Homocysteine levels in men and women of different ethnic and cultural background living in England.

This population-based cross-sectional study in South London looks at the total homocysteine (tHcy) levels in groups of different ethnic background and the possible role of environmental factors and the 677C-->T genetic polymorphism of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Fasting plasma tHcy was measured in 1392 men and women, age 40-59 years; 475 were white, 465 of African origin (of whom 180 were West Africans and 280 Caribbeans) and 452 South Asian (of whom 222 were Hindus and 167 Muslims). The homozygous MTHFR TT variant had observed frequencies of 0.10 in whites, 0.01 in people of African origin and 0.02 in South Asians (P<0.001). tHcy levels were 16% (95% CI 8-26) higher amongst TT than CC. tHcy levels were 25% (21-29) higher in men than women. Levels were significantly higher in South Asians than whites (8% [3-13]). Vegetarians had higher levels than non-vegetarians (25% [18-33]). These differences were present after adjustments for age, sex, smoking, body mass index (BMI), MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism and socio-economic status. Compared with whites (10.0 [9.7-10.3] micromol/l), and allowing for confounders, Hindus had significantly higher levels of tHcy (12.1 [11.6-12.6] micromol/l). This difference was attenuated by the inclusion of vegetarianism in the model (11.3 [10.8-11.9] micromol/l). In contrast Muslims had similar tHcy levels to whites while both West Africans and Caribbeans had slightly lower levels, though differences were not significant. The reported higher levels of tHcy in South Asians are due to high levels amongst Hindus only. They are in part accounted for by their vegetarianism. These differences in tHcy are large enough to be important contributors to the risk of vascular disease and may be preventable by simple targeted population strategies.

Molecular variants of the sodium/hydrogen exchanger type 3 gene and essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify polymorphic variants within the gene coding for the sodium/hydrogen exchanger type 3 (NHE3) and to examine their relationship with hypertension and biochemical indices of sodium balance. DESIGN AND METHODS: Case-control comparisons on a total of 691 subjects of which 399 (68% with essential hypertension) were of African or Afro-Caribbean origin (blacks) and 292 (50% with essential hypertension) were of Caucasian origin (whites). RESULTS: Eight exons of the C terminus of the NHE3 gene were screened systematically. A total of six variants were identified: (G1579A, G1709A, G1867A, C1945T, A2041G and C2405T). Further analyses in relation to essential hypertension and phenotypic characteristics were confined to the more frequent A2041G and the C2405T polymorphisms. The genotype frequencies of the A2041G polymorphism were significantly different between the whites and blacks, with the A allele being more frequent in the white population (0.43 for the whites and 0.14 for the blacks, respectively; P < 0.001). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the C2405T polymorphism between whites and blacks (C allele frequency: 0.86 for the whites and 0.88 for the blacks, respectively). In both the white and the black groups, there were no significant associations between these variants and essential hypertension (P > 0.05) or with serum electrolytes, creatinine or plasma renin activity (PRA) (ANOVA P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a high degree of structural conservation of the NHE3 gene; however, the lack of association between these polymorphisms and blood pressure status does not necessarily eliminate the participation of this important sodium/hydrogen exchanger in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension, as we cannot exclude the existence of functionally important genetic variants in other sequences within the NEH3 gene.

Contrasting associations between aldosterone synthase gene polymorphisms and essential hypertension in blacks and in whites.

BACKGROUND: Genetic variability in the gene for aldosterone synthase--a key enzyme in the production of aldosterone--can affect sodium homeostasis and thereby blood pressure. The possibility of impaired aldosterone production for the development of hypertension is of particular relevance in black Afro-Caribbeans exposed to a high dietary sodium intake. OBJECTIVES: To compare the frequency of three variants (-344C/T, intron 2 conversion, and the K173R polymorphism) of the aldosterone synthase gene in blacks and whites, and to determine any association of the variants with hypertension. DESIGN AND METHODS: We made case-control comparisons of the three gene variants in relation to ethnic background and to essential hypertension in 193 white (51% hypertensive) and 245 black individuals (59% hypertensive) living in south London. RESULTS: The frequency of each of the variants was significantly different between the two ethnic groups. The T and the K alleles were more frequent in the black participants (79 compared with 50% for the -344T allele and 81 compared with 50% for K173 allele), whereas the frequency of the intron 2 conversion allele was much lower in that group (8 compared with 38%). None of these variants was associated with essential hypertension in the black participants. In contrast, in the white participants there was a significant and graded association between the intron 2 conversion allele and essential hypertension (odds ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 2.98; = 0.01). Moreover, among the white population, the presence of homozygosity both of the T allele and of the intron 2 conversion alleles was associated with a much greater frequency of hypertension (71 compared with 43%; chi(2) = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The contrasting associations between these variants and essential hypertension do not necessarily exclude the possibility that other, as yet undefined, variants of the aldosterone synthase gene could be linked with hypertension in black people. Nonetheless, the strong association between the intron 2 conversion allele and essential hypertension in the white population reinforces the view that the increased blood pressure may be due, at least in part, to abnormal expression of enzymes involved in the metabolism of adrenal mineralocorticoids.

