Association of NPR3 polymorphism with risk of essential hypertension in a Chinese population

Essential hypertension (EH) is a common disease exhibiting large individual difference in occurrence, development and treatment response. Genetic factors are implicated in the development and progression of EH. This study aimed to explore the association between NPR3 single nucleotide polymorphism rs2270915 (A/G, Asn521Asp) and the risk of EH in a Chinese Han population by a case-control study.

The study was a single-centre, case-control trial, in which a total of 287 EH patients and 289 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were as follows: Han Chinese origin, male or female patients, systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mm Hg. The healthy controls were subjects without histories of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases. NPR3 rs2270915 polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). In addition, primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were isolated from 19 fresh human umbilical cords and cultured. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration in cell medium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). NPR3 mRNA expression was determined by real-time semi-quantitative PCR.

No significant difference in genotype distribution of NPR3 rs2270915 polymorphism was observed between cases and controls (P>.05). Patients carrying the rs2270915 G allele showed decreased SBP, and the difference was marginal. As compared with cells carrying the rs2270915 AA genotype, those with the AG genotype showed significantly lower NPR3 mRNA expression levels (P<.05) and lower medium ANP concentration (P<.001).

This study suggested that NPR3 rs2270915 polymorphism was associated with decreased SBP level marginally in EH patients in a Chinese Han population, and the polymorphism may function through decreasing NPR3 mRNA expression and ANP level.