Objective: To investigate whether linkage between essential hypertension (EH) and genetic loci near renin-angiotensin system, endothelin system, nitric oxide synthase, adrenergic receptor genes in Chinese.
Methods: Linkage analysis of thirteen candidate gene loci and EH was performed in 95 Chinese nuclear families including 477 subjects using a technique of fluorescence-based gene scan with DNA short tandem repeat. The markers were selected on the chromosomal regions containing candidate genes regulating vasoactivity. GENEHUNTER package were used for two-point, non-parametric linkage analysis (NPL), maximum Lod score and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) in this study.
Results: The results of TDT indicated relatively small P values at D1S1678, D3S1744, D4S1604, D13S800, D7S483 and D8S255 (0.01 < P < 0.05). No significant linkages was found at any locus by Lod score and NPL analysis (Lod </= -1, P >/= 0.05).
Conclusions: TDT is considered as a sensitive test for detecting linkage disequilibrium. Significant linkage was found at 6 of the 13 loci typed in Chinese nuclear families with hypertension by using TDT, but no evidence suggested linkage of any locus to EH by NPL and Lod score. It is worthwhile to pay attention to chromosomal regions near the loci with small P values.