Association of beta 1-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms with left ventricular hypertrophy in human essential...

Experimental evidence support a key role for beta (1)-adrenergic receptor (ADRB1) in the modulation of cardiac mass. This relationship has not yet been described in Chinese population. The goal of our study was to investigate the relationships between ADRB1 gene polymorphisms and left ventricular structure in human essential hypertension.

A total of 2417 hypertensive patients were successfully investigated. The polymorphisms of ADRB1 gene (Arg389Gly and Gly49Ser) were genotyped by using PCR-RFLP and confirmed by sequencing.

Patients carrying the Arg389Arg genotype had an increase in the left ventricular septal thickness (10.4+/-1.5 mm vs. 9.6+/-1.5 mm, P<0.01 or 9.4+/-1.4 mm, P<0.01); left ventricular posterior wall thickness (10.4+/-2.4 mm vs. 9.6+/-2.4 mm or 9.7+/-2.9 mm, P<0.01); left ventricular mass index (51.6+/-13.3 g/m(2.7) vs. 44.6+/-12.9 g/m(2.7), P<0.01 or 43.2+/-14.4 g/m(2.7), P<0.01) and relative wall thickness (45.0+/-9.0% vs. 42.6+/-8.1%, P<0.01 or 43.2+/-8.8%, P<0.01) as compared with those carrying genotypes Arg389Gly and Gly389Gly. These associations were independent of anthropometric factors and major clinical features and were replicated in another independent hypertensive population (n=327).

Our findings show that the Arg389Gly polymorphism of the ADRB1 gene confers higher risk of left ventricular hypertrophy in human essential hypertension.