Objective To detect and genotype the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding and promoter regions of human glucagon gene in Han Chinese residing in Shanghai and to analyse its association with essential hypertension (EH). Methods The identification of SNPs was performed by both direct DNA sequencing and denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC). For genotyping of SNPs direct sequencing was performed in 96 patients with EH and 96 normotensive controls (NT). Results Two SNPs in glucagon gene, one in the coding region (C3689T) and the other in the joint region, (G5505A) were found. A higher frequency SNP, C3689T, was genotyped and no significant difference in C3689T genotype frequency was found between EH and NT. Conclusion There is an important ethnic difference in SNP distribution of human glucagon gene. The distribution of C3689T genotype in Han Chinese is not different between EH and NT.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of bioactive peptides combined with probiotics on serum uric acid (SUA) in patients with hyperuricemia (HUA), so as to provide the evidence for prevention and treatment of HUA. Methods: The patients with HUA aged 18 to 65 years were selected and randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. The patients in the intervention group received bioactive peptides combined with probiotics for 28 days at a dose of 3 g/d, while the patients in the control group received an equal dose of placebos. Demographic information, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and blood lipid were collected through questionnaire surveys, physical examination and laboratory tests. SUA levels were detected before and after 14 days and 28 days of interventions. The differences of SUA levels between the two groups were compared using generalized estimation equation. Results: Totally 108 patients with HUA were recruited, including 54 patients in the intervention group and 53 patients in the control group (1 dropout). Before interventions, there were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, course of HUA, exercise duration, frequency of alcohol consumption, frequency of meat broth consumption, BMI, prevalence of hypertension and prevalence of dyslipidemia between the two groups (all P>0.05). After 14 days of interventions, the SUA levels of the patients in the intervention group decreased by 3.00 μmol/L, while those in the control group increased by 7.00 μmol/L. After 28 days of interventions, the SUA levels of the patients in the intervention group and the control group decreased by 26.00 μmol/L and 16.00 μmol/L, respectively. However, there was no statistically significant interaction between the intervention time and group (both P>0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that after 28 days of interventions, the decrease in SUA levels in the patients aged 55 years and older and without hypertension in the intervention group was greater than those in the control group (both P<0.05). Conclusions Bioactive peptides combined with probiotics showed no significant difference in reducing SUA levels in patients with HUA compared to the control group. The effect was more significant for patients aged 55 years and older and without hypertension.

Objective To investigate the association between albuminuria incidence and blood pressure (BP) level or body weight index (BMI) in patients with essential hypertension from five regions in China. Methods A total of 5021 non-diabetic patients with clearly diagnosed essential hypertension were enrolled in our study. The participants came from five cities in China.Urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was measured in these patients for two times. The associations of albuminuria with BP level and BMI were analyzed. Results (1)There was no significant difference of albuminuria incidence between ＜60-year-old and ≥60-year-old patients. The longer the hypertension exited, the higher the albuminuria incidence was. (2) The albuminuria incidence was associated with blood pressure level significantly. The urinary protein excretion increased with the level of blood pressure. The albuminuria incidences in patients with normal BP, upper range of normal BP, Ⅰ , Ⅱ or Ⅲ stage hypertension were 26.3%, 27.3%, 28.7%, 31.5% and 40.3% respectively. (3) The albuminuria incidence was significantly different in patients with uncontrolled BP (≥ 140/90 mm Hg) compared with those with well controlled BP (＜ 140/90 mm Hg) (27.1% vs 30.2%, P＜0.05 ). (4) The albuminuria incidence was higher in obese patients compared with those with normal BMI at same BP level, but the difference was not statistically significant. (5) Patients with albuminuria had more cardiocerebral or renal events as compared to those without proteinuria. Conclusions The albuminuria incidence of non-diabetic hypertensive patients from 5 cities in China is 28.8%, of which the microalbuminuria incidence is 18.6% and the clinical albuminuria incidence is 10.2%. Uncontrolled BP is an important risk factor of proteinuria.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of domestic olmesartan in treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension in comparison with losartan. Methods Two hundred and thirty-seven patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, multi-center, paralleded and active-controlled trial, and were divided into olmesartan group (olmesartan 20 mg + losartan 50 mg placebo) and losartan group (losartan 50 mg + olmesartan 20 mg placebo) for a 8-week therapy. Four weeks after treatment, dosages of drugs were doubled in patients with seated diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg (1 mmHg =0.133 kPa). All patients were followed up every two weeks, and the efficacy and adverse effects were observed. Another 32 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and given olmesartan only, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed before and 8 weeks after treatment. Results Compared with those before treatment, both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in olmesartan group and losartan group 8 weeks after treatment [(15.2 ±13.3) mmHg and (19.5 ±11.8) mmHg, respectively for systolic blood pressure (P <0.001); (15.9 ±7.48) mmHg and (16.2 ± 5.95) mmHg, respectively for diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.01) ], while there was no significant difference between these two groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in total effective rate and incidence of adverse effect between these two groups (86.9% vs 93.7% and 7.63% vs 5.88% , P > 0.05) . Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring demonstrated that trough to peak ratios of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were 86% and 71%, respectively. Conclusion Domestic olmesaratan provides an effective, safe and long action in the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic linkage between several cytokine and cytokine-related receptor gene loci and essential hypertension (EH) in Chinese.