Vasopeptidase inhibitors.

Vasopeptidase inhibitors are a new class of drugs that have dual inhibitory effects on two key enzymes involved in the metabolism of vasoactive peptides. Essentially, they inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), thereby blocking the generation of angiotensin II (Ang II); at the same time they prevent the breakdown of natriuretic peptides by the enzyme neutral endopeptidase. The combination of reduction of Ang II on a background of increased natriuretic peptide activity has several potential advantages for the treatment of cardiovascular and renal disease and in particular, hypertension and congestive heart failure (CHF). Several vasopeptidase inhibitors, such as sampatrilat, fasidotril, gemopatrilat and omapatrilat (Vanlev, the most clinically developed vasopeptidase inhibitor to date) are under intensive clinical investigation. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated effective antihypertensive activity in hypertension, independent of age, renin and salt status or ethnic origin, and have also highlighted the potential for vasopeptidase inhibition as a new therapeutic modality for the treatment of CHF. Moreover, ongoing research suggests that this new class of drugs may be an important approach, not only for the treatment of hypertension and of conditions associated with overt volume overload but also for ischaemic heart disease.

Modest salt reduction reduces blood pressure and urine protein excretion in black hypertensives: a randomized control trial.

High blood pressure and proteinuria are the major risk factors for cardiovascular and renal disease. In black individuals, there is an increased risk of hypertension, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. There are no controlled studies of the effects of reducing salt intake on blood pressure and urine protein excretion in black individuals. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the effects of modest salt restriction on blood pressure and urine protein excretion in nondiabetic black hypertensive subjects. The study was randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled. After run-in periods on their usual diet and on reduced salt, participants continued to restrict their salt intake and then received either slow sodium tablets, designed to bring their salt intake back to normal, or placebo tablets for 4 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. In the 40 who completed the study, urinary sodium excretion fell on slow sodium to placebo from 169+/-73 to 89+/-52 mmol per 24 hours (P<0.001; approximately 10 to 5 g salt per day). Blood pressure fell from 159/101+/-13/8 to 151/98+/-13/8 mm Hg (P<0.01). Protein excretion fell from 93+/-48 mg to 75+/-30 mg per 24 hours (P<0.008). Thus, reducing salt intake from approximately 10 to 5 g per day reduced blood pressure and urine protein excretion in black hypertensives. In light of these findings, we would recommend that all black individuals with raised blood pressure reduce their salt intake to < or =5 g per day.

Circulating soluble E-selectin levels and the Ser 128Arg polymorphism in individuals from different ethnic groups.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: An association between the Ser128 Arg polymorphism and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been previously demonstrated in a white population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the Ser128 Arg polymorphism of the E-selectin gene is associated with soluble E-selectin levels in individuals from a multiethnic population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plasma sE-selectin levels and the Ser128 Arg E-selectin gene polymorphism were determined in 244 white (109 females), 176 of African origin (90 females) and 208 South Asian (95 females) healthy individuals living in England selected from the Wandsworth Heart and Stroke Study (WHSS). The substitution of serine for arginine (A to C mutation) was more common in whites (9.6%) and South Asians (7.9%) compared to the people of African origin (3.7%); p=0.005. The C mutation had no effect on sE-selectin levels in any ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS: We found a lower frequency of this polymorphism in the people of African origin who have a low CHD risk. However, in this study the polymorphism was not associated with circulating sE-selectin levels. Whether it plays a role in determining ethnic differences in vascular disease via a mechanism affecting leukocyte recruitment remains to be determined.

Plasma sodium: ignored and underestimated.

Salt intake is a major regulator of blood pressure. There is evidence that those who develop high blood pressure have an underlying defect in the ability of the kidney to excrete salt. It has been suggested that this results in a greater tendency to retain sodium and an increased compensatory response that is responsible for the rise in blood pressure. There is also evidence suggesting that small increases in plasma sodium may directly affect blood pressure, independent of the associated expansion in extracellular volume. We reanalyzed 3 types of studies of changing salt intake. (1) An acute and large reduction in salt intake from 350 mmol/d to 10 to 20 mmol/d for 5 days in hypertensives and normotensives was associated with a fall in plasma sodium of approximately 3 mmol/L (P<0.001). (2) Progressive increases in salt intake from 10 to 250 mmol/d by a daily amount of 50 mmol in normotensives caused increases in plasma sodium (P<0.001). (3) Longer-term modest reduction in salt intake in hypertensives was studied in double-blind randomized crossover studies; 1 month of usual salt intake ( approximately 170 mmol/d) compared with reduced salt intake ( approximately 100 mmol/d). There was a decrease in plasma sodium of 0.4+/-0.2 mmol/L (P<0.05), which was weakly but significantly correlated with the fall in systolic blood pressure (r=0.18; P<0.05). These studies demonstrate that an increase or a decrease in salt intake causes changes in plasma sodium. Small changes in plasma sodium alter extracellular volume, which may influence blood pressure. Changes in plasma sodium may also affect blood pressure directly.

