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BP, aldosterone production possibly affected by potassium channel gene KCNK9
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Data from an exploratory study suggest that blood pressure and aldosterone production may be affected by variations in the potassium channel gene KCNK9, signaling a risk for hypertension in otherwise healthy patients.
“If indeed, given today’s dietary practices, aldosterone production becomes relatively dissociated from a need to retain Na (sodium), then identification of other determinants of aldosterone production would make an important contribution to an understanding of the causes of hypertension,” study investigators wrote.
According to researchers, two groups of healthy white and black Americans were studied within a longitudinal study group (aged approximately 14 years when enrolled; 444 white, 351 black) and an inpatient cross-sectional study group (aged approximately 23 years when enrolled; 85 white, 109 black).
Jeesun Jung, PhD, of the department of medical and molecular genetics at Indiana University School of Medicine, and colleagues measured plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone concentration and level of serum K in the cross-sectional group; and BP semiannually in the longitudinal study group.
In the longitudinal study, researchers found associations of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with each of the phenotypes measured. However, an association was typically found only in black patients or only in white patients; not both.
Regarding black patients studied in this group, nine SNPs in KCNK9 were associated with systolic BP; none of which were associated with BP of white patients. One SNP in particular was only marginally associated with BP (rs13256087; P=.04), researchers wrote. Regarding white patients, associations were related to parameters of aldosterone production compared with black patients whose associations were linked to BP.
Cross-sectional study results indicated significant associations were only evident among black patients. Five of nine SNPs that were associated with systolic BP in black patients from the longitudinal study tended to be linked to systolic BP in patients in the cross-sectional study.
“Thus, there was suggestive evidence for an interaction of the two channel subunits in humans,” researchers wrote.
They found common variations in KCNK9 related to BP and the production of aldosterone, and said the findings “go beyond simply mere coincidence, despite their only nominal significance given the low sample size.”
The researchers said they suggest further studies to determine additional associations in other population groups.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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