with resting heart rate]

This study was aimed to shed light on the association of beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR, includeing three subgroups: beta1, beta2 and beta3)gene polymorphism with resting heart rate (RHR). The RHRs of 150 healthy subjects (male 80; female 70) in the supine were detected by computerized system for analyzing the electrocardiosignals. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele specific-PCR techniques were used to determine Ser49Gly and Arg389Gly polymorphism of beta1-adrenoceptor gene; Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu polymorphism of beta2-adrenoceptor gene and Trp64Arg polymorphism of beta3-adrenoceptor gene; in these subjects. The results were as follows: The Arg389Gly polymorphism of beta1-adrenoceptor gene is significantly associated with RHR (P<0. 05), and the difference among three RHRs in male group is significantly higher than in group female group (P=0.0030 vs 0.0045). Individuals with Gly/Gly genotype have the highest RHR (male: 80.98+/-3.09; female: 84.23+/-6.28). No significant association was found among Ser49Gly, Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu and Trp64Arg polymorphism with RHR respectively (P> 0.05). RHR is associated with genotype. Arg389Gly polymorphism of beta1-adrenoceptor gene is significantly associated with RHRs, and the higher significant difference among male's RHRs,when compared with that among female's, suggests that male's RHRs be more influenced by genotype. Thus the clinical phenomenon of "the correlation of heart rate and mortality in male is higher than that in female" could be explained at the gene level.