NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Polymorphisms in the factor VII (FVII) gene appear to influence the risk of hypertension, according to a report in the November issue of Hypertension.
FVII has angiogenic and inflammatory effects that could promote hypertension. Two polymorphisms in the FVII gene, Arg353Gln and -323Del/Ins, have been shown to influence levels of the factor. Thus, it is possible that these genetic variations could also have an impact on hypertension.
To investigate, Dr. Sophie Visvikis-Siest, from the Universite Henri Poincare in Nancy, France, and colleagues analyzed data from subjects in the Stanislas Cohort, a French familial group followed since 1994. The analysis involved a blood pressure and a hypertension study in more than 2000 subjects.
In the blood pressure study, parents and offspring carrying the 353Gln or -323Ins allele had lower blood pressures than noncarriers. Moreover, carriage of the -323Ins polymorphism was associated with decreased levels of FVII. However, FVII levels were associated only with blood pressure in parents, not offspring.
In the hypertension study, both alleles were tied to a decreased risk of hypertension. Carriage of either allele reduced the risk of hypertension by about 50%, the investigators note.
“By showing an association between both blood pressure levels and hypertension and FVII polymorphisms, this work provides new insight on the relation between coagulation factors and blood pressure,” the authors conclude. The findings, they add, may ultimately lead to novel therapeutic targets.
Source: Hypertension 2004;44:674-680. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Polymorphism, Single NucleotideCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