METHODSLinkage between seven genetic markers and EH in 95 Chinese nuclear families with EH (including 477 subjects) was analyzed using a technique of fluorescence-based gene scan with DNA short tandem repeat loci. These markers were selected from the chromosomal regions nearby eight cytokines and their receptor genes. The two-point non-parametric linkage analysis (NPL), maximum Lod score and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) with GENEHUNTER software package were used in this study.

RESULTSResult of TDT showed significant transmission disequilibrium between D14S61 and EH (Chi square 14.29,P=0.00016) although NPL and Lod score revealed no significant linkage (Z=0.78, P>0.05 and Lod score =0.72 respectively) at this locus. No linkage between other loci typed and EH was found by the three genetic analysis methods (P>0.05 or Lod score<-1).

CONCLUSIONAlleles at D14S61 were of significant transmission disequilibrium in affected siblings. Transforming growth factor beta 3 is 0.1 cM away from D14S61, which suggests that the relationship between genes at or near this regions and EH needs to be further explored.

Adult ; Alleles ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Cytokines ; genetics ; DNA ; genetics ; Family Health ; Female ; Genetic Linkage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Lod Score ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Cytokine ; genetics ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo verify the linkage of the candidate regions identified in a previous study (markers D2S168, D2S151, D2S142 on chromosome 2) with hypertension in Chinese families.

METHODSA genetic linkage study focused on chromosome 2 was performed on 240 Chinese families containing 856 patients with essential hypertension. A total of 1080 individuals were genotyped using 9 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers around the candidate regions on chromosome 2 with an average spacing of 5 cM. Non-parametric linkage (NPL), parametric linkage analysis and transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) with the GENEHUNTER software were used to assess evidence for linkage.

RESULTSLinkage of a region on chromosome 2 around D2S151 and D2S142 with hypertension was confirmed by different statistical methods (NPL, LOD score and TDT). However, the linkage of D2S168 could not be replicated in this extension study.

CONCLUSIONSThe data suggest that a region on chromosome 2 at or near the loci of D2S142 and D2S151 may harbor genes responsible for the development of essential hypertension in Chinese.

Alleles ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 ; genetics ; Family Health ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Linkage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats

OBJECTIVETo study the contribution of genetic factors to the variance of serum leptin concentration in healthy, normotensive twins.

METHODSA total of 57 pairs of twins were investigated: 28 female and 19 male pairs of monozygotic(MZ) twins, and 6 female and 4 male pairs of dizygotic(DZ) twins. The zygosity of twins was determined by comparing the concordance of the genotype of nine fluorescence-labeled microsatellite markers. The genetic analysis was performed using the variance-based method. Serum leptin levels were determined in duplicate by a radioimmunoassay Kit (Linco Research, Inc., St. Charles, Missouri) as previously described.

RESULTSThe test of genetic variance revealed a significantly larger within-pair variance of serum leptin in the DZ twins, in comparison with the MZ twins. The corresponding heritability for serum leptin was 8%. Adjusted for BMI, gender, and uric acid (UA), the heritability for serum leptin was 0.18%. Log leptin correlated significantly with blood pressure (SBp r=0.355 P<0.001; DBp r=0.339 P<0.001). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that only BMI, gender and UA were linked independently to serum leptin levels(R(2)=0.788, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe above data indicate that environmental factors other than genetic factors are important determinants of leptinemia in normal subjects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leptin ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Twins, Dizygotic ; genetics ; Twins, Monozygotic ; genetics