Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with subtelomere specific probes (12pter-15qter) showed no differences...

Telomere biology is intimately linked to the genetic/environmental etiology of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and telomere shortening is emerging as an important biomarker disease. The relationship between subtelomeric deletions and genetic hypertension was examined. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to directly assess whether there is a loss or gain of subtelomere copy number. Five subjects with essential hypertension and five normotensive controls were recruited from the outpatient population of the Cardiology Department of the Afyon Kocatepe University Medical School. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed using 12p(Tel12) and 15q(Tel15) Cytocell subtelomeric probes on metaphase slides prepared from peripheral blood samples. No differences in subtelomeric region signals between the hypertensive and normotensive groups were found.