Polymorphisms in gene MMP-2 modify the association of cadmium exposure with hypertension risk

Cadmium exposure has been inconsistently related with hypertension. However, epidemiologic data on the genetic susceptibility to the hypertensive effect of cadmium exposure are limited.

We investigated whether the associations between cadmium exposure and hypertension risk differed by genetic polymorphisms in MMPs genes.

The present study of 497 hypertension cases and 497 healthy controls was conducted in a Chinese population. Urinary cadmium levels were measured with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Multivariable logistic regression models were analyzed after controlling major confounders.

Within the multivariable logistic regression models, compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of urinary cadmium had a 1.33-fold (95% CI: 1.01, 1.93) increased risk of hypertension. Carriers of rs243865 T allele and rs243866 A allele in MMP-2 were suggested to have increased risks of hypertension. The associations of urinary cadmium with hypertension risk were modified by rs14070 (P-value for interaction = 0.022) and rs7201 (P-value for interaction = 0.009) in gene MMP-2. Positively significant trends for increasing odds of hypertension with cadmium levels were observed among the wild types of rs14070 and rs7201, respectively.

Increasing urinary cadmium concentrations were positively associated with hypertension risk in a Chinese population, and the associations were modified by polymorphism of rs14070 and rs7201 in gene MMP-2.