Association Of The -1131T/C Polymorphism In The APOA5 Gene With Elderly Patients With Essential Hypertension

ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) gene -1131T/C polymorphism in the Han population in Qingdao, and to explore its effects on lipid metabolism and artery elasticity, and the association between susceptibility to elderly hypertension and the -1131T/C polymorphism in the APOA5 gene.MethodsUsing polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and agarose gelelectrophoresis (AGE) methods, we analyzed the genotypes and alleles in 130 elderly patients with essential hypertension (mean age 71.24±5.72years) and 120 healthy controls (mean age 70.49±6.43 years).The levels of serum lipid profiles were studied by biochemicalmethods. Using color doppler ultrasound we measured systolic inner diameter (Ds), diastolic inner diameter (Dd) and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the right common carotid artery (RCCA) and calculated pressure-strain elastic modulus (Ep), stiffness (β) and the arterial compliance (AC). ResultsThe frequency of APOA5 -1131TT, TC, CC genotypes were distinctlydifferent between groups of elderly patients with essential hypertension andcontrol (P=0.014). The frequency of the APOA5 -1131 C allele in elderly hypertensive patients was significantly higher than that of the controlgroup (0.419 vs 0.296 P=0.004).Compared with the wild type TT, TC heterozygote+CC homozygote had a significantly increased elderly hypertensionrisk (OR =2.03 and OR=1.65 using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models,respectively).This association still existed after adjustment for the sex, age, BMI, smoking, alcohol, hypertensive familial history and the levels of serumHDL-C and LDL-C.APOA5 -1131TT, TC, CC genotypes al-so showed a co-rrelation with plasma TG levels in elderly hypertensive pat-ients (P<0.01).The -1131C allele contributed to the increase of serum levels of TG but had no effect on profiles of TC, HDL-C, LDL-C in elderlyhypertensive pa-tients.In the elderly hypertensive group, the serumlevels of TG of CC ge-notype were significantly higher than those of TT genotype and TC genot-ype.The serum levels of TG of TC genotype was higher than that of TT genotype.Compared with the normal group,data of Ep,βweresignificantly hi-gher in hypertension group(P<0.01),while AC was obviouslylower(P<0.01). However, there was no significance in profiles of IMT, Ep,βand AC in va-rious genotypes in both groups.ConclusionsThe APOA5 -1131T/C polymorphism might contribute to an increased risk of elderly hypertension among Chinese accompanied by an elevation of serum TG levels. The APOA5 -1131T/C polymorphism was not related with artery elasticity.