Regulation of the epithelial sodium channel by accessory proteins.

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is of fundamental importance in the control of sodium fluxes in epithelial cells. Modulation of sodium reabsorption through the distal nephron ENaC is an important component in the overall control of sodium balance, blood volume and thereby of blood pressure. This is clearly demonstrated by rare genetic disorders of sodium-channel activity (Liddle's syndrome and pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1), associated with contrasting effects on blood pressure. The mineralocorticoid aldosterone is a well-established modulator of sodium-channel activity. Considerable insight has now been gained into the intracellular signalling pathways linking aldosterone-mediated changes in gene transcription with changes in ion transport. Activating pathways include aldosterone-induced proteins and especially the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase (SGK) and the small G-protein, K-Ras 2A. Targeting of the ENaC for endocytosis and degradation is now emerging as a major mechanism for the down-regulation of channel activity. Several proteins acting in concert are an intrinsic part of this process but Nedd4 (neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated 4) is of central importance. Other mechanisms known to interact with ENaC and affect sodium transport include channel-activating protease 1 (CAP-1), a membrane-anchored protein, and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator. The implications of research on accessory factors controlling ENaC activity are wide-ranging. Understanding cellular mechanisms controlling ENaC activity may provide a more detailed insight not only of ion-channel abnormalities in cystic fibrosis but also of the link between abnormal renal sodium transport and essential hypertension.

Urinary protein and essential hypertension in black and in white people.

The objectives of this work were to examine the association between urinary protein and blood pressure and to compare the pattern of urinary protein excretion with essential hypertension in people of European origin (whites) and in people of African or African-Caribbean origin (blacks) living in southwest London, United Kingdom. In the groups as a whole, there were no significant differences in total urinary protein excretion between blacks and whites (geometric means [95% CI]: 94.0 [85.9 to 102.9] mg/24h for the blacks [n=151] and 102.1 [96.1 to 108.4] mg/24h for the whites [n= 219]). There were also no significant differences between blacks and whites in urinary albumin (6.5 [4.9 to 8.5] mg/24h for the blacks [n=97] and 7.1 [5.6 to 9.0] mg/24h for the whites [n=123]). In both groups, those with essential hypertension displayed a significantly raised urinary protein excretion (1.21-fold higher for the blacks and 1.19-fold higher for the whites) and albumin excretion (1.69-fold higher for the blacks and 2.40-fold higher for the whites). Urinary transferrin excretion measured in a subgroup of 67 subjects was also raised in those with essential hypertension (3.22-fold higher in the blacks and 2.76-fold higher in the whites). Examination of urinary proteins by SDS-PAGE did not identify any pattern consistent with a reduction in renal tubular protein reabsorption in those with essential hypertension. These results suggest that the increase in protein excretion in essential hypertension could be due, at least in part, to an increase in glomerular protein ultrafiltration.

Ethnic differences in circulating soluble adhesion molecules: the Wandsworth Heart and Stroke Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether soluble adhesion molecule levels differ by ethnic group. Soluble plasma adhesion molecules [soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1)] were measured in 261 white (120 females), 188 African origin (99 females) and 215 South Asian (99 females) individuals living in England. All were free from coronary heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular disease, diabetes, drug therapy for hypertension or high lipids, hormone-replacement therapy or oral contraceptive pill. The results of the study indicated that there were important differences in the levels of adhesion molecules by sex and smoking. However, when adjusting for these and other potential confounders, there were no differences in levels between white subjects and individuals of South Asian origin. In contrast, people of African origin had significantly lower levels of sICAM-1 [Caribbean -30% (-36 to -23%); West African -22% (-29 to -15%), values are means (95% confidence intervals)], sVCAM-1 [Caribbean -14% (-19 to -8%); West African -10% (-17 to -3%)] and sP-selectin [Caribbean -10% (-17 to -2%); West African -24% (-31 to -16%)] than white individuals. In conclusion, circulating levels of some soluble adhesion molecules are lower in individuals of Caribbean or West African origin compared with white or South Asian individuals. These relationships may contribute to the low risk of coronary heart disease seen in people of African origin living in England.

Variant of SCN5A sodium channel implicated in risk of cardiac arrhythmia.

Every year, approximately 450,000 individuals in the United States die suddenly of cardiac arrhythmia. We identified a variant of the cardiac sodium channel gene SCN5A that is associated with arrhythmia in African Americans (P = 0.000028) and linked with arrhythmia risk in an African-American family (P = 0.005). In transfected cells, the variant allele (Y1102) accelerated channel activation, increasing the likelihood of abnormal cardiac repolarization and arrhythmia. About 13.2% of African Americans carry the Y1102 allele. Because Y1102 has a subtle effect on risk, most carriers will never have an arrhythmia. However, Y1102 may be a useful molecular marker for the prediction of arrhythmia susceptibility in the context of additional acquired risk factors such as the use of certain medications.